The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-08-21
The Committees Mistake


The Committees Mistake.
II there could BIS no other objection TO the
action of the State Executive Committee of
the Conservative party, in establishing an
exclusive organization, the bad policy, and
want OF wisdom they exhibited would be ia
tai to the successful operation of the plan
they propose. Iii a fact well known and
universally admitted by those who have
given the subject thought at all, that there is
a growing distaste among the masses for the
so called Consei vatiye party, and that a spir-
1t OF Independence is manifesting itself more
and more every day throughout the length
and breadth of the Commonwealth. We
think we hazard nothing in stating that the
Independent vote of Virginia to-day will
reach $4,000, and this vote ad led to the
10000 republicans, will assure the success of
| any party to which it may be attached. In
their Mozart convention, the readjusters very
wisely made bid for the alliance OF this
class, by inviting all, irrespective of party
utilization, to participate in their deliberations
the only qualification required being oppo-
sition to the McCulloch bill. Instead of a.
| dopting the same liberal tactics and calling
for massing OF the friends OF the bill thus
| arraying the two parties on the issue of the
debt settlement, the Committee, with want
OF foresight, to call it by no harsher name,
born Of long years of party despotism, have
| declared that all who are opposed to a fur
ther agitation Of the subject must enroll un-
der the caucus banner and submit to the die
tation Of the mighty thirteen. In other
ing power, these men are willing to sacrifice
the prospect of placing the debt question at
rest, and Virginia on the lighroad to pros
perity, by declaring that those who favor the
McCullocE bill must be classed as the SER
| ions OF this executive committee, for W hch,
as an official body, they have profound aver
sion and contempt.
There are many good mn in the State
who are really at loss as to the course they
| should pursue. The champions Of each of the
two parties now in the field are presenting
plausible arguments, and unless man feels
deeply enough interested to so We the matter
| for himself, the chances are that he is just as
| apt to fall under the Influence OF one faction
as the other. If, in this state Of uncertainty,
he is invited, on the one hand, to a full and
free participancy in all of the deliberations
of the readjusters, without being compelled
| to join in the organization, and on the other
hand is told that If he opposed to these re-
| adjusters he must consent to alignment un-
scorn the proposed CONSUMPTION, and act with
| the liberal party.
Again, whilst the republicans are by no
means formidable in Virginia as a distinct
organization, they are not to be despised as
balance of power. Many of them favor
the bill, others are out and out readjusters,
and third class are undetermined. Their
support is all important to the success OF
either of the parties now contending for SUI
premacy in the state. By one of these they
are cordially, invited to join with it in the
contest: By the other they are positively ex-
cluded, for however strong their convictions
may be, many Of them will never consent to
follow the pathway marked out for them by
their old enemies, or i'd entity themselves with
an organization they despise and against
which they have for years contended.
If the Executive committee have one grain
of patriotism in their compositions; if the
good of the state is to be allowed to weigh
feathers weight against their selfish designs
and purposes, they will abandon all thought
OF q close organization and let the people
of Virginia. irrespective of party. make the
fight for the salvation Of the state.
We repeat, that however strong the con-
victions Of Republicans may be, it will re-
quire more moral backbone than the majori-
ty of mortals possess, to resist the tempta-
ton to deal a fatal blow at the Conservative
party, when it is thus left to their m ercy,
and for the committee to continue in the
course it has already ma rked out, will be to
invite the complete overthrow OF the Con-
sentative organization, and defeat the settle.
ment of the debt.
II we were governed by any motive other
! than the good of the state and an earnest de-
sire to see this vexed : nd vexing question of
her finances forever at rest. we would hail
| with Joy the action OF th;s committee, for
| more suicidal step, or one more fata! to the
object it sassumedly designed to accomplish,
could not have been taken.