The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-03-17
Statement of Judge Hughes.


GILMAN of to-day, a statement from Judge
R w. Hughes, in reference to some harsh
and unjust criticisms of Virginia paper on
his recent interview with Gen. Simon Came
ron, inserted in our columns a few weeks
since. We surrender the space occupied
by the article cheerfully, as an act of JUS
tice to distinguished citizen of the State
and a we'll known Republican of ability
While we do not agree with the line of pol
icy marked out in the interview to which
reference is made, and think that that, with
the letter of Hon. J. F. Lewis. addressed
to President Garfield and the article of
'.Debt-Paying Republican, communicated
to the VIRGINIAN about the same time of
the appearance of the other two articles.
were calculated to place the Republicans of
the State in wrong position, yet we recog
nize the proprety of the presentation of TO-
day from Judge Hughes.
1t is a common thing for the opposition
press to indulge in just such spiteful SEN
fences and venomous assaults as constitute
the paragraph quoted at the head of Judge
Hughes statement, when they attempt to dis
cuss political questions or policies, and to thus
confess the absence of all rational and legiti-
mate methods to sustain their position. 1t is
an appeal to the partizan and sectional preiu-
dices of their readers, rather than to their
reason and judgment, and an abandonment
of the forum of fair discussion that the
true relations of parties may be obscured in
cloud of passion. These writers forget
or fail to recognize that the war decided
great facts of governmental theory,
and that the views and reasons of writer's
in presenting this theory before it was sub
mitted to the arbitrament of arms were the
result OF conviction, sympathized with and
maintained by large majority of the intel
ligent people of the South. This should be
no cause of reproach. 1t was theory incul-
Gated by the ablest statesmen of our section.
The people of the South were indoctrinated
with it, and the sincerity of the convic-
tions which sustained it were perspicuous-
ly illustrated upon many bloody battle
field.
Having appealed to this sanguninary as
size and lost, what was the honorable course
to pursue? Why, to accept the verdict in
good faith and live up to its demands, The
necessity for this was recognized by every
Southern State and the requirements Of the
Judgment incorporated inJo the organic
law of each of the States of the South
The honor of every citizen of every State
SO accepting the result was pledged to the
faithful observance of the letter and spirit
OF the decision. This was conspicuously
the case in Virginia, and especially with
the Conservative party. 1t made the can
vass of 1869 upon Gen. Grants policy
and succeeding, announced to him with
electric haste the great JOY experienced in
recording the triumph. Secessionists in
theory, secessionists per se,and Union men,
all subscribed to the contract and pledged
themselves to its observance-the faithful
and unreserved observance of all the con-
ditlons and stipulatons of the thirteenth,
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the
Constitution of the United States. The
Constitution of the State had incorporated
in it all these conditions and stipulations.
There as no reservation-no ambiguous
sentences. Not only this, but the condi-
lions prescribed by Congress in a statutory
enactment, emphasizing the clear meaning
of the constitutional amendments, prece-
dent to representation in Congress, were
greedily accepted, and the benefits of the
contract fully realized by the State.
Who has been false to this plighted faith
the State Rights Democrat before the war.
who identified himself with the Republican
party afterwards. which made these cordi-
tions and stipulations an essential part of its
creed, or the Union Wing who united with
the Conservative or Democratic party,
which expended the ingenuity of intellect
to devise ways and means to nullify the con-
tract which had been so solemly ratified
Where lies the moral delinquency-the po-
litical perfidy-with the State Rights DEM
ocrat who declared his purpose to live up to
the new order of things and religiously
carry out the conditions he had pledged
himself to respect, or with the Union Wing,
who, accepting the benefits of the contract,
deliberately set to work to circumvent and
destroy the plain and indisputable meaning
of the agreement?
Had the people of Virginia followed the
example OF Judge Hughes, and the people
of the South that of Gen. Longstreet and
Judge Orr, and ranged themselves with the
party whose policy is reflected in the
amendments to the constitution and the
laws to enforce them, instead of arraylng
in Il
recognition, we would to-day be decade
in advance of what we now are in material
prosperity. We have interposed obstruc-
tions at every step to the forces which have
broken our political idols, and sought by fu-
tile efforts to give life and vitality to that
which was crushed beneath the iron heel of
ar,and toignore the inevitable. What have
we gained by it? A few infiammatory pol
iticans have been advanced to power,
while the great mass of the people have had
to bear the harmful effects of this obstruc-
tive policy. We cannot arrest the onward
march of these forces. They represent
great political truths-the ideas which un-
derlie our system of government, and which
are as certain to be asserted and practically
lived out, as effect follows cause. By slow
degrees they are being recognized, and the
fitful struggles of political agitators, grow
ing weaker in every contest, will eventu-
ally give way before the stately march of
the fundamental principles of our Republi-
can institutions.
Judge Hughes can afford to leave it to
time to vindicate his motives and the wis
dom of the national policy he has so ably
presented, from time to time, by pen and
tongue,to the people of Virgin ia, and treal
with supreme Indifference the whole horde
of his reyilers and defamers, who never fell
the inspiration of duty to country or State
Virginia is now in a transition state. The
mutterings of discomfort. the revolts against
partizan despotism, are but the evidences of
the disturbed forces which are destined to
upheave and shatter the whole Bourbon fab
ric. and assert the great truth that tn is is
not a government of caste or class, but one
born of the people, dedicated to the people,