The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-12-16
Communications.

ENLtttTS FutSy FUyfNtUU.
If you will allow plain-spoken man a lit
tie space in your excellent paper, l will Civ
my views on the course best for the Republi
can party to pursue.
| Not claiming any particular influence o.
power in the party, but fidelity from its orr
gin in Virginia to the present, if the object o
this great party has been anything else THAI
the ameliOratiOn of man and the best interests
OF our common country l have mistaken itE
object. But the question here arises how car
that be done in Virginia? In my opinion, nc
party can be successful without organization
Therefore our organization should be kept in
tact, for the next political campaign will be
| one in which all Virginians will have a vita
interest. The republicans and the two fac
tons of the democratic party compose the
elements within which lie the destiny of the
State for years to come. Every observing man
can see at glance that the great barrier that
has held our State in the unsettled condition
that she is, will never be removed by the party
that has had dominion over her for the last ten
years. And as that party is now divided
1t behooves the republican party, either to take
the field in 1881, and show Virginians fair,
honest, and honorable solution of her difficult
ties, or aid that wing OF the democratic party
that is so disposed. In years past there were
two great national parties-whig and demo-
cratic-the former advocating national bank,
and protective tariff, the latter land more
particularly in the Southern states) opposing
these measures. And Virginia, IN state matters,
had party asking for an equal distribution of
the proceeds of the sales of the public lands
for the purpose of building her internal i'm
prOvements, and the same democratic party
opposing it upon constitutional technicalities,
and absolutely refusing to accept her proper
ton when distribution ao0s made. At the
same time the democratic states of Missouri
and Indiana We're not only receiving their
quota from the proceeds of the sales made by
the general government, but asked and receiv-
ed certain additional allotments to build spec
ific railroads. How stands the matter now !?
The young and live states of the West have
railroads chequered in every direction and are
free Of debt, but Virginia must groan under
the burden Of taxation imposed upon her by
the bourbon democracy of anti bellum times
by their refusal of the boon when offered.
That party has been detrimental to the in
terest of Virginia for quarter of century,
under whatever guise, name or color it may
have acted. Therefore if the mission of the
republican party Is to lift the old State out of
the slough Of despond, like that Virginia pa
triOt and statesman, Henry A. Wise, who in
1910, when he joined the Wing ranks, we must
proclaim, that zoe have a country to serve as
well as party to obey" Then the present
lines of demarcation that divide the republican
from faction of each of the democratic par
ties will be obliterated upon the ruins of which
will be formed great Virginia party, whose
object will be Virginia's interest," and the de-
velopment of her resources. The probability
is, that there will be but few of the Anticipated
democratic leaders, who in days past kept Vir
ginia in the back ground by their pretended
observance of the constitution Of the United
ontx wit fl,n nhuarv
can see at a glance, that the welfare OF the
Old Dominion is not nearest their heart. They
fear the Commonwealth is about to enter upon
new era in which the sceptre will depart
from the aristocracy, and the law givers from
among the Bourbon democracy. In this pro-
gresslve age we cannot afford to lie idle with
millions of treasures laying dormant in the
bowels of our Dominion inviting enterprise
and industry.
The result of the last national election has
assured the mechanic, the miner and the arti
IAN of all Classes, that they shall be protected
in their different avocatiOns, and there will
arise in Virginia a great political party
''That will take the spade of perseverance
And dig the field Of progress WIDE.
And in this direction | feel assured that the
republican party is marching
With all due respect for opinions of your
recent correspondents, feel compelledto differ
Will some Oh Illeu. AS 10 the strength anu
make up Of our party, one puts the white
vote down at 10000, and the colored at 10000,
and Others at figures not varying far from
them. Where they get their data from l am
not able to conjecture, for from my very close
observation, in this part Of the State, | am
compelled to come to different conclusion
At almost every precinct in this and adjacent
counties we had larger vote than in 1876, and
fewer colored people voting with a larger per
cent. of those who did vote, Uoting the Demo-
cratic ticket, of one or the other faction, than
voted that way in 1876, caused by their capt.
tation tax being paid by the employer, upon
the condition that they should vote the ticket
of their favorite candidate for Congress, and
in so doing many Of them ignorantly voted
the whole democratic electoral ticket. Calcu-
lating from these observations l cannot but
think that the white Republican vote numbered
between 10000 and $4,000 in the last cam
paign, which added to the colored vote is
power that can WELD the State. Therefore
my opinion is that the Republican party
should keep thoroughly organized, and when
the time comes for action, either lead Off or
join in with party whose aims and patriotism
are above the dead issues of the past
ArrrIrcnA