The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-10-07
ELECTORS:
The Situation in Virginia.


dents assume that there is substantially no
Republican organization in this State-that
there is no well defined idea Of the duty OF
Republicans, and that the real contest is
between the Re-adiuster and Funder wings
of the Democracy, with the bulk of the
qualified voting Republicans cooperating
with the Re-adjusters This is assumed to
be the situation. Then it is assumed that
the success of the latter organization in
Virginia. is not only essential to liberal
State policy as it affects the rights guaran-
teed by the Constitution. but will have for
It's result similar disruption OF the Demo-
cratic party in other Southern States to that
which has occurred here.
Neither of these propositions is correct.
It is true that there has been warm and
active sympathy on The part of some OF the
Republicans with Gen. Malone because OF
his proclaimed purpose in State affairs. out
side Of the debt question. and so long as his
amb ition and aspirations were confined to
no disposition to crystalize the Republican
ferces into a compact organization to inter
fere with the local contest being waged be-
tween the two Democratic factions. But
this does not and should not apply to the
great national issue now engaging the at
tention of the people of the country, and
consequently the arguments which would
be appropriate in mere local m alters. are
not relevant to the present attitude of par
ties in national affairs. Indeed the revolt
ton which the correspondents in question
80 emphatically believe has been inaugur-
ated and Is destined to sweep over the
South, would not only not be aided by the
success of the Hancock cause, but would
receive severe if not fatal shock from
the election of Democratic President and
Democratic Congress. There is not an
interest that the colored Republicans OF
Virginia and the South hold dear that would
not be jeopardized by the defeat of the Re-
publican party In this contest, nor is there
a reform that Gen. Malone has proposed
that would not be arrested and rendered
more difficult of contamination by the adj
vance to the control of government, in all
of its departments, of the Democratic par
ty. Ii it is the purpose Of Gen. Malone to
carry out in good faith the notifications of
State legislation designed to abridge the
rights of the newly made citizen and dis
criminate against his equality before the
law. his object could be better attained by
the continuance in power Of the party
which sympathizes with the spirit and in
tent of the constitutional provisions which
guarantee the rights that have been in
vaded and to degree practically nullified.
With the Democratic party in power in
all OF the departments OF government,
Democratic policy. as recorded in existing
legislation in Virginia, and existing prac-
tices in other Southern States, would be
hedged about by the influences which would
emanate from this power. The political
elements which have been instrumental in
inflicting the wrongs which are crying to
the very heavens for redress. would be mas
tiers of the situation-would direct the pol
icy of the government, and be potential in
checking. if not entirely staying the current
of public thought which Gen. Malone
seems to encourage, and which the charity
and justice of the world wishes God speed.
It is admitted by Gen. Malone himself in
his interview with the correspondent of the
Philadelphia Press, that his relation to the
Hancock administration. should the Demo
cratic party succeed. would be anamolous.
1t is known by others that the faction of his
party arrayed against him would be in full
accord with the powers that be, in the event
of the defeat of the Republicans, and that
the entire machinery and all of the agen-
cies of the National Government, would be
for the control of the State. Flushed with
success in the Presidential contest and
stimulated by the assurance of the moral
and material support of a Democratic gov
eminent, the Funder faction would enter
the canvass against him with every pros
pect of his defeat and the utter overthrow
and destruction of his party The primary
object he has in observation-disclosures of the
State debt-would be thus defeated, and all
the ancillary aims he has declared, looking
liberalizing Southern sentiment and legisla
ton, and harmonizing State enactments
and policy with the Constitution and laws
OF the country. would meet the same fate.
A careful study of the situation by the
correspondents in question, we apprehend,
would have brought them to the same con-
clusion that we have reached-that the sur
est way to defeat the ends they have so
graphically presented, would be for the
Republicans to abandon their organ ization,
and either passively or actively aid in the
success of the Hancock electoral ticket in |
Virginia. Their true policy is to organ
lie thoroughly all over the State-as they |
are now doing-support their electoral tick
ct with the full strength Of the party, and |
whether successful or not in Virginia. the |
November election, they would have crys-
talized power In the State campaign of |
1881, which could be utilized to control the |
result, in the support Of the faction which |
would give assurance OF the most liberal |
And Republican success in the
national issue is the only guarantee we
could have of any modification of State
laws, and the only possible prospect of
breaking up the Bourbon dynasty and shat
tering solid South. Whatever may now
be the indications. pointing to disruption
Of parties in the Southern States, arise from
the conviction that the Republican party
will continue in the control of the National
Government. Without that Gen. Malone
and the Re-adjusters Of Virginia, would be
crushed beneath the wild sweep of passion
and prejudice which would come up from
every Bourbon camp throughout the coun-
try against any proposed innovation upon
the methods which had secured solid
South, and been determinatiye of Demo-
cratic success.
These are the views which Virginia Re-
publicans hold to, and which will give di- f;
-ection to their action in this contest. They {