Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-07-16
KIRGLNLA.


We thank God that we are not among
the number who think that this grand old
Commonwealth, the mother of heroes, states
men and patriots, the vanguardi in the times
Of the revolution, the battlefield in our late
civil strife, will be found wanting in the
great struggle of 1880 in behalf of constitu-
tional liberty.
1t could not be otherwise in Virginia
Her people are characterized by generosity,
magnanimity, a high sense of honor and de-
yotion to duty. They have buffeted the
storms and waves Of adversely and have no.
bly, shown that they are equal to every and
any emergency.
The Democratic party throughout the
length and breadth of this fair land re-
member with feelings of pride and graft
tude that period in her history when under
the guidance of one of her most distin-
guished sons, this honored State rose in all
its might and power and beat back the
waves of passion and prejudice, and pro-
claimed in voice which rolled and rever-
JuIOuSn utl liiOuutlln ldotuCooCp,
"there shall be no religious persecution
within her boarders" With such a record
as this, with her institutions founded on the
enlightenment Of the age and her laws
dealing out equal and impartial justice to
every man, peopled by brave and gener-
Gus race, we may rest assured that in the
future, as in the past, she will continue to
affix her monogram upon the faultless col
umn Of Democracy.
With the people of Virginia the path of
duty has ever been the post of honor, and
amidst the misfortunes which have followed
material enterprise and almost paralized her
energies, they have never allowed the fires
to grow dim upon her affairs, or fail to strike
the wretch or beat back that policy which
would tarnish her past glory and honor or
retard her future development and pros
perity.
Torn by internal discussions, by reasons
Of State policy, smarting under the wounds
inflicted by her own sons, struggling hard
to maintain her credit and honor at home
and abroad, no combination of circumstances
or men will ever shake her faith in Demo
cratic principles. She is as steadfast in her
devotion to the same, as is firm her own
blue hills, as constant as the waves that lave
against her borders. The spirit of that
splendid trinity, Jefferson, Madison and
Monroe, burns in the bosom of her Democ-
racy, ever melting them to noble and
manly sense of duty
When her gifted and eloquent, John w.
Daniel, uttered these words of fearful i'm
port in the Cincinnati convention, "To-mor-
row we move upon the eHemy's ranks" he
sounded note that fired the imagination
and heart of every Democrat in That re-
nowned Commonwealth 1t was the cleo
trio spark that kindled the old Democratic
fires upon her mountain tops, the impetus
to great work which, once begun, goes
forward and onward to present and perma-
ment success.
We have noticed, with feelings of regret
and indignation; remarks by portion efthe
Democratic press to the effect that Hancock
could be elected without Virginia This
may be so, indeed we do not doubt the truth
of the assertion, but the position of the Dem
ocratic party, proper, in Virginia does not
deserve any such severe censure at the hands
of its friends. They might as well at this
late day undertake to call in question the
virtue of Caesars wife as TO doubt the posi-
ton Virginia will assume in this moment
Gus and memorable campaign. 1t is an in
situation, doubt thrown upon the integ-
rity and fealty Of a party not warranted by
its past record it is libel upon State
whose brave sons have never allowed the
hem of her royal robes to be stained.