Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-08-03

And who shall dare say them nay?
They rally in blue for Hancock,
For Hancock they rally in gray
Address OF the Executive Committee Of
the Democratic Party Of Virginia.
Rooms CONSERVATIVE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE,
RICHMOND, VA, July 26. $780, }
To the Conservative People of Virginia: /:
No question of political nature has
ever been propounded to Virginia
Conservative more important in its re-
lations to himself, or its consequences
to his State and country, than the in
quiry, What is his present duty in the
national contest which impends?
For the first time in the history of
Virginia, if not in the history of the
Union, there are offered for the suffrages
of the people two electoral tickets, pro-
Tossing, though in different degrees and
on diverse grounds, support to the na-
tional Democratic candidates for the
presidency and vice-presidency of the
Republic. A vote cast for one OF these is
vote destrOyed-a vote which if cast
for the other may elect Democratic
President. The fatal and scandalous
possibility confronts US that the over
whelming Conservative majority of
Virginia may be lost by dissension, and
the Republican party, demoralized and
despairing, may, through Conservative
discord. ravish the old State from the
ranks she has always adorned, and often
led, and deliver her to our enemies.
Neither their strength nor our weak
ness can achieve this result: it must be
accomplished, if at all, by deliberate
dereliction on the part of Conservatives.
The path of duty in this supreme hour
of our political history, when under the
call of patriotism and the hope of ad
ministrative reform the Conservative
people of all the Union outside of Vir-
ginia have composed their differences
and adjourned their strifes, ought to be
sought with diligence and trodden with
unflinching courage. no ascertain it
one inquiry alone needs to be solved !:
which of the electoral tickets now in
the field in Virginia protesting to sup
port the Cincinnati nominees merits the
confidence and votes of her Conserva-
tive people?
One of these tickets was framed by a
Convention summoned by the State
Central Committee of the Conservative
party, whose call invited the paiticipa-
ton of ''all citizens who intend to sup
port the nominees of the Cincinnati
Convention and to oppose the nominees
of the Republican party" it was called
under the established forms and usages
of our party it announced in advance,
and with no doubtful uttersnce, its po-
liticaI creed it committed itself unre-
servedly and in advance to the National
Democratic ticket; it sent delegates to
the Convention which framed that
ticket, and participated actively and
honorably in the choice there made; its
representatives were admitted to the
National Convention not only without
challenge but with acclamatiOn it is
now represented on the national com
mittees of that party, and recognized as
an equal and honored participant in
the duties and destiny of the National
Democracy.
The other ticket was framed by Con
vention that neither bore the name nor
affected the principles of the National
Democracy. 1t assembled after the Ma
tional Convention adjourned; sent, OF
course. no representative thereto, and
was without a voice or vote therein was
composed indiferently of Democrats and
Republicans counted among its con-
stituents over forty negroes, and among
these some delegates to the State Repub-
lican Convention and many recog gniZed
as Republican leaders; took pains, as
we shall see, to disown all allegiance to,
or connection with. the party thar nom
mated Hancock and English and as it
was without participation in the choice,
so is now without share in the organiu
zation of. the National Democratic party.
It would appear that this plain and
frank statement of the case should dis
pose of the question, as to which ticket
should receive the support of any citi-
zen, sincerely desirous to discharge his
duty to that great party of patriotism
which for fifteen years has defended the
South, and shielded constitutional lib
erty from the profigate maliglity which
has equally menaced BOTH
But this pathway of duty is flooded
with the lustre of noon when in ,addi-
ton we consider the course of the lead
ers of the July Convention in the light
of the history of the past six months
for that history discloses a deliberate
and but partially -baff1ed purpose on
their part to sacrifice the cause of popu-
lar freedom in the country at large to q
miserable coalition with the Radical
party, under the pretence of advancing
q State issue which is notoriously with
out place in national politics. Salts
fed as we are that no views which
Virginia Conservative may entertain on
the debt settlement will blind him to
his duty in field in which that ques-
ton cannot be considered, much less
affected. we desire to call public atten-
ton to the testimony showing the in
sincerity of these leaders in their pres
ent pretended support of Democratic
candidates, and the ardor and fidebty ol
their efforts to cement union with Lhe
Republican party, whose only ccnceIva-
BILE issue could have been to deceive
these allies or barter away the State.
In fact, this recent history shows Ihat
but for the greater faithfulness OF che
Republicans to their principles. or tbell
we'll founded mistrust of men capable OF
such coalition, these leaders wouio
now be in the political field not only
with ticket not favoring Hancock ano
English, but with ticket an the norEe'
for q bidder or openly pledged 10 the
repudiated beggar for the Chicago nom
ination, Ulysses s. Grant.
The mode by which this novel an6 ma
gitious experiment in Virginia poiltlcs
was to have been effected was union
of Republicans and Readjusters In the
support of ticket acceptable to botn
parties to the trade, which should be
free to vote for Democrat or ReP'oh
can, as its policy or interest might dic'
tate Ia scheme by which either the he
publicans or Democrats were certain te
be cheated, if indeed both would MOI
have been.