The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-09-16
Col. Barbour's Letter of Acceptance

Col Barbour's Letter Of Acceptance,
We publish on the first page of the VIR-
aINIAN of to-day the letter of acceptance
of the Democratic nomination for Congress
in the Eighth District, of Col. John S. Bar
bour. We do this, not that we would sup
port Col. Barbour, in the present relations
of parties, were we in his district, for we
would not, SO long as worthy Republican
nominee was in the field, but to give to the
public model letter coming from the NOM
inee of party for political position. 1t is
to be regretted that more of our public men
have not presented their claims from SIM
liar standpoint and from like considera-
tions. That his views Of the interests to be
subserved, the means to be employed and
the accomplished facts to be considered, do
not accord with those Of his party is patent
to the most superficial understanding. Col.
Barbour recognizes the results of the war,
the changed political and material relations
of the South, and the duty of adapting our
politics and policies to those relations
While he, in rather mechanical way, re-
fers to the principles of the National De-
mocracy as receiving his approval, it is evil
dent that his mind reverted to the time
when the Democratic party maintained
principles and made some pretense to de-
fined policy, for he passes from this express
sion to a recognition of the agencies which
have added to the wealth OF the North, and
made that people prosperous, which have
alone been maintained by the party that
he opposes. when the Federal Constitu-
ton was adopted the agricultural condition
of the North was depressed and unprofita-
BILE. Their lands were comparatively sterile
and their climate cold and inhospitable.-
Nature had favored the South with more
genial climate and better soil. The
craftsmanship of the North realized the
situation and directed its energy to the
attainment Of material prosperity, and
Federal legislation, as far as available, was
employed to that end. The South was sat
isfied with the cultivation of the soil. The
present great wealth of New England is
due to her system Of manufactures; and the
development of coal and iron in its various
industrial forms has wrought out the power
and prosperity of Pennsylvania. The North
is rich and the South poor. To secure ma
terial prosperity, Virginia must look to the
means and agencies which produced similar
results elsewhere, and adopt the same meth
DDS and system of policy. We cannot now
grow grain proftably against the competi-
ton of the more fertile lands of the West,
and must look to other sources of produc-
ton for material prosperity. We must di-
versify our pursuits and establish new in
dustries, and utilize such natural advan-
tages as we may exclusively possess"
1t is not necessary to state that we cor
daily approve the sentences we have
quoted We have endeavored to impress
this sentiment upon the people OF Virginia
with all the power we could command. and
to stimulate them to leave the beaten paths
of the past, and its prejudices. and pass to
q practical consideration and understanding
of the situation. Col. Barbour will find, as
we have found, that while response, in
the abstract, will be given to his sound
views, yet the party with which he acts,
will prefer to deal in distractions to embrace
obsolete methods, and to prescribe all who
dare to advance to more practical and ra-
tional discussion of the living issues which
confront us. If Col. Barbour will examine
the platform of his party, as adopted at
Cincinnati, he will find that there is very
little in it to encourage him in carrying out
the views he entertains. To ''secure mate
rial prosperity and establish manufactures,
to develop our coal and iron, we must en-
ploy the same agencies that advanced Penn
sylvania from poverty to wealth and pros
perity, and this can never be done by a
tariff for revenue only 1t must be by the
protective policy-the principle enun-
ciated and maintained by the Republican
party, and only by that party, and which
has been distinctively opposed by the Dem
ocratic party.
Col. Barbour will learn, when he has
closely studied the history of his party since
the war and the measures it has supported,
that there is nothing in that history
which sympathizes with the sentiments he
announces or the ends he would attain. 1t
is only through the Republican party and
its methods, that the development and pros
perity of the North and South can be as
sured. The Democratic party has opposed
every measure that has stimulated the en-
terprise, developed the resources, and as
sured the prosperity OF the country. 1t has
opposed the entire financial policy of the
Government which has given us substan-
tial basis upon which to rest business,
and has favored heresies upon this subject.
which. if they had been formulated into
law, would have ruined the country. 1t has
opposed the tariff laws and struggled
through almost an entire session to secure
notifications which would have Frustrated
the manufactures that have made Penn
sylvania wealthy and prosperous,a and which
If properly availed of, will, at no distant
day. make Virginia what Pennsylvania now
is. Indeed, there is not thought suggested
fn Col. Barbour's well-wrtten letter, that
is in harmony with the notions and theo-
ries of the Democratic party, and the only
way for him to bring his views into practi-
cal operation and consummate the results
he would have, will be for him, should he
he elected, to unite in sustaining the Re-
publican party and its comprehensive
American policy.
We doubt, however, whether Col. Bar
bour really expects to be elected. When he
announces his purpose to Support the ad-
ministration Of Gen. Hancock" he must
have reference to Governors Island, and
not to the Government of the United States,
for there is no fact of the future more GER
tainly settled than that he will never be
President of the United States.
1t is refreshing to find in paper on such
an occasion ON absolute absence of the can't
and rant about the rights of the States and
the despotic tendencies of the party which
he nominaily opposes. Throughout the en-
tire letter there is not disrespectful allu-
eian Tn tho Ranuf,1 ican Marty and u,hnro ha