The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-11-03
"Sharp Practices"

Last week an article appeared in the ed
itorial columns of the VIRGINIAN under
the above caption, crticising the methods
of the recent Democratic County Conven-
ton. Complaint has been made, we under
stand, that injustice was done in the conclu-
sions reached as to the town delegates, and
from what we have since heard from those
more familiar with the details of the pro
ceedings of that Convention than was the
writer of that article. we are inclined to
founded. 1t was not our purpose to mis-
represent any one, and probably we were
at fault in stating the conclusions we did.
based as they were upon only partial
knowledge of the proceedings. We entered
the Court House after the several motions
had been presented. and did not learn. at
the time, who were the authors of them.
nor did we read afterwards the published
proceedings. We noticed several of the old
stagers on the outside communicating with
delegates and when we heard of the two
resolutions commented on, our mind in
stantly ran back few years to scheme
shaped and put in motion to defeat the
nomination of Hon. John II. Harris for
Con gress. 1t was to have candidate from
each county in the district, and then hold
the delegates from each county to the can
didate from that county, and thus prevent
the nomination Of Harris by Introducing
new man, after the convention had become
worried by successive ballotings. Could
the plan have been operated it might have
succeeded, but Harris was too adroit and
too strong for the combination and
triumphed over the schemers in very eff
fecttal manner. We thought the same
minds had something to do with the sugges-
ton of an almost similar scheme in the coun-
ty conventions and drew our conclusion from
this incident. The statement of the facts of
the case, which have been made to us
since the last issue of the VIRGINIAN,
satisfies lis that injustice was done in our
reference. and we take this occasion and
public manner to correct it. n
Apart from this we notice a com munica-
blOu III uIt ' MutCUtOI lIOul O11c vi bDC COuu-
ty delegates, assuming the responsibility of
the authorship of one of the resolutions
which we thought had been engineered by
a town delegate. The communication Is
the Tlpperary boy at Donnybrook Fair,
seems to be ''spoling for a fight We
have not the time just now to crafty him.
as we are after bigger game, which will
command our attention until after the Sth
of November. By that time it is hoped he
will have cooled down, and wash ed off his
war paint. The Vand,cator, too, seemed to
be somewhat excited, and sufficiently
aroused from chronic stupor to pronounce
the editorial in question shameless at
Tempt to array the country against the
city. Ii is just here where the point comes
in. The little coterie of partizans who run
machine politics in Staunt on do not consti-
tute the people of Staunton, although they
think they do and of a right assume to dictate
how not only they, but the people OF the
county should act and vote in elections. 7 his
is mere delusion, and it was this that we
sought to dissipate. The people of Staun-
ton and Augusta county have no conflict of
interests. and it will take something more
ponderous and assuring than our Court
street contemporary to make them believe
that the VIRGINIAN seeks to incite hostili.
ties between them. When we or ticise the
little political rings of the city, the people
of the city and county know very well what
is meant, and at heart endorse it. They
have no more sympathy for machine poll
tics than we have, and have no words of en-
couragement to offer those who use them.
The Vandicator is at liberty to make the
most it can of the criticism it attempts to
distort, but the Intelligence of the city and
county will readily comprehend the motive
to be other than a jealous regard for the
peace and quiet of community and the en-
largement Of that catholic feeling which is
essential to the prosperity of bpth Staun-
ton and Augusta county. The whole affair
has been very small tempest in very
small teapot, giving occasion for the exhi-
bition OF bad feeling on the part of those
who, in their calmer moments, will adjudge
themselves very foolish because of it.
The impudence of the Bourbons is un-
measured if not undesirable. They abso-
lutely PRIV into the private business of bu-
siness men to know whether their taxes
have been paid and how they are going to
vote. With pencil and paper in hand these
facts, if learned, are noted down, and we
suppose, reported to headquarters. The
captain of tens and twentes then, we
instructed to bring bis flock |
to the polls. This is the method of what
Mr.. Kelley would call the best people,"
and not that of the Ignorant and debased
horde" who vote as they list, aud in the
manner that suits them.
II Cameron is not elected by very de
,ided majority we will be deceived, and
will not have much faith in our own opinion
hereafter about popular currents. ,is.