Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-10-29
DEMOCRATS MUST NOW STICK
TOGETHER.

Whatever may have been the doubts OF
even The most doubling minds heretofore,
there can remain now but one solution to
the struggle in this 18th congressional dis
tIict. 1t has been demonstrated beyond ali
question that it Is a direct effort to break
down the Democratic party. 1t is now
not SO much fight to elect Capt. Paul as
it is for the purpose named. Any other
man with almost any other views would
receive the same support from the Repub
licans of the ten counties of the district if
he only ran against the candidate OF the
Democratic party. At the court house on
Monday, the Republican Elector of the
district announced that he himself put
Capt. Paul's name on the Republican
ticket to be voted next Tuesday.
Now this makes the matter clear to
every Democrat. 1t is not tie question of
whether Paul is Democrat or not. or
how much of a Democrat he is, but sim
ply and plainly how many Democrats of
the district will enter into combination
with six thousand black Republicans to
break down their own party through him.
If any are willing 10 enter into such
comb nation they should first consider
what it is for. 1t is not for the settlement
Of the State debt question; that cannot
come before congress; so the most earnest
and ardent Keadjuster cannot have that
excuse. The reasons for the combination
given by the Republicans who have already
spoken are very different from this. One
reason given by the Virginia POST
paper edited and published at Harrison
burg by colored men, is that the Demo-
cratic nominee represents the white mans
party" That is their reason! Another,
given by colored canvasser now stump
ing Shenandoah for Capt. Paul is that 1.-THE
bottom rail will be on top after awhile"
That is his reason! Another given by U.
S. District Attorney Lurty is that some
votes may be made for Garfield, and by
voting for Paul, the Republicans laid in
breaking up the Conservative party That
is has reason!
Now these motives are all foreign to
those which animate Democratic Readjus-
tiers. In putting Capt. Paul forward lhey
sought to hold the Readjuster party to-
gether, not to break up the old Democrat
ic party. They never suspected that they
would be called on to enter into pol:ti-
cal combination of which the helping up
the Republican party from a PROSTATE to
an upright position would be set down as
the main object to be accomplished. Their
idea was that the sfaithful allies were
something to help them-not they to help
the allies to get the Republican party into
power again in Virginia. No such propo-
sition would have been entertained for a
moment and it is only now in the heat of a
closing campaign that it has been mace
plain to them. To break down the Dem
Ocratic organization in this State means
but one thing and that is to install again
the Republicans, There is no middle
ground and can be no middle party. The
principle on which the Readjuster party is
founded will disappear as soon as the debt
question is removed. After this the party
will Gisband and what, if the Democratic
front Of Republicanism. Nothing but
some minor bands-guerrillas in politics,
with many local leaders but no central
head ana merely in the field to be walked
over. % ..'
This is serious condition of affairs for
any Democrat to consider. We make no
appeal to passion, we say nothing about
the negro-except this, that until he is ed
ucated into fitness for citizenship it is
against the welfare of any community to
admit him to more influence than the laws
of the country demand-we ask for tine
calm judgment of voters to pass upon the
question whether the time has come to
break down the barrier erected against
Republicanism and all that term i'm
plies. And we hope our Readjuster friends
will think calmly and deliberately and long
before they give their decision.