The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-05-05
COMMITTEE of Safety

From Washington letter in the New
York Tribune of the goth we learn that the
caucus. of Republican Senators last week APP
pointed a "Committee of Safety composed
of Messrs. Dawes, ingalls,, Jones, OF Nevada,
Cameron, of Wisconsin, Sewell, Rollins
and Hill, of Col, whose jurisdiction will
be to consider all matters relating to the
present situation. 1t has power to say |
when it will be expedient to hold executive |
sessions, and to direct what the order OF
business in these sessions will be. 1t is au-
thorized to consult with the President in
regard to pending nominations and to ex-
press to him the Senatorial view OF the Ell
feet of certain nominations upon the pros
poets of the Republican party +; and it is
empowered to take into consideration the
political situation in Virginia, and to con-
fer with President Garfield and the men,
bers of his administration in relation
thereto.
Referring to this last suggestion, the cor
respondent says it presents considerable
difficulties, - and remarks 1T has been
matter of considerable comment among
Republican Senators that, while they have
been unitedly doing everything in their
power to encourage and strengthen the an
ti-Bourbon movement in Virginia, the two
Republican Cengressmes from that State
and certain offiee-holders in the same State
have been strongly disposed to do what
they could to discourage and weaken that
movement. Leaving out of consideration
any motive which may be supposed to gov
ern the Republican Congressman in their
course, Republican Senators are generally
DISPOSED to say that Federal officers in Vir-
ginia who are Republicans ought to be adj
monished against placing obstacles in the
way of movement which the Republican
party in the Senate is so strenuously en-
deayoring to aid. One of the duties of the
committee, therefore. is understood to be to
confer freely with the President regarding
the course to be pursued by the administra-
ton and its officers in regard to the anti
Bourbon movement, with a view to secur-
ing concert and harmony of action. Ii an
Administration party is to be built up in
Virginia with a view to liberalizing the pol
itics of that State and ultimately ef1ecting
the political disintegration of a Solid South
now kept solid by fraud and prescription
it is felt that there must be the most cor
dial understanding between the Admin
istration Senators and the Administration
itself.
Among the practical questions which
must soon be dealt with and wisely settled
is whether or not the Republican party o
Virginiasshall hold State Convention thi
summer, nominate legislative ticket ant
preserve a distinct organization during tn,
campaign Certain of the Virginia Repub
licans are strongly determined to this course
The anti-Bourbon leaders are strongly OPP
posed to any such programme, and declar
that it would be fatal to the Independent
movement in that State. 1t is understood
that majority of the Republican leader
in Virginia are willing.to leave the dec isio
of this question to certain Republican Sen
ators, some of whom are members of tn
Caucus Committee. 1t is regarded as prot
able that the Republican Senators will &C
wise that the anti-B ourbons in Virginia wi
unite in nominating and supporting tn
same ticket. Some of the Republicans c
Virginia, including Representative Jorgen
sen and number of off1ce-hollers, are or
posed to such policy. 1t would tend, the
think, to the disintegration of the Republ
can party in Virginia, as it certainly woul
tend to depreciate the political importanc
of those Republicans in the State VIII
haxy 1air to ha
who have controlled the Fed raj patron
age.''
We assume that this usually accurate co
respondent speaks with some degree of al
thority and that the suggestions in the eS
tract given above have fallen from Sem
tors who are manifesting interest in tn
Virginia situation. We accord to each RI
publican Senator the best Of motives an
the most patriotic aims in everything L
may do in regard to Virginia affairs. Sci
tors, however, are human like other people
and are not presumed to have corret
knowledge of all the local causes and effec
which exist in party matters in all of tt
States. Whatever these causes and effec
may be-whether in themselves of much in
portance or not--they exist and have to |
considered. 1t is not difficult for gentl
men in Washington to frame an idealist
policy for Virginia and urge its adoption
but it is entirely another thing to carry
into effect when the true condition of affai
is not known to them and they do not see
Information touching the difficulties to
encountered. There is not an ''office hol(
er'' in Virginia who would not gladly a
cept any honorable proposition and dire
his energies to carrying it into effect, tn;
promised disintegration of the Democrat
party in Virginia, and the Inauguration
a more liberal and emil shtened politics
rule. For this end we have labored for tie
years, not as an ''office-holder,'' but as
citizen, believing that the true interests
our native State are vitality involved in
change ofthe political methods which ha'
been practiced since 1870. and have directe
every power at our command to breakir
the despotic authority of the Democrat
party. We may, without egotism, assun
that all that has been effected in that dire
ton is due. primarily to the efforts of Il
VALLEY VIRGINIAN. 1t opened the di
cussion and inaugurated the policy whit
divided the Conservative party upon an in
portant State issue, always aiming to ket
within conservative bounds and upon d
feasible grounds, and thus blazed the ws
for the s'liberal movement which is no
engaging the attention of Republican Sc
ators. This movement" we are ready
all times to recognize and sustain when r
tional methods are suggested to do SO. v
are anxious for it to succeed, and hence
is not asking too much, for those who ha'
encountered the fiercest denunciation al
the most embittered prescription in the a
vocacy of liberalism, to be heard in the su
gestions they have to make as to the be
policy to be adopted to attain success.
should be remembered that the harsh r
strictive State legislation now complain'
of, is as much the work of the new leade
of this s'liberal movement as any other