The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-06-16
The Political Situation in Virginia.

The Political Situation in Virginia.
/ The political tangle in Virginia continues
| to cudgle the brains and attract the atten-
ton OF the inside and outside world of poll
tics. 1t is safe to say that there have been
more wild speculations INDUCED and mirac-
ulous conclusions reached by correspon-
dents OF. Northern journals, as to the result
OF the action Of the June Convention OF Re-
adJusters, than were ever flooded upon the
country from the first organ ization of polit-
zeal parties. From such sources of informa-
ton it 10 assumed that the whole State is
ablaze with enthusiasm, and that the COM
oined forces of Re-adjusters an Republic
cans will march i'll solid column under the
tri-colors OF Cameron, Lewis and Blair to
an overwhelming victory. 1t is accepted as
a fact that the Re-adjuster Democrats, who
supported the Hancock Elector ticket of
the 7th OF July and the Republicans who
supported the Garfield electoral ticket NOM
mated in Staunton in April. 1880, will unite
as one man, and that the two columns. ag-
gregating numerical strength of 10000,
Will achieve an easy triumph over the $4,000
Bourbon Democrats. These figures look
very conclusive to outside parties who know
nothing about the inside complications. 1t
seems to be forgotten that the 81, 900 Read
1uster votes We're cast for the regularly
nominated candidate of the Democratic
party for Presi' lent, and that the 81, 900 Re-
publican ballots were deposited for the
straight Republican nomination at Chicago.
To assume ths.t these antagonizing forces
will run toget her and be formed into one
solid mass in support Of the mixed ticket,
composed OF two Re-adjusters and one Re-
publican, is stretching credulity to an I'M
due tension and presenting upon the malea-
BILE character OF the people to an unnatural
extent. The Re-adjusters were greatly dis
appointed in their own strength, as devel-
| oped In November last. Had it been known
that they would have cut such sorry figure
in the natiorial contesr,not one-half of them
| would have adhered to their distinct cleo
toral ticket. The Republicans were sur
prised at tile formidable presentation they
made. in view of the difficulties they had to
encounter and the adverse influences they
had to Contend with. These facts cannot
be ignored or their teaching disregarded.-
The 81 900 Democrats have never declared
their purpose so become Republicans, nor
have the $1,000 Republicans announced that
they were anxious to lose their political
| idfnt;tv hv a ,ronocc of Damoor,tio ahcorp-
ton. Indeed. it would be unnatural to sup
pose that the Republican forces, numbering
nearly three to one of the Re-adjusters,
would tamely submit to any proposition by
which they would be forever bletted out as
a distinctive party organization. TO assume
that they viii is to do violen ce to reason
and woul Id imply an easy virtue that would
be by no means complimentary to the COIL
stituent body.
The past actions Of the Re-adjusters and
their want of sagacity in dealing with deli
cate political rela tions, will not contribute
to the proposed fusion, or be calculated to
influence Republicans to willing accep-
! lance of the conditions suggested. In the
1 StauEtonS Convention Of 1880 determ ined
4 effort was made to capture the Republican
\ organization, and but for the stubborn re-
sistance then maintained by Republicans,
there wOu Id have been no organ ization OF
that party to contest the field in November
! last, OF indeed Republican party to be
| cozened, cajoled, and probably deceived in
1881. In the fall of 1886, at the close of the
campaign for President, an impudent
movement was instituted to take down the
CART teld ele ctoral ticket and transfer the
Republican vote Of Virginia to the Read
just Or Hancock electoral ticket. The vigil
laneAe OF the Republican authorities nipped
this little game in the bud, although it had
pre- ceeded 50 far and caused such complica-
tioAns as to sufficiently weaken the Repub-
li'.an vote to give the State to Hancock on
the Bourbon ticket. But for this audacious
md impudent plot, the electoral vote Of
Virginia would have been given to Garfield.
the solid South broken and the Republican
II party placed upon advancing grounds in
II the Southern States. Indeed, if the protes-
tations of the Re-adjusters of desire to
break the solid South, liberalize Southern
politics and inaugnrate new and progress
sive era nder the inspiration of Republican
principles, had been really sincere, then
| was the time to consummate such results,
.or successfully inaugurate the first step that
would most assuredly have led to
| such ends. But that was not the object. 1t
was not to break the solid South and liber-
aIf ize Southern politics, unless it could be
q one through Gen. Malone and his follow
9 re-. 1t was the ambition to be recognized
Jas successful leader against the opposing
faction of the Democratic party, and to
chrystalize antagonizing elements ndcreate
formidable party to be directed in its fu-
ture movements into an attitude of indie
pendence of both political parties, and its
strength thrown where it would do the most
good for those controlling. Had the naked
objects now declared, been the purpose, re-
they were to be attained, the opportunity
was suspicious for their consummation by
aiding the Republican party.
These two aldacious attempts to control
terests of the Democratic party. whatever
it's guise, should be sufficient explanation
why Republicans distrust the present move
ment and only recognize in it another
Grecian device to despoil and destroy their
organization. 1t lie not strange that such
should be the Interpretation they give to it.
1t is useless for the Re-adiuster leaders to
say that they cannot influence their follow
ing into the Republican party. II they can
accept so pronounced Republican as Hon.
John F. Lewis as one of their representative
men, why cannot they recognize the right
Of the 5000 Republican voters to control
their wn policy and direct their own can
vass, ard aid them in asserting the princi-
pies and policy they profess?
We hayeno disposition to discourage "liberal-
ism" in politics, or to throw anything in the
way ofth progress ofliberal ideas in Virginia
1t has been our labor for the past ten years to
| inculcate what we believe to be the true poli.