The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-04-10
Politics and Parties.

Of Mr.. Singleton, of Mississippi, and Mr..
Blackburn, of Kentucky, that the contest
would continne until every vestige of the
legislation was stricken from
the statute book, will open the eyes of the
North to the issue they will have to con-
front. Practically the amendments to the
Constitution, so far as the political rights
they guarantee are concerned, have been
dead letter for some time, in the extreme
Southern States. Either by force or eva
and while it may not be possible to amend
them out of observation-disclosures it takes
three-fourths of the State Legislatures to do
that-yet so far as any political freedom is
involved, which is not in harmony with
Democratic purposes, they will amount to
so much blank paper, if the dominancy Of
the Democratic party is perpetuated in the
legislative branch of the Government, and
a Democratic Executive should be elected
in 1880
This latter event is not very probable, nor
is it expected that the next Congress will be
under the control Of that party. There are
causes now at work, which will operate a
very material recast Of the proportions of
that organization. The extreme utterances
of its representative men in the present
Congress, and the fierce assault upon the
coordinate branch OF the Government, repre-
sented by the Executive, will have the eff
feet to arouse the Republicans to eXtraordi-
nary exertions and determination, and will
likewise draw to the support of that party
when massed, is q controlling power in
many of. the Northern States. 1t is con-
sentative in its character and motives, and
on ordinary occasions does not take an ac-
tive part in partizan contests. But when
the entire current of legislation is proposed
to be changed, and the faith OF the nation
impinged, it will be stimulated to action
and make its power felt at the ballot
box
More particularly will this be the case
when the further purpose of this modern
Democratic party is developed in its
coalition with the greenback organization
We have the plain intimation that such a
coalition will be formed, in the recent cleo
ton in Chicago, when Greenback-Demo-
crat-the nominee of both of those or
ganizations-was elected; in the sudden
conversion OF the Greenback members OF
Congress to the extreme legislation formu.
lated by the Democratic party, and con-
sllmmatedin the vote Of last Friday, so fan
as the action OF the House of Representa-
tives could do so; and in the coquetting
that is now in progress in Ohio to effect 8
fusion Of the two elements for State and
National purposes.
While the recent action Of Congress will
be regarded as desperate design to over
come all obstacles and disregard all restraints
ing out of the amended Constitution, the
proposed coalition with reference to the
financial policy of the Government will BIZ
considered as an assault upon the integri
ty of the nation and directly tending tt
the arrangement Of all business and com
mercial interests and enterprises. The in
dependent voter is intimately connected
with the monetary relations of government
and community, and it is because he is 81
engrosscd that he rarely interests himself
in the ordinary political contests of thu
day. But when it is proposed to strike :
blow at the very base of commercial safe
Il el,o1ya ,ntc hot
the underlying principle of the financial
fabric of the country, deep concerr
will be created, and all the resources Of
mind and money be invoked to protect ant
| preserve the financial integrity and security
of the nation.
Nor will the effect of these considera
lions be confined to the centres and ramifi
cations of Northern interests. In the South
the same influences will operate, and the
business prosperity of this section be re
garded as paramount to the frothy section
al sentimentalism, which has served to pro
mote the ambition of professional polite
ians. at the expense of the material adj
vancement Of the people. There are con
siderations which rise above the power ant
influence Of the political caucus, and when
the exposure of the motives and purposes
of the chronic agitators is made for ;
crusade against the financial policy of the
government, now presenting such aston
ishing results in the re-funding Of the ma
tional debt. it will be found that much O.
the intelligence and business enterprise Of
the South, will enter determined protest
against this suicidal policy, and align them
selves with the conservative interests Of the
country A coalition between Democratic
politicians and greenback enthusiasts in the
| West, willnot only solidify the business rep
| tatives of the East in opposition, regardless!
of old party ties, but may cause disrup
ton in the South, that may jeopardize the
| calculations and boasts of those who now
presume to speak for a solid Democratic
section in the old slave States.
The business interests of the country can
not always be made subordinate to the
schemes and plots of designing politicians,
| There are times when courage and patriot
ism may be aroused to aggressive actor
and disregard the conventional restraints O.
political combinations. And if ever there
was a time in the history Of the South, wheI
the flimsy and humiliating trappings O
mere partizan iobbers should be thrown OFF,
| that time is now. Our material welfare i!
| being sacrificed to the bad ambition OF trad
ing politics. The sympathy of the moving,
active business world is being turned from
us, because of the fierce sectional passion
| which seems to govern the utterances OF ou
delegated representatives. With inviting
fields and genial climate, and affluent re-
sources, to attract and captivate the capita
and enterprise Of other sections, and
hearty welcome from the great mass OF the
people, those who should be foremost in
opening the way for their incoming, arc
building impossible barriers, and turning
them aside to less inviting and attractive
sections. VIII the intelligence and bust
ness sagacity Of the South, and especially
of Virginia, longer allow such cruel wrong
to be perpetrated against them, without an
effort to avert it?
The opponents of the Debt Bill recently