The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-02-19
Grip Sack. -

Richmond Wing in reference to officials of
the United States who deem it their priv
ilege to participate in party movements and
exercise right which pertains to American
citizenship. 1t is intended, as we interpret
it, to convey the idea that these officers are
snlytinterested in gripping the sacks that
hold the shekels Of Uncle Sam, and appro-
priating their salaries to their own use. If
this be a crime and cause for taunt, ridcule
and denunciation, let us see how the Wigs
own political household will stand under its
light. The great apostle of its political
faith is the most exhorbitant grip sacker we
have ever had in Virgiriae He gripped the
sack of consolidated railroad to the tune
of $4,000 annually he attempted to grip
the sack. with $1,000 annually, that Gov.
Holiday now holds, and succeeded in grip
ping the sack from the clutch Of Senator
Withers, and will continue to grip it for six
years after March, 1881, with its $1,000 an.
nually. The party with which the Whig is
identified has gripped the sacks of all the
basement Offices, all the County Judges, and
every other sack. little or big, that came
within its reach in the State Government
The lesser lights in the party are no less in
tent on gripping the sacks all over the State
John Goodies sack, with its $1,000 annually,
will be grabbed for by Re-adiuster, proba-
bly, Baker P. Lee; DR.. Jorgenson's sack
will be reached for probably by Col. Came
ron; Richmond's sack by Fulkerson; Beale's
by some simon pure Re-adiuster; fuckers
probably by Frazier; Harris by Riddleber-
ger or Paul Hunton's by Gen. Williams,
and so on through the whole range Of Off
ces from the tip-staff of the Court to the
Supreme Bench of the State, the grip-sack
business will go on by the party that holds
its hands up in holy horror because few
Federal officers, who earn their salaries by
faithfully and efficiently performing the
duties OF their positions, choose to exercise
the privilege of freeme and take part in
political movements.
The attempt is made to delude the colered
voters of the State into the folds of this grip
sack organization by holdingup the fact that
the Federal offices areh held, in most part, by
white Republicans, while the negroes do the
voting. Had the leaders who are preferring
this complaint, been permitted to have their
way, the negroes would never have had a
vote to give to any party. All the restric-
tive legislation, and unjust and cruel enact
men.s which stand upon the statute book
of Virginia to-day, were placed there by the
Conservative party when these same vir-
tuous patriots were controlling spirits in
the organization. The whipping post, the
petlt-iarceny Acknowledgement, and the
many other legal devices to deprive the ne
gro of the rights of citizenship, with which
Congress invested him under Republican
authority, are the fruits of the labors and
the deyisements of the party which was con-
trolled and directed as much, if not more,
by these newly-fedged Liberals, as any
other members of that party.
Profuse promises are made now as a
guarantee of repentance and returning
sense of justice. How are they to be full
filed? A few colored men have been placed
in minor positions, just as the ''great Con-
tervative party did in 1869, when they
wanted the support of the negro vote. But
what law can they repeal, or what legisla-
tive protection can they give, so long as the
Governor confronts them with his veto?
Promises may be given, but they cannot be
executed, for there is an insuperable barrier
confronting. And these very men who
are so clamorous for the rights of the negro
and the repeal of the harsh legislation which
operates so cruelty and uniustly against that
class, were in full acord with the party
when the laws we're enacted, and controlled
Its policy and action while the Scrip
Sacks as the white Republicans are called,
were lighting them at every step, and ex-
posing themselves to denunciation, ostra-
cism and sometimes dangers, in defence OF
the constitutional rights of the colored peo-
Pile.
Let it not be forgotten that the Scrip
Sacks,'' and those with whom they acted,
in national affairs, secured to the colored
people the freedom, the franchise and the
rights, which their new found friends sought
by every device and deception to take from
them through State laws. And let it be re-
nembered, too, that the supremacy Of the
Republican party, as such, and not as a n.y.
brid pretense,is the only security against an
invasion of the fundamental laws in which
all the rights and privileges Of the colored
people are grounded. Advance to power
Hha RI
of government. and then it will be seen
what kind of ''grip-sack" horde will
fashion the legislation of the country, and
how gradually they will encroach upon
the rights the negroes have to this time en-
ioyed.
It answers very well the purposes of the
new party for public favor to taunt
the negroes with doing the voting of the
Republican party, while the few white Re-
publicans ''grip the sacks" They have al
ready gripped all the State sacks, by reason
Of coalition with the colored people, and
propose to use them to grip all other sacks
they can; while the deluded followers look
in vain for their share. The intelligent col
ored people Of Virginia know very well that
this is all mere pretense. They are aware
that the education Of the masses of their
race is net sufficient to enable them to dis
charge duties which require scholarship and
mental training and they know further that
metropolitan party isthe only organization
whose sympathies have been tested in Pc
RODS and on occasions where their liberties
were involved. It is not so much office, as
it is a guarantee of the rights and privileges
Of citizenship, that the colored people want,
and these they well know they can only
have secured by the continued supremacy
of the Republican party in national affairs.
There is the fountain source, and the influ-
ences flowing from it will sooner or later
have their effect upon State legislation,
controlled and directed by the intelligence
and patriotism of the local authorities, and
not by spasmodic converts, whose highest