Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1881-02-17
BOrder-Ruilian Vest.

The conduct of Senator Vest in Con
gress indicates beyond the possibility
Of caVil that the race of border ruflians
who once disgraced Missouri is not
yet extinct by any means, but that one
of their number remains who is con-
spicuous in his manifestation of their
! spirit, though he does not flourish re-
volver and bowie-knife, or head gangs
bent on murderous forays into Kansas.
He is a fair representative, neverthe-
less, of their malicious propensities
and hatred of everything Northern,
and his representation is none the less
odiOus that it is exhibited in that
branch of the National Legislature
which is presumed to be calm, digni-
fed and non partisan in National mat
ters, removed from the chickering's. Of
party strife and unprejudiced in It's de-
liberations and decisions upon all ques-
tions not distinctively and necessarily
partisan.
Senator Vest has never omitted an
opportunity to give expression to his
very offensive sentiments in a very Of
fensive manner. Even if his senti-
ments were not offensive and he were
speaking within the line of decency he
would be open to criticism as talking
too much; but when he cannot rise
without assuming the air of bragga-
dociO, and cannot open his mouth ex-
Cept to vent his spite against the Re-
publican party in particular and the
North in general, it may be said not
only that he talks too much, but too
much like bigot and unreconstructed
Rebel, whose mOuthings are not so dan
gerous as they are disgusting.
There are two classes of subjects
which are sure to bring Senator Vest to
his feet and to expose the Senate and
the country to torrent of his silly
malice and impotent bluster, whenever
they come up, either directly or indi-
rectly. One of these is any allusion to
the services of the Republican party,
to anything connected with its past,
present or future, to any reminiscenee
belonging to it, or to any claim made
by it, The other is the suggestion of
any measure that is for the benefit of
the whole country, that involves patri-
otism or that recognizes all sections of
the country as parts of one Nation. The
mere mention of anything of this kind |
indames him as a red rag does a bull,
and his antics very closely resemble |
those of that infuriated animal. The |
to place General Grant upon
the retired list has been the object of his
special aversion. He sees in it only an ef-
fort to reward General Grant, first, as a
and second as the man who
the Secessionists; and so
great Is his rage that he not only as
sails General Grant and Republicans,
but goes back quarter of a century to
assail John Brownas ''ascoundrel who
was Justly hung" and the Free
State settlers of Kansas as "lawless
bandits" who went there that they
might stir up the slaves in Missouri to
rise against their masters, and from that
point comes down to the present, abus-
ng Republicans all the way From the
manner in which his gorge rises at the
memory of John Brown. the spirit Of
he old man of Harper's Ferry, which
IeeIns to trouble no one else, must be
levoting most of his time in his march,
ng on to annoying Senator Vest, and !