The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-09-08

when they were united, it would be unnat-
ural were they not to do so. We have APP
pealed. indeed. for years past to the sense
of justice and right of the Conservative
party of Virginia in behalf of the rights OF
Republicans. We have been met in every
contest by counter-appeals to prejudice and
passion, instead of arguments upon the
merits of the propositions discussed. 1t has
been the same in National as in State cleo
tons. We offered them Grant, the soldier
and statesmen-the generous, manly friend
of Virginia and her favored hero. in 1872,
against Greeley, the tiercest enemy the
South ever had. We presented Hayes the
christian sta:esman,i in 1876. against Tilden.
the scheming politician. In 1880 we NOM
mated Garfield the foremost statesman. OF
his day, and the completesU character OF the
century. against Hancock, with no record
but that OF soldier. In each of these con-
tests the principles OF the Republican party
were the same-the maintenance OF the
public faith, and the equal rights OF the
citizen We were met by the Democratic
party of Virginia and the country, and al
though there was neither principle nor gov
ernmental policy asserted. their combined
forces were marshalled to defeat the Re-
publican party. Coalitions and conspir-
acies were ormed wherever there was ma
terial out of which to form them-Green-
hackers, labor-reformers. and all the isms
generated from greed for power. from ig-
norance, superstition and political debauch-
cry, and massed in the interests OF the Dem
ocratic party. 1t was the same in Il nation
al contest as in a State canvass. The
achievements of the Republican party in
restoring the credit of the government, reg
ulating the currency by safe and solid
standard of value, forming the basis for
business activity and prosperity. were pow
erless to influence public judgment against
the low and vicious appeals to the passions
of the people. Neither the honor of the
State nor of the Nation weighed a farthine
in the canvass. 1t was struggle for pow.
err, and the means employed and the meth
DDS appealed to, however reckless and rot.
cen in themselves, were regarded as proper
and right, so the end might be attained
Conscious of the power of numbers, they
cared not for the agencies used to give them
effect. There were no nervous appeals tC
the cardinal virtues of the Republicans
party as eXemplified in its history. So the
combined forces of the Conservative party
could be brought into line, it mattered moi
whether they represented all the financial
vagaries and heresies that diseased minds
could conceive, or not. Votes were what
they wanted and the defeat of the Repub
lican party, although such result NIGH
be followed by the defeat of the wise tinan-
cial policy of the governments and derange
ment of the entire business Interests of the
country.
But now when Republicans have tht
power to determine the result in the con
test between the two wings of the Demo
cratic party, we are reminded by the one o
the record the Republican party has made
and soft words are employed to give as
surance that that reco I'd is admired and ap
pTcCldCtu ny Iuc OIlt anu COulTOuttu dUt
opposed by the policy of the other. w
cannot see it in that light. There is moth
ing in the history of the Democratic part,
OF the country or of Virginia in accord witt
the record of the Republican party as t.
national obligations; and we cannot accep
Il e assurance now, that in some futur
contingency there may be bond of sym
pathy AMI cooperation between them. [
is the pressing necessity of the case that in
sp Tres the advance. With power once Sc
cured. we have the experience of the pas
j. to teach us how it would be used. If tn
revenges of time have placed the Conserva
tive party, with its sinuous and dark recor
in our power, it would be the veriest stu
putty not to seize the opportunity and MS
= it for all that is in it.