The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-02-24

adjusters, our State will surely be found in tn
Republican ranks in 1914
THE ASPECT OF THE CASE
alone serves to show the extreme folly o
driving from us this large liberal vote which il
now pledged and earnestly atwork in the effor
to give us free suffrage.
The Importance of a free ballot with us can
not be oyerestimated, and can be readily seer
by reference to the late Presidential election
In that election we carried New York by
less than twenty thousand plurality in vote
of over million Now, if New York ha6
ment would have been placed, for four years
practically under the control of those who but
few years ago fought to break it up, and
who have no apologies to make for then
reasonable course, and who even now work
persistently and Systematically, day and night
to justify the monstrous heresy of State SOW
ereignty.
But on the other hand, suppose Virginia.
fifty thousand Republican voters had been I'M
trammeled by this suffrage restriction then
we could have afforded to have lost New
York and still have saved the country from the
dire consequences of Democratic rule.
Secondly. The Re-adjusters are pledged to
the abolition of the whipping-post, with its
DISTINGUISHING consequences.
Thirdly. They are the earnest and Honest
friends OF the free schools, and during their
brief administration have not only faithfully
seen that the school fund has been properly
and legally applied, but have also repaid part
OF the money which had been perverted I'M
der Bourbon administrations. This they have
been able to do by retrenchment and strict
economy
Fourthly. Since the Re-adjuster judges have
come upon the bench, I am informed that
there has been no discrimination against the
colored race in the selection of juries; though
I am decidedly of the opinion thai this was
in the first instance due to the action ofthat
pure and learned jurist, Judge Alexander
Riyes, who had the county judges in the
Western District of Virginia indicted and
tried for persistently disregarding the Four
tenth Amendment and the laws passed IN
pursuance thereof.
But it may occur to you to ask, why do
not the Republicans of Virginia nominate can
didates upon platform pledging themselves
to increase taxation to such an extent as to
enable the State to pay interest at the rate of
per cent. per aunum?
MY REASONS
against such q course are as follows: Such
action on our part would almost certainly
insure the reuDiting of the two wings of the
Democracy, for the so-called s'Debt-Payers"
have repeatedly said in substance, through
their newspaper organs, that ii the Re-adjus-
tiers would abandon the stand which they have
taken in favor of free suffrage, equal civil
rights, SC, &C., that they (the Bourbons)
would come to any terms on the debt which
the Re-adjusters might suggest.
Thus, with large portion of the liberal
element drgaooned or entlced back into the
Bourbon ranks, we would be beaten by an
overwhelming majority, and would thus lose
our chance of untrameling suffrage, &C., aosth-
ont being able to aid the creditors Of the State IN
the slightest degree.
g. On any platform antagonzing the Liberal
Re-adjusters we could not hold the Republic
can vote; for a majority of the colored men
have felt only too keenly their inability to pro-
ect themselves under Bourbon Democratic
rule, and what is worse, the inability of the
Republicans to protect them. They contrast
their former condition with the sweets of COM
parative liberty and independence of action
which they have enjoyed since they have had
the protection of the Re-adjusters.
8. Such action would certainly keep Vir-
gnia in the Bourbon Democratic ranks, from
which position Ihave no doubt she can be res
cued if we only act with prudence and discard
any repelling policy which policy, am sorry
to say, has good many advocates amongst
our naaroao-gauge Republican politicians, who
represent, or rather misrepresent, constituent
cies composed of large colored majorities.-
These politicians imagine that their interest
consists in keeping up the color line. In the
views which have expressed above, l am
sure | am sustained by the thinking men in
our party in the State, and, | firmly believe
by large mqjority of the rank and file of ou1
party
Amongst others who hold with me that il
would be
SUICIDAL TO CALI. CONVENTION
and draw the party lines, are both Judges
Rives and Hughes, who. though in favor O
paying the full amount of the debt, yet see anG
feel the extreme folly of repelling this liberia
element, which can result only in aiding the
Bourbons, who have now openly abandoned
even the pretence of being willing to pay the
debt in full, or the interest at 6 per cent.
My plan is for our party to hold conven
ton after the other two parties have helt
theirs; and if the Re-adjusters re-affirm theil
liberal platform and the Bourbons re-affirm
their intolerant and proscriptive platform thai
we should then adjourn our convention, de
clarlng it inexpedient to place a State tickle
in the field on the ground of our inability te
make even show of success and on account 0
the danger of smothering the liberal sentimen
now beginning to make itself felt.
Hoping that you will give this matter YOU
attention and lend us your countenance in oul
effort to bring Virginia into the Republican
column,
am with great respect,
Yours truly,
j. F. LEWIS,
Chairman of Republican State Central Com
mittee of Virginia.
I,,.,o1,o,.o4-