The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-09-16
Col. Barbour's Acceptance.

and 0tterS-C0na19sttee
GENTLEMEN: Your favor of the 9th ulto
advising me Of the result of the deliberations Q
the convention which met in Alexandria las
week, and communicating formal notice of m,
unanimous nomination as the candidate of til
] Democratic party to represent the Eighth Con
| gressional District in the next House of Rep
resentatiyes, and inviting my acceptance ofth,
same, has been received. The consideration 0
: my name by the convention was entirely un
| expected, and the nomination matter to m,
OF unqualified surprise. Although always iden
titled in sentiment with the national Demo
crasic party, and regarding it's principles a,
best calculated to promote the general welfare
and MAINTAIN and preserve our constitutions
rights and liberties, | have not since the ter
mlnation of the war devoted much special at
tention to party politics. While | fully recog
nlzed the importance and necessity of keeping
IN our own hands in the South control OF the
State governments, believed that the North
ern people, with all their strength and mum
bers, would never consent to put in power any
other political organization than that of the
Republican party until the passions and pre-
JUDGES growing out of the sectional struggle
/ had subsidized. From this standpoint | saw
that the craftsmanship of the South must be
directed to other objects and purposes than
Federal politics. In the prosperous days OF
the Commonwealth preceding the war good
reasons existed that our public men should as
| sert and maintain the recognition Of sound alb
stract principles OF government and favor re-
strictions upon the exercise of doubtful consti-
| tutional powers by the Federal government.
At the close of the civil war our political and
material situation was radically changed by
its results. We saw that the great bulk of the
personal property in the State had been de-
stroyed, and the accumulated private and cor
porate wealth of the people almost totally an
initiated. 1t then obviously became our policy
and duty, however unpleasant the task, to
recognize results, and to organize our best
intelligence and such resources as were left for
the Improvement OF our material condition and
the prosperity of the State. We then possessed
but two OF the elements of national wealth
land and labor. 1t is true that our mountains
and hills abounded in mineral wealth, and the
capacity of our water for manufacturing pur-
poses was comparatively without limit. I'm
fortunately capital was required to develop
and utilize these values, and this had to be
attracted from abroad. AS the head of one
OF the leading transportation companies of the
State, my position necessarily brought me in
contact and intercourse with parties represent
ing to large extent the financial, manufactur-
ing and mineral interests of the country, and
l thought | saw that | could render more ser
vice to the public by devoting my attention to
the important objects mentioned rather than
to invade Ito mel the less inviting field fled
eral politics. l have the satisfaction now to
know that my labors in the direction referred
to have not been without some results, and [
can cite as examples the construction of sever
al new lines of transportation for the people of
Virginia, and in the development, or in pro-
gress, of extensive mineral values along the
railroad in my charge. If am elected as your
representative to Congress l expect to pursue
the same line of policy and action. Heretofore
the North has shaped the material legislation
of Congress in its own interest. In the appro-
prlation of the Federal monies, and the collec-
ton and disbursements of the public revenue, /
propose, if elected, to regard the material in
terests OF Virginia, and to protect as far as
can be cOnstitutiOnlly and legitimately
done any special interest of our own people,
1t is clearly the duty of Virginia representa-
tives, in my judgment, to see that while regard
is had to the general welfare the material in
terests of the State are not overlooked in the
legislation of Congress. The policy referred to
is not new in the history of the government.
When the Federal constitution was adopted
the agricultural condition of the North was de-
pressed and Improbable. Their lands were
comparatively sterile and their climate cold
and inhospitable. Nature had favored the
South with more genial climate and better
soil. The craftsmanship OF the North realz
ed the situation and directed its energies and
attention to the attainment OF material pros
perity, and Federal legislation, as far as avail
able, was employed to that end. The South
was satisfied with the cultivation of the soil.
The present great wealth of New England is
due to her system of manufactures; and the de-
velopment of coal and iron in it's various indus
trial forms has wrought out the power and pros
perity of Pennsylvania. The situation is now
changed. TheNorth is rich and the South poor.
Tosecurem aterialprosperit Virginia must look
to the means and agencies which have produc-
ed similar result elsewhere, and adopt the same
methods and system ofpolicy. We cannot now
grow grain probably against the competition
OF the more fertile lands of the West, and must
look to other sources of production for mater
ial prosperity. We must diversity our pursuits
and establish new industries, and utilize such
natural advantages as we may exclusively
possess BY these means our land will be en-
HANGED in value and wages of the laboring
classes increased.
AS the convention selected for its candidate
one who has been so little identified with &C
tive party politics and who had no claims to
reward for political services, and whose only
prominence, if any, arose from his connection
with material pursuits, have interpreted my
nomination as indicating purpose, to some
extent,to depart from the usual precedents on
such occasions. If | construe the meaning
Alright it was recognition of the Importance
to the public interests of that line of policy to
which have referred and fthe purpose to give
it more neutrality-suspicious. in political affairs.
1t was well known that did not seek the
position, but on the contrary my inclinations
were averse to going into political life. | had
no pretensions to be considered in the class of
party leaders or professional politicians and
had given but little personal attention to the
political topics of the day. Under circumstan-
ces SO exceptionable in the history of political
conventions do not feel morally free to de-
cline the nomination rendered In accepting
the nomination made in my absence from the
State and without respect to my personal
wishes, do SO with greatful appreciation of
the honor conferred and a profound sense of
my imperfect qualifications to discharge the
duties of the position. If elected to Congress
| expect to give to the administration of Gen.
Hancock cordial and earnest support and
shall endeavor to faithfully represent the gen
eral interests of the people of the district and
State as my Judgment may approve and IRE
spective of any special considerations. have
no aim but the public welfare and shall aspire
only to make myself useful to the people whose
interests may have been placed in my charge.
In respect to the matter of the REIMBURSEMENT
of the State debt, l do not see that it has any
bearing upon the election of member of Con
gress or can in any degree be properly enter
tanned as measure of Federal legislation.
Apart from this have not heretofore carefully
examined the various propositions which have
been submitted on the subject, and donot re-
cognize any obligation on my part to do so
now, as the matter is purely domestic one to
Virginia and must be finally disposed of by
State legislation. regard it as unfortunate
that a portion of our fellow citizens in the
State should have organized separate cleo
toral ticket on this issue in the presidential
election and thereby put in jeopardy the sue
cess of the democratic presidential candidate.
It is a sort of Grecian horse which if admitted
within the walls of the city may operate to our
ultimate injury and defeat. | an not and never
have been directly or indirectly a holder of
Virginia State bonds, and have no other interest
in the question than that which attaches to
the average tax paying citizen of the State. l
have always believed that its agitation did us
harm abroad, and kept capital from seeking
investment in Virginia, and considered that
ana settlement of the State debt which could
be permanently established was in the best in
terests of our people. As evidence of my dis
position to relieve the burdens of taxation, l