The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-05-19
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NO..6
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An Historical Leaf.

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has a5,, An Historical Leaf, aa. var,
! Tne following extract from a. letter of
Capt j. Fl. Rives, Collector of Internal
Revenue for the Fifth District, addressed
to the editor Of the LynchburgI Eigsiaian.
Is good practical reading and constitutes
an interesting leaf in the politics of .Vir-
glnla Capt. Riyes had announced his pur-
pose to favor fusion of the Republicans
with the e-adjusters. He had been, ,r,p to
the time of the conflict in the Senate be-
tween Senators Hill and Malone, decided
~ anti- Malone man and was classed as q
Grip Sack Funder Republican. After Ma
homes speech in reply to Hill he announced
his purpose to support Gen. Malone and
subsequently stated that he would recog-
nize Re-adjusters in the distribution of the
patronage of his office. This brought from
the Lynchburg Virginian an arrangement
OF Capt. Rives' consistency, and exposed
him to unfriendly criticism from those who
had endorsed him for re-appointment as
Collector. It was in reply to, the structures
OF the Virginian that the letter. was writ
ten from which the following extract is
taken ts ,f.,s.,.., 54 ,,.,
Trading politicians Who comes within
that designation
Did the Conservative party, when it as
sumed the name OF Liberal Repu bliean, retired
Col. r. E. Withers as, their candidate for Gov
erncr and put up Gilbert g. Walker and John
F. Lewis, upon the condition Of obtaining
certain Republican aid, pledge themselvesto
support General Grants administration, ana
afterwards refused to carry. out those ,condi-
ton? 1t was subsequently stated by the
Richmond Dispatch that these pledges were
accomplished this, it was no longer necessary
to keep them. The plea of necessity urged for
violated promise. Did the Democratic party
trade when it nominated Horace Greeley?
The conditions were the support of the New
York Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Bowles'
Springfield Republican, and Murat Halstead's
Cincinnati paper-the great quartette-with
the expectation of carrying a large liberil Re
publican vote. | wonder what became of MF
Buttons principles as Conservatives
Southern Conservative that campaign?
Ii l remember Alright, he was very warm ad.
vocate OF Mr.. Greeley's. 1fthere was no trade,
why was Mr.. Greeley nominated? Since the
last election have seen an article in one Of
our city papers inviting the Readjusters back
into the Democratic fold, promising them
every consideration, and intimating that they
might settle the State Debt in their own way,
if they would only come back. But the Re
adjusters refused to be pacated or retire to the
fold. Was this an attempt at a bargain,or
was it an offer to bribe? Did Mr.. Button sup
port his party in making and offering to make
these bargains? | leave him to answer
have heard Mr.. Button say on several eocca'
sions that he was an old line Wing; that, he
was not Democrat. am Republican, and
in no sense Readjuster, yet am willing TO
support the Readjusters in the coming cleo
ton. do not admit, and do not think nay
position involves ANY cost of principle Will
Mr.. Button kindly explain to the public at
what ''cost of principle" he maintains bis po-
litical position? A Wing, and voting with
the Democrats ,ss, ...,..,-a.st =! r,sb1..e s,,14
do not desire to offend anyone or TO- say
unpleasant things, and decline to go into de-
tails; but | am constrained to say that and
many other Republicans believed upon what
we think good and sufficient reasons, derived
to a great extent upon personal knowledge
and observation, that there was rarely IF ever,
a free and fair ballot held at any election in
this city and county prior to the enforcement
OF the capitation tax as prerequisite to vote.
Since the requirement of the prepayment OF
the poll-tax, so large portion Of the Repub-
lican vote is annually DISTINGUISHED sthatitis
not necessary to resort to other means to, Sc
cure victory. There have been no shOt-guns
used, nor have the voters been driven away
from the polls, but the means employed for the
of a tull fair vote were equally
effectual Mr.. Button can get plenty of testi-
mony upon this point if he will interrogate
Republicans. Many Republicans in this dis
trict believe that Judge Rives was fairly elect
ed to Congress in 1870, and would have gotten
his seat if he had chosen to contest the cleo
ton Of Col. Duke. Many of US belieye that
the Hon. j. Foote johnson would have been
elected to Congress in 1872 if there had beena
free ballot AS it was, he was only beaten BY
some 900 votes. Mr. B. W. Bocock, Andrew
Gamble and John Kinnier, it is generally adj
mitted by the public, were fairly elected Clerk
OF the City Court, Commissioner of the Reye-
nue., and Treasurer. They were allowed to
take charge of their respective offices. Prior
to their incumbency the Third ward ballots
were stolen by some unknown person from
the custody of the clerk, and shortly after
were removed from the offices to which they
had been elected by the people, on some teeh-
nical ground by the city Judge, who appoint
ed their successors.
The census of 1880 shows that the county Of
Campbell has several hundred more seolored
than white. Mr.. Button has said several
times, in the columns of his paper, that all the
people WOulu NOlS Will CIG ntpuUll-
can party; and yet the Republicans have
never carried Campbell that l recollect,s du-
ring the ten years have lived here. Is this
possible, with free ballot and a fair count?
am firmly of the opinion that 1t is not. AS
long as our people are taught to regard our
late war as, q confession which we were. right,
though vanquished, and their enthusiasm is
aroused and excited by our public speakers de-
claring that they have nothing to regret, Chat
tlnIy1u ut Il Il sbnHrv
it is lot natural that our people should love
the Union, take pride in the growth and pros
perity of our common country, and regard the
United States Government as their Govern
ment. served four years lacking one month,
in the Confederate States army with but sixty
days absence, and then on sick leave. did
then what conceived to be my duty faithful
ly and to the best of my ability, and l have no
wish to wipe out that record. If / did any
service to Virginia and her people by the
hardships which l endured and the dangers1
encountered, ask in return only the lpser
privilege of being permitted to enjoy and ex-
press my own free and independent opinions r
upon all subjects without unkind criticism Or
harsh Judgment from any Of my fellow -eiti-
zens. Not long after the war l1came to the
conclusion, though we had suffered much, en-
dured much, and lost much, that the result, of
the war was best as it was The ways Of the
Almighty are mysterious, and man cannot
fathom His DEGREES. Slavery was abolished
and the Union preserved. 1t was, better that
it should be so than for the Confederacy to
have succeeded. / have therefore been 81 Re.
publican ever since, because it was the:only
party which represented Union partyraI
have never said that the debt OF nearly $780,
100000 was properly ascertained, because de-
nouneed the Funding Bill and the capitalisa
ton of the war and back interest as . part Of
the principal, as early as 1878; and declared it
-'|' 49, '-.0 1e0' agsgxa 81
HARPER's MAGAZINE for June has been re-
ceived. The interesting and instructive arti-
Giles, some of them handsomely illustrated,
which constitute this number compare favor