National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-02-07
Virginia Republicans.

10 the Edlt0r OF me ReDu0tlcGn:
| Private interests so often conflict with
public good it is sometimes difficult to secure
judicious party action 1t is very easy to foresee
the difficulties likely to arise in the campaign of
the coming fall The most important Offices in the
State are to be filed by popular election, and the
ambition of candidates would be candidates is
I even at this early day manifeSting ITSELF Upon
the result of this contest depends some of the most
| important interests of the State The one which
to to be of the greatest importance is that
growing out of the question of the public debt
| This question once settled-almost in any way
the people of the State would be relieved from
great and growing annoyance, and people from
other States would begin to look to Virginia as
desirable place in which to locate and invest their
surplus money Viewing the field from Repub-
can standpoint, we feel well satisfied that the true
policy ofthe Republican party is to form an alli-
ance offensive and defensive, with the Readjusters
There are valuable positions enough to be filed to
satisfy the desire of the most ambitious, and the
| surest way to reach them is by union of this
kind But the great advantages to be gained, and
those in which the people are interested.
| are, first, the settlement of the public debt
upon just honest, and honorable
basis, and second, the breaking down of the Bour-
bon party, which is responsible for such long con
| tinued misrule. Should these two objects be ac-
complished, it would be relieved of the two great
weights which have hindered her progress and
subjected her people to the unkindest criticism OF
the world. We trust the Republican party will not
| be miSled in this matter and will give its most
| hearty cooperation and aid to that wing of the
| Conservative party which is seeking to wipe out
the "color line" upon which the Republican party
has been forced to fight and lose so many battles;
| to free the State from the charge of repudiation
and from the necessity for actual repudiation and
to place the State in full accord with the advanced
| theories of the times. The colOred people OF
Virginia are more largely interested IN
| pose. When they became citizens and
had imposed upon them the responsibilities OF
citizenship Virginia owed a large debt, which
| they had had no agency in creating, and while,
like all other citizens, they became liable for
share of this heavy burden, it is matter OF the
greatest importance to them to know exactly what
| that burden is and what it legally and equitably
was at the time their liability begun. This they
can learn from the statements and conclusions OF
| the ReadjuSters, and the difference between what
| they have assumed and what is imposed upon
| them is found in the figures of the Readjusters
and Bourbons. The former not only fix the bur-
den of debt upon its proper basis, but they extend
| to these people the olive branch of peace. They
| abandon the color line" so long fought upon;
| abandon the theory that this is exclusively
white mans government, made by white men,
and for white men alone, and are willing to see them
advanced politically as well as materially, and
exercise of ali their political rights. For
| these reasons the colored should give
their support only to such men as they
know to be desirous of accomplishing these results.
! There is fear in the Republican party outside
the State that if the Republican party cooperate
with the ReadluSterS lt Will nave a tendency 10
weaken party ties. This is erroneous. This con-
test involves such issues as must strengthen the
Republican party if the Bourbons defeated. An
| independent Republican ticket put into the field
next fall will establish Bourbon supremacy in
/ Virginia and so retard the progress of improve
ment as to render itimpossible for the State to
cover in generation. To justify this conclusion
it is only necessary to remember the time that has
elapsed since the war and view the present condi
ton of the State, with the efficiency of her system
| of education impaired by the misapplication of
school funds, her public debt increased by vicious
! legislation and accumulating through ignorance
or ineficency, her resources undeyeloped and her
| people seeking homes and employment in more
| progressive places. VIRGINIUS.