The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-05-05
An Original View.

The Noff0lk LGR1MQrk has an original
view OF the constitutional limitation npon
Senators. Qnoting remark attributed to
Senator Conkling, that this was the golden
opportunity for disintegrating the South
through Virginia" it gravely says: ''There
are ingenious gentlemen on the Republican
side OF the chamber, but It would puzzle
them to show by what shadow of right they
attempt to control the elections of any
State. This they are avowedly doing. and
as this act is in direct opposition to the let
ter and the spirit of the Constitution, they
are in deed and in truth the revolutionary
party of the country
This is certainly new version of the
Constitution and the restriction placed up
on a citizen who happens to occupy seat
in the United State Senate. 1t is strange
proposition that a Senator cannot express
test in State, and indicate the policy he
may deem best to promote the interests of
the country through that State as an integral
part OF the Union. IL is as much the duty
of the Senator from New York to see that
each State has Republican form OF gov
eminent that the rights which the National
Constitution and the laws of Congress guar
antee, are recognized and enjoyed, as it is
to protest against the invasion of those
rights in his own State. If the doctrine
announ ced by our contemporary be correct,
then it is Revolutionary" for any Southern
i Senator to discuss the internal polity of
any one of the Northern States. and it is
Revolutionary" for him to have an opinion
| about the laws. the methods and practices
of such State. Upon the theory suggested
by the Landmark. Republican form of
government" might be denied to Virginia or
any State of the South, through partizan
State legislation to perpetuate political
party, and no Senator from another State
could properly enter dissent thereto,
notwithstanding the oath he had taken to
| demands such republican form of govern
ment.''
| 1t is singular how partizan interests and
partizan zeal will pervert the Judgment
The Landmark cannot see, or will not &C
knowledge that the ''letter and spirit of
the Constitution is violated in the re-
striction upon suffrage in Virginia. 1t
i knows, as well as does every Democrat
(; in Virginia, that the constitutional restric-
tiQn upon suffrage in Virginia was designed
toidisfranchise the negro-that it was par
titan devisement, rushed through mt the
polls under the party whip without discus
sion, or the people knowing what they were
voting for that the tickets ''for the amend
ments'' We're Autographed in Richmond,
and sent to the various County Chairmen
as the ballots which should be cast and
that under such direction and command the
amendments were adopted-many dupes
voting to disfranchise themselves when they
obeyea the caucus mandate. 'sIf the letter
and the spirit of the National Constitu-
ton are to be respected, why does not the
Landmark demand that this ''revolution-
ary'' action of the Democratic party of
u Virginia be rescinded, and the Constitu-
ton be made 20 conform not only to the
Constitution and laws of the Uaited States,
but to the solemn pledges of the people OF
Virginia?
| Senator Conkling has the right, every
other Senator has the right, and it is his
duty to exercise it, under his oath, to sug
gest any method that will restore to the
poor people of Virginia the rights which the
Constitution assures, and which 1t was the
, purpose of Congress to guarantee. 1t i:
their duty to inaugnrate any movement an(
. support it with all their power which looks
to the securement Of a free ballet and fail
! count and that political liberty and equal
ity which are contemplated by the Nation
al Constitution. 1t shows the constipate(
+ notions entertained by the Democratic par
| ty when leading organ of that persuasion
assumes that it is an invasion of the rights O
the States, to examine into and question thu
legislation of a State, affecting citizens
rights. That is a kind of sovereignty which
was crushed out fifteen years ago, ant
+ buried with the hopes Of the Southern
Confederacy. But as Senator Hoar ex
pressed it, Bourbon is one who ''learn
: HOtulup ttlu 1olSCIo Siedo uCdi. anu
, may be sufficient excuse fer the anomalou
position of the Landmark, that it belongs t,
a to that class of political fossils.
, Capt. w. s. Lurty.
The newspapers have industriously circu
lated paragraph to the effect that Capt W
s. Lurty United States Attorney for til
: Western District of Virginia. was to Civ
place to Capt II. H. Riddleberger- al
q able, faithful and efficient public officer ant
! tried and true Republican was to be super
: coded by a Re-adjuster Democrat We at
o tached no importance to the statement whe
9 we first read it and attach none to it now. W
o do not, for a moment, believe that Attorney
! General McVeagh or the President .woul
. countenance any such proposition. Cap
: Lurty is an honest. earnest and capable distriC
:, attorneys a gentleman in every sense of tn
:, word; is a steadfast Republican and has don
good service for the party, and there is n
:, good reason why he should be displaced t
: make way for Capt. Riddeberger or any on
/, else. We have high respect for Capt. Riddle
berger-a personal fondness for him-e-but W
are not prepared to acknowledge that it
i political policy to thrust aside known frien
e of the administration that he might be pre-
n vided for. His own sagacity, we should thinl
n would not endorse the policy. There is
v bright future for Riddleberger in Virginia,