Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-12-02
THE DIVISION AFTER THE
VICTOR

lion ana figures, tilat tutiF party CdIIttu
the majority Of the Democratic vote of the
State, have been characterized by such
sipgeness of purpose of late that they can
not fail to have attracted the attention
of those who take any interest in political
affairs. 1t must not be understood, how
ever, that this anxiety is simply to secure
the credit of having obtained the bulk of
the intelligent voters for their cause. The
declaration of their candidate for G ver-
nor that he intended to carry africa H.
to the war; and the less apt and cOarser
declarations OF minor orators during the
campaign that one man 3 vote was as good
as that of another, and that the ballot of
the black citizen and that CT the wlsite
counted alike when they reached the box,
put this Interpretation out of the ques-
ton. Nor is a victorious party likely to
undertake to palliae to defeated one,
the means it used to success. The mean
ing of these efforts lies far deeper than the
surface. The few offices within the gift
of the State are hardly a trihe in the mat
ter of distribution among those who have
pastures of Federal patronage that the real
reward is to come. OF course if it is once
admitted that tie Republican vote did the
work of the campaign the excuses for sup
planting the pr esent incumbents of Fe der
al positions of trust would be limited, and
after the nibbliDg away of the sparse weeds
of State patronage by the bell-wethers the
flock of unrewarded Readjusters could only
look with hungry eyes into The green pas
lures of the Internal Revenue, Postal and
Customs service. In those better pastures
may be seen, to use a favorite though in
elegant expression Of our SeadJustei
friends, venerable ''moss-backs'' who have
been grazing and fattening for years; some
ever since Virginia was fenced eff Into
districts. 1t is the bars to these that
must be let down and it is 20 this end that
the ins;dious argument Of the ''majorit5
of the white votes is addressed-mo.e t1
the Washington authorities than to the
Virginia readers. The earliest field, that
of State patronage 30 be experimental on.
is in the hands of the Virginia legislature.
and so far the Republican element ha
hardly been treated with the barest con-
sideration 10 the speculations regarding
it. That it is not blind to this omission
may be gathered from the following ex-
tract from our Republican contemporary the
''Valley Virginian -
The Republicans of the State constitu-
ted the preppnderating power in the sue
cessful combina ton. and only a passing
mention, IN a., Indifferent way, has BEEN
given to any Republican, either for tht
Supreme Bench or the United States Sem
ate. 1t is not our purpose to enter up0na
discussion of the relative claims Of this 0i
that gentleman, or one or the other of tn
elements which formed the successful
force, or to throw an apple Of discard int;
the camp at this early day. We want IL
see an adjust ment Of the favors, and sue
q spirit of falrnes SIS prevail i'll that adjus'
ment. that there viii be no rntlOllH!
grounds Of dissa isfac ion anywhere. /
was not for the spolls OF of1ice that the RI
pubicans of Virginia ranged themselves
III favor of the ticket OF the Readj sfei
party, and gave it the success il aci ev~a.
1t was because OF the principles and poll
cy at issue. as they affect the rights Of h
citizen, that the great bulk OF the Rerub
licaus of the State voted for Col. Gamer
on for Governor, aud gave snch an over
whelming defeat to the Bourbon faction
and rebuke to its infidetity TO pli2h Ell
faith. Republicans are not insenslb 9 &
the part they played in the contest or tht
influence they eXerted; Dor viii insy be i'll
sensible to the recognii ion Of that sery G.
The shallowest sagaciiy will ubderetdnd
that self resp ct aid party pride viii ltav'
to be considered aud respected. We think
we comprehend the differences which have
to be adjusted. and it IS not our purpose tn
exaggerate or dwarf them. They exist ard
will have to be frankly met and consider
ed, and it is to them that the conmD-
sense of all concerned should be addless-
ed.
The assertion of the "Virginian" that
1.-The Republica of the State constituted
the prepon derating power in the success
full combination" is true bnt there is lit
tie likelihood that it will be recognized b.
She new administration in Virginia. The
leader of the Readjuster party has large
and peculiarly faithful constituency CT his
own to reward and we suspect that b.
sanding in his tent, looks upon the official
spoils, State and Federal gathered there.
as being captur ed as much from the Re
publicans as from the Democrats. and Il
be divided out strictly among the anoin
ted. If we may judge from the notices III
our exchanges We must infer that net only
will many Republican net be recognized
but there shall be 'taken from him
even that which be haGh.'' AS an exam
pie of this we see it announced auth.ll
tatively that mir. e. Z. Lakewood ''al,
of IF -, 10 hos
place IN the internal Revenue Department
placed lat his refusal;" and another All
nouncement that G. b. Graveiy, Depnty
U. S. Collector of Internal Revenue OF
Henry county has been superseded b,
Buck Martin, colored ReadJuster; and still
another, that Mr.. James T. Wood, Secre-
tary of the Richmond Readjuster club,
land most estimable young gentleman)
has been appointed to clerkship in tile
Internal Revenue office in that city.
That Gen. Malone will take care t. So
cure the colored vote by such official favtrs
as may be supposed sufficient TO attach
them to his cause is certain, but that he will !
take care of the leaders proper Of the late |
Republican party is hardly to be credited. |
He has too many followers of his own 10 |
reward to afford IT. III tying captured the |
rank and file OF that party the last thing |
he is likely to want is the officers. He Will |
officer the regiments from his own saff |
1t is the fate of political war and our cotem-
porary will have to earn t, look upon it |
with the same philosophical resignation
that the Democrats are now exhibiting,
and with the comfortable assurances that it |
will not last long. No political co sition.
one third of which holds as its prime priu-