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


We have been asked why We we're exhum-
ing the political record of the senior editor
of the Valley Virg,mian, while he was edi-
tor Of this paper.
Our answer is: The political record of
all public men is public property, to be used
as any party may think proper whenever it
is thought the ends of public justice will
be promoted. We regard the senior editor
OF the Valley Virgintan as the most formi-
dable opponent Of the democracy in the
State of Virginia,i if not in the whole South.
That he is doing more to damage our party
than perhaps all others combined. cannot
be denied. and we feel it our duty to do
anything we can. fairly. to break that in
| 1uence by showing what. but short time
since, he thought of the radicals" But at
the same time, we cannot forget that the
senior is son OF Rockingham-tha he was
once the editor OF this paper-nOr can we
forget our kindly personal relations with
him. We do not like to say he has more
talent than all his party combined in this
State, but we do say that in this county he
is much stronger than his party, in every
respect. and that his friends in Rockingham
will eyer wish him well personally. But as
long as We are journalists we will continue
to deal with his political record as we deem
it our duty. No one INDUCES in this kind
of warfare more freely OF effectively than
he does.
Personally Maj. Yost has the best wishes
of Rockingham, but politically she takes no
stock in him.-Rockingham Register.
The article above is entirely too compli-
mentary to the editor of the VIRGINIAN,
and were it not that we avail Oursef OF its
publication to reciprocate the kindly persO-
nal feeling that threads through it., we
would not yield it space in our columns
We agree with our contemporary that our
political record is public proper ty, and we
assure him that we have not the least objec
ton to a legitimate use of it. There is not
the least embarrassment Occasioned by a
re-pub ication of what we may have written
half a generation ago. The opinions we
may have entertained, Immediately after the
war. when the South nor the North had
scarcely time to turn thoughts over
in the mind, and when anomalous pOliti-
cal, Industrial and social problems were
pressing for solution the blood still warm,
and the emotions sensitive to the touch of
sectional sympathy-were liable to undergo
change, when reason could address itself
to the wants of the country, and especially
the South, and the impartial Judgment
weigh and determine the true line of policy.
When the Democratic party Of the South.
including the editor of the Register, and
indeed. all the Democratic editors and
speakers of the State, with two or three
exceptions, could so far forget the early
teachings of the party, as to accept Mr..
Greeley as its standard-bearer in IS72-a
great and good man it is true-but whose
life had been warfare against the prnci-
pies and organization of the Southern De
mocracy, surely we had the right to pass
Judgment upon this departure from the
faith, and determine for oursef. in this
condition OF political complications, what
it was our duty to do The Register, the
Dispatch. and the Spectator, earnestly sup
ported Mr.. Greeley, and we might point to
that fact as evidence of the changes which
come over political views and convictions,
in the course of brief existence. These
gentlemen rarely think of this, however,
They can see the mote in their brother
eye, but are blind to the beam in their own.
If ever there was revolution in political
association without reason. excuse, or sense,
it was the unconditional surrender of the
Democratic party in 1872. No rational ar
gument could be assigned for it, and none
that could be so designated was ever as
signed for it. except the hope of a
''change," as it is now, to the end that Re
publicans might be elected from office and
Democrats placed in office.
| Now if the editors who have chosen to
arraign US for inconsistency will accept a
them to discussion of the platform of the
respective parties now confronting each
other, and if we do not convince every I'M
biased, intelligent reader that we are right
in the principles and policies we maintain
and that they are wrong. then we will not
disturb the harmony of the Democratic
party any further.
/ Not only this, but we will undertake to
convince them that all that was ever good in
the Democratic party, and all that was ever
| SOOu III OhC W mig 10 COhPlCSsCu ihto
the creed and comprised in the faith of the
Republican party. We will undertake to
demonstrate That the Democratic party has
neither defined principle nor policy, and
that its whole stock in trade, is a struggle
for place and pelf-a change" that the
Democrats may get into Office and the Re-
publicans be put out OF office, regardless of
the business interests OF the nation. We
will undertake to prove that no party in the
history of this country, has achieved so
much for the welfare of the people, for
civilization and the material and intellec-
tual development of the American Repub-
| lie, as the Republican party. We will I'M
dertake to prove that no party has been
instrumental in accomplishing so much
harm, in REFRESHING moral and intellectual
forces, and perverting a true understand
ing of the underlying principles of our the
ory of government as the Democratic
party.
| Whether we have succeeded or not, in
weakening the lines of the Democratic party
we cannot now tell. That that is the work
we are engaged in, and to which We have
given our best energies and capacities,
we have no inclination to deny
| We believe it to be the most vindic-
tive and virulent party that ever ex-
listed, and that its success would be fol-
lowed by untold disasters to the. country.
| It's free trade and State sovereignty notions
| by which the industries of the nation would
be Frustrated and its peace jeopardized,
should be enough to call down upon it the
wrath of the American people. For its
reckless, aye, criminal disregard of the
rights guaranteed by the Constitution to
the colored citizens, it should be indicted
before the bar of the public conscience, and
tried and condemned at the ballot-box.
We want no compromise or dalliance with
- IL. Il