The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-06-23
A Word to Northern Republicans.


Republicans of the North are most needed,
for them to receive stone instead of bread
and curses rather than praise. We not only
have to contend with the world, the flesh and
the devil at home, but have to endure the dis
trust, and even the hostility of those who
should be our friends from abroad. Had the
same interest been felt in Republican success
in the Southern States, through determined
and liberal efforts on the part of the North,
which have always been manifested in doubt
full Northern States, the solid South would be-
fore this have been effectively broken. Had
the earnest purpose to carry Virginia, North
Carolina and Tennessee, and similar agencies
employed to that end which have been used
in Indiana and Maine in every important con-
test, there would be no occasion now to be-
moan the political oneness of the South. In
deed, the Republicans of the South are only
considered useful in National Conventions
where their votes are important in determining
the choice among Northern Republicans for
high party favors. There they are looked
upon and courted as Republicans of the gen
uine stripe. But when the time arrives for
their home struggles, and the fierce encoun-
tiers they have to undergo for their POLITICAL
and sometimes personal existence, Northern
Republican sympathy oozes out at the fingers
ends.
We have an illustration of this in Virginia
at this time. The Northern press and many
of the leading Republicans of that section, ex
tend their aid and countenance to few po-
litical adventures, who have ever been the
bitterest enemies and the most intense revilers
of the Republican party, just because, having
been kicked out of the Democratic party by
reason of their greed for power and place, they
| find no other chance Of achieving the desires
of their souls, than by stealing Republican
| ideas, and protesting liberalism In violation
of all their acts and convictions heretofore,
without the manliness and courage to identify
themselves with the party whose principles
they assume to embrace. Their records against
the vital principles of the Republican party
their loose and ruinous ideas of finance, COM
merce and industry are ignored, and their high
sounding platitudes about liberalism accepted
as sufficient cause to give them preference over
Republicans who have been tried as with fire
and never faltered. Suppose Weaver in Wis
consin and Ben. Butler in Massachusetts,
would attempt to organize each party, enter
tanning their communistic notions about gov
eminent and legislation, would the Republican
press and the Republican statesmen of the
North dare give them their support? Not a
bit of it. But here in Virginia, where the
champions of the greenback fallacies and the
most ruinous views of government integrity
who boldly declare for the reputation ofState
obligations, in defiance of the State and Ma
tional Courts of last resort, proclaim for a
simulated liberalism and war upon Bourbon
ism, these Northern Republicans urge that
the Republican party should surrender to
them and support the candidates they place in
the field +! We ask the Northern Republican
papers and the Northern Republican states
men whether they can stand upon such re-
cord in the future-ignoring the regular Repub
lican party ofVirginia and giving their support
toa Democratic faction which would be secuted
out of existence if it made its appearance in
Northern State, advocating all the heresies
of greenbackism and supplementing it by 9
palpable, undisguised proposition to re-
pudiate obligations whose validity has beer
determined by the Supreme Courts ofthe State
and Nation.
The support and countcnance that the
Northern press and Northern statesmen are
giving to the Re-adjusters of Virginia may
work out the defeat and humiliation of the
Republican organization of the State. BuI
this will not be the last of it. We warn them
of the future. They are warming into life 6
viper that may sting them to the death. The fata
effects of this support will not be confined to
Virginia. They will have to bear up under
the record of tho faction they favor in this 10
cal contest, when they come to face the public
sentiment of their own States. They will
have to explain, if they can, the records O.
their new found friends as they will be exposed
in this contest, and the question will come home
to them, were they justified in stabbing to
death the Republican party of Virginia, thai
theknown and recorded enemies ofthe most sa
cred principles of the Republican party might
ginia can endure this desertlon in the hour o.
their extremity-they can face defeat as they
have done before, bravely and fearlessly, an6
endure the humiliation that it is proposed te
place upon them; but can the Republicans O.
the North with equal composure and forti
tude face the responsibility of their action, in
encouraging and supporting party whose
whole record is in direct conflict with the car
dinal principles of the Republican party? W.
were deceived and betrayed by the Executive
Committee of the National Republican party
in November last by which the electoral yot,
of Virginia was lost to Garfield and Arthur
We have survived that. The same influences
are at work to destroy the Republican party
of the State in this contest. As individual
Republicans we may endure that. But lie
gion of difficulties and embarrassments may
spring up from the sacrifice, to harrass, if no
fatally affect the Republican organizations o
other States, and bring them to as disastrous
fate as may be forced upon US. 1t is tint
for the Republican press of the North to re-
fleet little and consider the future effect O
| "
the Republican party of Virginia upon thu
Republican party of the nation. They do no
know what they are doing, or the nature 0
the influences they are encouraging and en-
dorsing. They are simply driving wedg'
into the Republican party of the nation thai
will split it to pieces they are putting in mo
ton forces which may require the combined
conservative influences of the country tt
check and keep within safe channels. Res
assured, the last objects to be considered by
the leaders of the Re-adjuster party of Vir
ginia are the interests of the National Repub
lican party. Their whole history has been {
relentless warfare upon the controlling prin
Piles and policies of that organization, ant
when it is too late, in all probability, the Re
publican press and statesmen who have beer
deluded and deceived into opposing Republi
can organization and policy in Virginia viii
realize the fatal blunder they have committed
The disturbance in the harmony of the Re
publican party at this time may be traced te
the plans to capture the vote of Senator Ma