The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-11-04
To the Republicans of Virginia.

the I'd inst. Whatever it may be the Amer
lean people will bow to it and recognize
the decree of the only sovereignty our in
situations recognize-the popular will. ex-
pressed through the forms of law. The
close of the discussion as to the merits OF
the two great parties of the country and the
appeal to the final arbiter in great national
contests, will be received by the great mass
of the people with sense of relief They
will gladly turn their minds away from the
exasperating conflicts and exciting themes
which have engaged attention for the past
six months, and cheerfully seek new sub
jects for thought and contemplation. We
share in this prospective drift of rejection.
as more congenial in its character and pa
cifc In its methods. But as journalists,
representing, in degree,..a great national
party, as well as State organization, it is
not out of place to arrest attention for
time, for the purpose of impressing duty
upon those of our political faith in State
matters We therefore avail ourselves Of
this early occasion after the termination OF
the activities OF the engagement which has
Just been decided, to address few sugges-
tions to the Republicans of Virginia, and
endeavor to line out policy, viii h we
deem essential to the perpetuation OF tile
party. the preservation of its distinct identity.
the maintenance of its dignity, and the de-
fence of its rights.
If the embittered and acrimonious con-
llict from which we have just emerged,
teaches anything at all, it imparts the les
son to the Republicans of Virginia, that
there is no security for it except in distinct
and compact organization. During the
progress of the canvass we have not only
had to contend with the avowed and re-
lentless enemies of the Republican party,
but with the insidious wiles and deceptive
advances of an organization less pro-
nounced in its hostility, but equally deter
mined upon the defeat and humiliation OF
the Republican organization. The last
DAYS of the CANVASS developed the true in
tention of Gen. Malone. and that was the
capture and appropriation to his own use
and for his own purpose, the Republican
party of Virginia. he deep laid scheme
which unfolded itself in the proposition to
retire the Republican ticket in favor OF the
Re-adinster- Hancock ticket, was not exactly
surprise to us, but it was to many OF
those who are as true to the Republican
party as we profess to be, yet accepted sur
face indications and evidence of an earnest
,,ia15atIly with liberal ideas OF State gov
eanment and sincere concern for the
rights of the people as they are guaranteed
in the Constitution of the United States
The ruse attempted at Richmond last week.
and which was summarily crushed in its
incipency by the proper authorities OF the
Republican party, was only revival OF the
contest which sought to defeat the organi-
cation of the party in the Staunton Conven-
ton last April. and which, in more re-
stricted sense, succeeded in the CharlOttes-
Vile Congressional Convention, and but
for which we might now have a Repub-
lican member of Congress-elect in this
district.
! From the time we read the communica-
lions in the New York Times and Phila-
de]phia Press, written from Richmond and
Petersburg by the regular correspondents
of those journals, several months ago. we
have been suspicious of some such design as
that which was brought to light last week.
These correspondents received their impress
sions from the leader of the Re-adjuster
party, and were for effect with the Repub-
licans of the North, in educating hem in
the belief that the Republican party of Vir-
ginia was nsignifcantin the numbers which
compose it, and powerless in the canvass
then pending. So forcibly were the pre-
sensations made and SO adroitly had Gen.
| hi VIC no
correspondents, that the one primary
object was accomplishments create a dis
trust in the minds of the Northern Repub-
licans that canvass in Virginia was a
hopeless undertaking. So deeply had this
version of the political complications in
Virginia been impressed upon the Republic
cans of the North, that all the statements
coming from the representative Republi-
cans of Virginia were received with distrust
"a distrust followed by the conviction that
any moral or material aid extended to their
struggling brethren in Virginia, would be
so much valuable effort thrown away. In
deed so completely had the purpose of Gen.
Malone been accomplished. through the
writers in question, and the personal in
tercourse of Gen. Malone and his trusted
lientenants afterwards, that the sympathy
which should have been extended to the
Virginia Republicans was given to him, and
| the Republican cause in Virginia virtually
abandoned to the efforts of the home or
ganization, with two powerful factions
| fighting it-one with visor down, and the
other in mask, and by sapping and mining
and the Republican party of the North,
and the national organization, with its in
fnence neutralized, if not really hos
tile looking ON with Indifference to the re-
| suit.