The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-09-15
Hon. John F. Lewis Defence.

Hon. John F. Lewis Defence.
We have received pamphlet copy OF an
address of Hon. John F. Lewis to the
'sPeople of Virginia." re-iterating his de-
fence from the charges of c. G. Lancaster,
as to the administration OF the office
of United States Marshal for the West
ern District Of Virginia. But for tile
fact that the Democrats have had this Lam
caster report reprinted and are circulating
it broadcast over the State, we presume
Mr.. Lewis would have rested contented
with his former ample vindication. The
necessities of party are very exacting and
the more threatened the cause, the more
reckless and INSCRIPTIONS becomes its par-
tizans. The renewal of these charges in
the present canvass is evidence that the
party to which Mr.. Lewis is opposed has
very little confidence in its success upon the
legitimate issues between the two Democrat.
ploded ISLANDERS against Mr.. Lewis are
caught up and literally circulated in the
hope of influencing few votes by reason of
matter which has nothing to do with the
canvass. We have heretofore carefully ex-
amined the reply of Mr.. Lewis to the paper
of Mr.. Lancaster; and have no hesitation in
stating that he met and refuted every i'm
putatiOn upon his personal and official in
tegrity, and cleared away the fabrications
which had been formed to environ him in
network of wrong-doing. Had an honest
purpose prevailed to mete out even handed
justice to him, and judge him by the facts
OF the case, the same sources of information
were available to his political enemies that
were open to us, and an examination u
them would have brought them to the same
conclusion it did us. But it is not Jealous
regard for the interests of the government
that has prompted this assault from diff
erent source to that which instigated the
original attack. 1t is to influence the public
mind, by irrelevant methods, in an impor-
tant and heated political contest. and is ia
tai admission of weakness on the real issues in
the canvass now going on. 1t is not only an
admission of a weak cause, but the confession
of very bad spirit and of unworthy mo-
tives, aud is as certain to have areactionary
effect as that wrong act will carry with it
its own reproof.
Ii opposition had been urged against Mr..
Lewis by the Bourbons, because he is Re-
publican. or for the reason that he is the
Re-adJuster nominee for Lieutenant Gov
N nan al q WE lc a
to complain. This kind of antagonism he
expects But to assail him because of re-
futed and exploded charges brought against
him, which have nothing to do with the State
contest, is the exposure of a spirit that fair
men will not envy and honest men would
scorhfully disown.
Mr.. Lewis very frankly asks the friends
OF REIMBURSEMENT if they cannot vote for
him because of these false charges, or for
any other reason, to scratch his name from
the ticket. and not ieopardize the cause be-
cause OF opposition to him. But we judge
there will be very few who will do so, be-
cause of this late and mere partizan phase
Of the matter. No man maintains more
Lewis, and when. for political ends. it is
attempted to smirch it. the result will not
be what was expected.
We have not approved the course of Mr..
Lewis. as a Republican, in this canvass
We believe he acted unwisely and that he
will yet regret that he did not stand square
to the party oaganiz tion and its interests
in the organization. But this would not
justify us 10 standing silently by and see
ing him assaulted by pol teal enemies upon
grounds that are false and from methods
that are malicious. And we believe the
public will view it in the same light, and
give him vindication that he might not
otherwise have been accorded.
Instead of the high and manly purpose
which was manifested by the candidates for
Governor in their joint discussions, this can
vass has been converted by the lesser lights
in the contest into tourney of malicious vi
tuperation, SANDER and falsehood In SO short
a time we have never known more real mean
ness and littleness shown than have been
flooded upon the public within the past
month, all with design of drawing attention
from the true issues in the election and drown
ing reason in a tumult of passion and preju-
dice. But, it will fail of its object. We real
ly believe that the contortion and misrepre-
sentation of Capt. Riddleberger's allusion to
Maj Daniel the Wilson letter forgeries upon
Capt. Blair, and this last device to prejudice
the public mind against Mr.. Lewis, will assure
the election of Col. Cameron by majority
that will astonish those who have inaugurated
this dlsreputable phase of the contest, that at
first promised to be SO free from the maligni-
ties of the crossroads and store-box polit-
clans. Certainly it will have the effect to con-
centrate the Republican vote upon the ticket,
for they see in it the same kind of persecution
and Misrepresentation to which they have
been subjected, and the same malignant spirit
manifested for Mr.. Lewis because he is a Re
publican, that has ever characterized the
Democratic party when the Republicans were
confronting them as an organization.