The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-08-28

|
the simple Sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof" But we will be
more explicit. The debt question has as
sumed phase and gotten to point above
any party considerations, appealing, as il
does, to the sense of honor of every Vir.
| ginian. There are Republicans and Con.
servatives who honestly believe that the
McCulloch Bill is not such settlement as
the State ought to accept. There are Re.
publicans and Conservatives who are con.
WINGED that it embraces just and right
eous settlement-giving to the creditors ali
they are in equity entitled to under the cir
cumstances, and imposing upon the State
no obligations she should not cheerfully
meet. With these indisputable facts to
consider, it was the supremest folly for a
partizan committee to attempt to make it a
party question. The lines should be drawn
upon the merits of the bill, and the ques-
ton not embarrassed by any other compli-
cations. The action of the Central Com
mittee OF the Conservative party can not
possibly add to the friends of the bill, but
it is well calculated to weaken its support,
for Republicans, who recognize the ele-
ments OF exact justice in the proposition,
might possibly be driven from its advocacy
because of the caucus appropriation, while
there are many who have acted with the
Conservative party that are heartily disgust
ed with caucus despotism, land might oppose
it or become Indifferent in its support. To
make the bill a party measure, would divest
it of its higher moral character, and instead
of addressing itself to the sense of honor
and right of the people of Virginia, it would
be contorted into an issue to inflame parti-
IAN and personal resentments.
We certainly should not have accused the
committee of "cowardice,' therefore, had ii
not usurped the authority it did. In the first
place, it had noright to appropriate the bill
toits own purposes, when it did not belong
to the party it represented. There was moral
turpitude in this, and a prostitution of great
State interest, affecting all the people alike,
to the questionable designs of partizan
tricksters. We should not have charged the
committee with ''cowardice," had it simply
appealed to the moral forces which are in
herent with the great mass of the people,
without throwing dstrust upon the ap peal
by associating with it the interests of a po-
litical organization, which has been more
| disastrous to the State than an invading
| army. The interests involved are too COM
prehensive and vital to be determined by a
few local politicians, clothed with a little
brief authority, whose mental scope is cir
cumscribed by the curb-stones of their re-
| spective hamlets. 1t is question for State
pride and devotion to deal with, and not the
little tom-tit politicians, who never con-
ceived thought or devised measure, that
placed the welfare of the Common
wealth above the behests of party
The honor, the prosperity, the very des-
tiny Of Virginia is at stake in the issue,
and to allow it to be moulded and
warped to answer the designs of a few small
fry professional politicians, is something that
the robust courage of the people of Virginia
has no thought of doing.
Who constitute this State Central Com
mittee that they should assume to think and
act for the sovereign people of Virginia
Where in civil administration, on the tented
field, on the hastings, have all or either of
| them impressed their wisdom and patriotism
upon thepolity Of the State, land lifted them
selves above their fellow men by their
foe hot fInir oh I.
come the supreme law to govern and direct
| the consciences and conclusions of the peo-
pie? Such insufferable presumption was
never before heard of in this or any other
State, and the only reasonable excuse that
can be offered for it, is the small ambitions
which grow and flourish in exceedingly shall
low mental soil.
The committee blundered egregiously, in
its appropriation to partizan use that which
belongs to the people of the State, and
the Dispatch will blunder, and live to re-
greet it, if it persists in the narrow channel
of thought suggested by the Committee.
Our Harrsonburg correspondent init
mates that the Republicans !of Rockingham
county contemplate organizing and bring
ing out candidates for the Legislature in the
approaching fall election. We trust his SUR
misses .may prove utterly unfounded. We
should deeply regret any movement on the
part OF the Republicans of the Valley that
would complicate the debt question, and in =
terpose obstacles to full and fair express
cir ~ in ;,,c
consider that issue infinitely above any par
ty interests in the coming elections, or any
party advantage that might be thought pos
sible. 1t is our judgment that no good. but
much harm would result from a movement
such as is limited at by our correspondent, and
we do not believe the Republicans of Rock
ingham will encourage it, The only effect
would be to draw the lines as between the
two parties, instead of upon the merits OF
McCulloch bill. IL is to the interests of all
Republicans and Democrats-that this
debt controversy should be settled. and set
tied so that it will cease to be a source OF
disturbance and contention hereafter. Re-
publicans would have nothing to gain by
giving an cACUSC lOI uEIlds
gogues to revive race issues, and inflame the
passions..of the people by appealing to their
prejudices. Lei this debt quest ion be final
ly disposed of, and then it will be time
enough to think Of other sugge sti0ns affect
ing the interests Of party organizations
We throw out these thoughts as the result
of mature reflection, and not with any pur-
pose or desire to improperly interfere with
the Republicans of Roc .ingham. Their in
telligence, we believe, after a little reflec-
ton, will bring them to the same conciu-
sions we have reached, and influence them
to forego any such impolitic action as is in
timated by our correspondent.
The excitement in San Francisco, grow
ing out of the shooting of Rev. Mr.. Kali
loch, the Workingmen's candidate for
Mayor of San Francisco, by Mr.. De Long,
editor of the Chronicle Of that city, is the
legitimate result of the teachings of both
parties to the crime. The " Honorable
Bilks,', of which the Chronicle is the organ,
81.