The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-09-30

it, To surrender power and the control OF
public affairs in the South now to the republi-
cans is virtually to surrender it to the most ig-
norant and illiterate classes, or, what is worse,
to vile and unprincipled demagogues, who for
selfish purposes, deceive and misead them. 1t
is the colored vote which forces the South to
be solid. If the elective franchise had been
with held from them until they were sufficient
ly educated to form enlighten d opinions for
themselves, the South would long since have
divided ON administrative questions of revenue,
finance, currency, banking, improvements &c.
But ask candid Northern men TO say would
it be wise for the intelligence and refinement
and property of the South TO surrender all
these precious interests to the management of
| the Ignorant and destitute classes OF our popu-
| latiOn who, i'll many cases. own no property,
are incapable of understanding the effects OF
legislation OF of reading the ballot which they
deposit at the polls?
THE REPUTATION QUESTION.
Finally there is one other reason, which, if
| there were no others, ought to be sufficient to
satisfy the people Of the North OF the 'unwis-
DOM of asking the people of the South to
commit their destinies to the hands of their
least informed class OF voters The spirit of
reputation has taken a strong hold on the
minds of large classes of the Southern people
In Virginia, under the euphonious name of
REIMBURSEMENT of the public debt" it has be-
come powerful if not controlling element in
our State politics. This party is indebted for
its support mainly to the colored voters. At
the first session of the Legislature after the
close Of the war, before the right of suffrage
had been conferred on the colored people and
when Virginia was governed by the whites,
one of the first acts was to recognize the pub
lie debt-to disclaim all purpose to repudiate
any portion Of it, and to give solemn assur-
| of Tn
two the colored race were clothed with the
right to vote. This was the signal for the
commencement OF a system of agitation and
war on the public debt. The negroes were
| appealed to to give their aid in "readusting,"
or repudiating it, They were told that it was
contracted when they were slaves and were
unrepresented in the legislative halls, and
therefore they were under no obligation to pay
it. They were urged to unite in resisting
every effort to raise the taxes to meet the in
terest or provide for the principal. The hold
ers of the bonds were denounced as ''ohylock-"
who were demanding the pound of flesh from
impoverished debtors. These appeals have to
considerable extent been successful, and the
larger portion of the colored voters are in
sympathy and alliance with the "readiusters"
Without the colored vote-which is in fact the
controlling element of the republican party in
the South-the "readjusters" would be power
less; with their cooperation they are a pow
erful party The republican party in Virginia
is now In close alliance with the "readiusters"
Ii was by combination OF these parties that
General Malone, the leader of the ''readius-
tiers" was elected to the Senate; all the old
executive officers were driven from the capitol,
and the conservative county judges were dis
placed and their seats filled by men generally
pledge to use their power in the interest of the
''readjusters"
Would the Northern people like to see the
virtue and intelligence of Virginia succumb to
party like this and pass over the direction OF
public affairs into their hands?
THE NATIONAL DEBT
1t is obvious from what have written that
heretofore local considerations and interests |
have forced the Southern States to preserve
their solidarity" But the time is rapidly ap-
preaching when the Northern people will find
That they have important interests at stake,
connected with Southern solidarity" Thus
far, there has been no open and authentic de |
claration of purpose by the "re adusters" to
apply their doctrine of REIMBURSEMENT" to the |
national debt, though there have been decl IRA
tons by leading members of their party and of
their organ, which tend strongly in that direc- |
ton. And it is easy to perceive that if this par
ty shall succeed in perfecting an organization
strong enough to repudiate, in whole or in part,
the State debt, they will have a strong motive |
to extend their operations to wider theatre
Ifthey can pursuade the people of Virginia and |
other Southern States to repudiate debts &C
knoWledged to be just in their origin and con- |
tracted by their regularly accredited agents
contracted, too, in their interests and in curren-
cy equal to gold-and the proceeds of which |
were applied to the construction of railroads |
and other improvements which are still in ex-
istence and ministering daily to their wants |
and helping to re-establish their prosperity, |
IA hf,yx Nahr ri,
induced to repudlate the national debt, which |
was contracted when the Southern people were
not represented in Congress, and when a large
portion of the money borrowed was worth less |
than forty cents on the dollar in gold and when
thd object of borrowing it was not to benefit |
them but to effect their subjugatons?
REPUBLICANS AND RE-ADJUsTERs.
Re-adjuster candidates have been nominated |
in every Congressionaldistrict in Virginia and |
now actively engaged in the canvass In |
several OF these districts the nominations were
made by conventions composed in large meas |
ure of negro republicans, and in all of them
the candidates rely mainly for their election on
the colored republican vote. In one or two or |
probably more districts the republicans have
held conventions, but declined to make nomi- |
nations preterring to form coalitions with the |
re-adjusters. AS have already stated, General
Malone, the leader of the party, by combna-
ton of re-adjusters and republicans, has been
elected to the Senate Suppose he should be |
backed up by the election, by the aid ofrepubl- |
can colored votes, of nine IRE aduster mem
bers of the House of Representatives, can any
rational man believe that they will abstain |
from assaults on the "bloated bondholders"
who own the national debt? They may be
powcrless to shape legislation foryears to come,
but they can do incalculable mischief by sow !!
ing broadcast the seeds of distrust and thereby |
taintng the national credit.
The republican party in Virginia, with some
honorable exceptions, is, if not identified, in |
close alliance with the readjusters II looks to
Gen Malone for counsel and guidance. At the
republican State Convention in Virginia the |
friends of Gen. Malone controlled nearly one
half of its members. 1t is true that President |
Hayes and the members of his Cabinet did, in |
good faith, endeavor to prevent the union Of
the colored republicans with the readiusters
but they signally failed The colored repub-
licans preferred to follow the lead of the read |
justers, and from the present outlook think |
the day is not far distant when, in Virginia,
'readjusterism" and "republicanism" will be |
convertible terms. Would the Herald recon- |
mend to Virginia submission to that party?
SPIRIT OF COMMUNISM.
The spirit of communism is abroad II is
easy to array the poor against the rich, especi- |
allv in States where the voters are ignorant
ana lllltefale! Inc cry Down Win the pond
holders Down with the banks and other heart
less moneyed corporations Down with arts
tocratic manufacturers will always meet with
a ready response from needy and profligate adj
venturers and their ignorant dupes. The better
and more intelligent classes of Virginia are
conservative. They wish to maintain in full
force the rights of person and property, and
hence they are "solid' against all who assail
them. They are acting on the defensive.
GENERAL GARFIELD.
When General Garfield was first nominated,
in view of his conservative utterances and
votes in the House of Representatives some
years ago, Southern people were disposed to
regard him with favor. But when they learn
ed through your columns that on his recent
visit to New York General Garfield had gone
back on himself they repudiated him as I'M
worthy of trust. If the Republicans had fol-
lowed your counsel and nominated some such
man as Hamilton Fish or William NJ Evarts
or some other man of conceded and catholic
patriotism, thousands of Southern men would
have voted for him. They want man, who,