The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-03-17
NO. 40

oblations. The best affections of my life were
buried in the voracious grave which enclosed
these martyrs. Two great names among these
will occur to every one who knows me. Sc
eesson is no longer a question tor State de-
cision, but is relegated to the Union; and
henceforWard forever more, will be only an
other name for rebellion, revolution, civil
war; the expedient ofdre necessity; the for
lorn resort of AFFECT desperation.
AT the close of the war, l had lost conf
dence in the Democratic party. The Northern
branch had betrayed the South. The South
ern branch did not enter upon the work
OF reconstruction as | thought it should
DO. Its policy was fault-fnding and OBJ
structive. | felt that it's day of useful
ness to the South had passed by and that
its continued rule in our section would be in
furious to Its interests. l delayed for several
years reluctant severance of my relations
with it. Its campaign of 1868 gave me the
coup de grace. quit the party, its creditor by
fifteen years of jealous, energetic service; its
debtor, In nothing. had never held sought,
or desired office at its hands. For ten years /
could have had office of high grade; but al
ways rejected the suggestion. 1t is only Demo
Gratis of modern utilization who will associate
me vidiously with "the public crib" They
do so with respect to the offices have had
| Liohl liC 1tCpiOliCdu purify WAS appointed
| U. s. Attorney in 1871 Unexpectedly and
without application, direct or indirect The
| office is not salaried and is compensated by
fees, often inadequate, for services often ar
| duous. l voluntarily resigned it after two
! years. When appointed Judge in 1874, was
not only not applying, but was urging another;
when the President sent for me; said that
when the vacancy occurred he thought /
ought to fill it; asked how it was / was
roo nr,>y1a Qy,fIip fo1
taking it. These are the only Offices I have
ever held from the government. | do not
think it reproachful TO hold honorable office
honorably acquired. Do you?
After the war became, naturally or unnat-
urally, a Union man. joined the party which
had saved the Union, and, in its principles and
policy is Union party. As the Republican
appeared to me to be the old Wing party I'M
der new name, had no dream that in join
ing it, could offend the old line Wings Nor,
indeed, have offended those of them, who re-
manned after the war true to their original
Union principles. had always been on cordial
terms with Mr.. Bolts, and now cherish his
memory with affection. In ante-war days,
when he was opposed by so many of his own
party, prescribed by them for his Union prin-
ciples,) and az times had no vehicle in which
to publish his speeches and addresses, 7 gGye
him the free use ofthe columns of the E,t0nsi-
mar. When he was arrested and put III iai in
Richmond by Mr.. Davis in the early period of
the war denounced the act in the ErananeS,
and when liberated, he came and thanked me
for my act of handihood. And SO, when /
took counsel OF himself and other old line
Wings who were on the Union side after the
war, they had no words of reproach for me-
And of all the old line Wings who are now
Union men, national in their sympathies, ut.
terances, principles and charlottesville Lew
is, Judge Rives, Gen. Wickham, the Coleses,
the Albemarle Earleys, Mr.. Mckenzie, DR..
Mills, DR.. Gilmer, the Grays, the Fairfax
Lewises, Col. Ewell Gen. Tyler, the Bowdens,
Mr.. Webb, Mr.. Woodfin, Mr. Tutwiler, Mr..
Stevens and the rest have yet to hear word
of criticism or objection because of my ante
bel1atm course. AS old line Wings and present
Union men, they at least condescend to think
that from the wrong | have come to the right
from being Democrat, have become, as
Republican, virtually a Wing.
All this is natural and rational enough But
there is one thing that seems unnatural, per-
picking and almost astounding. How is it
that so many persons who were staunch
war, are now our most intolerant, belligerent,
implacable Democrats? That they have
changed their principles is Obvious. Are they
the only people in the South endowed with
the prerogative right to change? How is it
that so many Henry Clay Wings of Virginia
WHO, WullOu, SWOTG ny The OulOu, anu were
often ready to mob Mr.. Calhoun and his fol-
lowers, are now staunch Democrats, and have
persistently stuck to sectional politics since
the war; indeed now lead and control the Sec
tional party of the State? Are there any
Bourbons in all the land so impacable as this
class of Old Line Wings Are there any
warriors on the peace establishment so fierce
and blood-thirsty as those Wing belligcrents
who have continued to campaign it in Virginia
ever since the great Lee sheathed his sword at
Appomattox !? That is thing which | can
not understand, and when | am tainted by
such Wing for changing from secessionist
to Republican, | think of that thing and am
relieved of modification. Imagine the feel
ings of the kettle when assailed by the pot
with the railing accusation that it is black
Admitting that my own attitude is awkward
in the extreme; yet it seems to me, to be en-
viabe compared with that of the Southern
Democratic Wings of the present day.
There are in every Southern city and neigh
borhoOd half dozen or more old crones of Old
Line Wings who swear by JEFF Davis and
Southern Rights as vehemently now, as in
their better days they swere by the Union,
Henry Clay and the American systematic
Union, now and toreuer one and snseporabe
How they have got over into the camp of the
extreme Democracy is the puzzle of the age.
Pretty in amber to observe The forms
OF hairs, or straws, dirt, worms
The things, we know, are neither rare,
But wonder how the devil they got there.
A few of them are uncontent to leave
me at rest in my position. l have no
such feeling toward them. I have
changed from sectionalism to nationallsm
they have made the reverse shift have with
drawn from the wrong, and got over to the
right They, though at first driven from the
right to the wrong ('aot by me;) have strange
hr0n nd fln 70
ence am content with the contrast
And now am done with this subject forev-
ever. give this statement to the public only
for the correction of errors extensively pre-
vailing, but in no spirit of apology for the
past, and with no purpose of selfdefense in
any view of the subject. Ifany one is disposed
to caVil he may say off what he pleases,
without further remark from me.
Yours, most respectfully,
RO. W. HUGHES