Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-04

Senator Mitchell, Of Pennsylvania,
bursts from his obscurity long enough to
indite q friendly epistle to ]. Amber
Smith, Of Virginia. IN which he says;
"The effort for the overthrow Of the I'M
Just rule Of Bourbon Democracy in Viz
ginis has from the first had my conn,
dence and heartiest sympathy. regaru
that movement as the fOrerunner OF an
established free government at the
South, under which all rights OF al cltl-
zens shall be respected and permanently
sccured Free schools, fair elections
and inst laws. faithfully administered,
u,itb6ut nartiality of race or caste, will
I,r;1T obout this state of affairs; and /
youId be clad to see all who will work
for these objects united together pOliti-
calIv in every State and section. There
fore | say God speed the coalition move
ment in your State, and | regret very
much that l cannot myself contribute to
its success"
His concentrated twaddle on far
elections" coming from any Republican,
would be amusing, but coming from a
protectionist of Pennsylvania, is simply
farcical The city election held in Phila-
delphia last February was probably the
only positively fair one she enjoyed in
years, and its fairness was owing to a
revolt of the better elements OF her Re
publican population against the rings
that have cursed her for a generation.
Senator Mitchell poses before the
country as an improvement on the speei-
mems of representatives from the Key
stone State that the Camerons were
wont to turn out. People were begin
ming to form a tolerable estimate of him,
but no spokesman or striker of the
Camerons could plead more plausibly
for the extension of the plumber theory
than he does in his letter to Mr.. Smith.
In falling in line with Frye,
and giving countensnce to the
disorganizers of Virginia he writes him
self down a rascal, and every Republi-
can that follows suit does likewise Two
years ago Mr.. Mitchell and his ilk could
set no limits to their reprobation of the
Democrats of Virginia who forsook
party traditions and took up with Ma
hone. If it was infamous in them to do
so how much more so is it for Mitchell
or any other Republican to give the Read
justers their cOuntenance and support.
The Republican party has professed
TO be the uncompromising foe of repu-
diatiOn in any guise. and yet its leaders
back up the bOldest assault on a States
honor that has ever been planned The
pretext for it is libel on reason and a
SANDER on history. But when a man of
Frye's ability comes out in support of it,
when the President of the United States
enteTtains the proposition of encourag
ing 1t, it need surprise no one that a
mediocre politician like Mitchell should
pipe his feeble assent to the orders that
have apparently gone out from head
quarters. \ few shTewd Republicans
thought that with the adjournment of
the Senate the party was well rid, of the
bargain. 1t appears, however, that the
reckless are bent on facing the breakers,
and if the party escapes serious
hurt il will be a remarkable exception to
the fate of those who fOrsake the sub
stance for the shadow. The grand old
commonwealth has survived many
storms, and her recovery from the fiery
trial Of the civil war shows her people
possessed Of the old spirit. The serried
resources Of the Republican party
may crush her, but the bold
est Radical leaders may well pause
ere they invite the judgment
her fall in such contest would invite
for them. We cannot do the people OF
Pennsylvania, ring-ruled and apathetic
as they are, the injustice of believing
that Mitchell voices their sentiments in
joining this unholy crusade against the
honor and happiness of sister people.
We prefer TO believe that the following
from the Philadelphia Record expresses
the judgment of the people of the Key
stone State on Mr.. Mitchelps perform
ance:
Senator Mitchell has neither done him.
self nor his State credit by espOusing the
cause of the Virginia Readjusters. The
cheap talk about Virginia BOurbonism
advertises the ignorance of the man who
INDUCES in it. No State in the Union
suffered from the effects of the civil war
as Virginia suffered, but her BourbOns
have managed to bring her from the
pitiable extreme of prostration to a con-
dition Of comparative political and finan-
cial health. All they ask is to be allowed
to fulfill with honor their self-allotted
task"