Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-12-30
FRIDAY MORNING. DEC. 80. 1881.

SELF COMMAND IN POLITICS.
Perhaps there is no task more difficult
than self command in politics. Men who
are az cool as ice in battle where every
thing is at stake, will at ward meeting
become excited and even abusive where
there is comparatively nothing at stake
We have seen this very frequently Illus
trated by some of our Democratic breth-
rem since the Republican eadjuster legis-
lature met and since the distribution OF
the spoils has commenced. Their excite
ment amounts to an absurditv. They look
upon Readjuster who is seeking. or who is
spoken of by members of his own party for
Office as sort Of traitor to somebody in the
Democratic party, and his office seeking
as a sort of crime. Now all this IS undlg-
nified, and what is worse only excites the
ridicule of our opponents. If ReadJusters
are not to get the offices, then who ares
Certainly not we Democrats Our time is
to come when better favored by fortune
we can GUST our opponents. 1t is super
tluous for US to raise cry of dismay at
every head that falls. We understood all
that beforehand; that was a part of our
fight against them because we believed
that in many respects the State of Vir-
Gnia as a whole was better Offered than
our opponents could do it. We believe so
to-day no less than we did before our de-
feat, Notwithstanding the two notably
good officers they have had in for some
time. They have not-a new party never
has the material at hand to fill the whole
working department of wide spread state
government equally as well as the party
it displaces.
The seeking an Office is not crime. The
most eminent Democrats in this State have
done it and when successful have given
cause to the Commonwealth to mark with
white stone the day they first thought of
such seeking. Many Democrats ofthis State
who sought and year after year held office
honored and helped this old Com mon
wealth far more than she honored or help
ed them. Some Of them are dead and
some Of them still live to receive the plaud-
it of well done from their friends, and the
respect of even their bitterest opponents.
They were men who it will take the new
party years Of training, and discarding I'M
fit material, to produce their peers, but they
were at the beginning distinctly Office seek
ers. The whole round Of employment in
to which the people may vote a man is
open for the honorable competition of ev-
cry man who votes.
The party that now has possession OF the
government is a new, crude, and composite
organization. Their material is slight from
the two first causes, and mixed from the
third. It is their duty to fill the places
they have won with the best material they
have, and if they recognize this duty and
look upon the offices Of State as some
thing to be properly filled and not merely to
be paid out for political service, it is the
duty Of all good citizens who have the IN
terest of the State at heart, to encourag re
their best men to go forward. A corps of
incompetent State officers, bench of un-
learned or corrupt judges, and other evils
often follow in the distribution of political
ssspoils," but while they might furnish the
Democrats political capital they would
be misfortunes under which all. our people,
of whatever faction, would have to suffer
This we know is not the doctrine of pro-
fessional politicians; it is not the opinion
of those of Office seekers out Of Office; it is
not the doctrine of minor claqeurs who
would whoop up opposition in order that
they might personally profit by a change
when it comes, but it is the judgment OF
the citizen who most of all desires the
welfare of the State.
Let those of our Democratic brethren
who are restless and burn with desire to
speak their mind, exercise little self
command The opportunity to first wea-
ken and then break the strength of the
strangely mixed party that has so strange
ly gotten power in Virginia, is not SO far
off as many of them think. No man who
looks at the political horizon in Virginia,
can help being struck with the conviction
that legislature composed like the pres
ent; and having the same purposes in view
will never again assemble in the capitol at
Richmond.