The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-02-03

I omces lot ail the leaders. Inc hepuDli-
an party, as an organization, has had no
'ower to WELD, no authority to enforce a
'olicy or carry into effect measure, for
he reason, as Senator Johnston declares,
he Conservative party passed into the con-
rol Of all the powers of 1.-THE State government
n 1870, and is consequently responsible, not
'nly for the squandered assets and revenues
II the people. butfor every phase and feature
II bad administration and legislation from
hat time to this. Yet both Senator johnson
md Gen. Malone, representing the two
factions which constituted the party that
,ook possession Of the State government in
1870, and equally responsible for the
wrongs that have been inflicted upon the
people and the violated laws and Consti-
tuition which they obligated themselves to
respect and enforce, seek to escape from
the effect Of their own infidelity to public
pledges and throw the odium of their par
ty's bad faith and imbecllity upon the Re-
publican party. Yet these two representa-
tive men would seek the aid of Republicans
in their struggle for power-the one pro-
Tossing to observe faith with the States
creditors, but clinging to the restrictive
enactments upon suffrage. in violation OF
the Constitution, and the repressive and
brutal laws which were designed to degrade
and de-citizenize the negro and deny the
manhood rights Of the poor man and the
other disregsrding the Constitutional and
legislative injunction to discharge the equi-
table claims Of the creditor, yet protesting
to restore the Constitution and rectify leg
islation, to correspond with the original
contract entered into when resuming our
normal relations to the National Govern
ment.
The Republican party, as an organiza-
ton, can coalesce nor cooperate with neith-
er. 1t proposes not only to deal fairly with
the creditors, which Gen. Malone and his
faction do not, but to restore to the citi-
zen the rights Of which he has been robbed
and to the State her good faith as it respects
those rights, which the faction Senator
Johnston represents does not. The appeal
will be made not only for fair dealing with
the creditors but with the citizen, radically
differing from Gen. Mahone's policy as to
the first and Senator Johnston's faction as
to the latter. The policy rejected by the
one as to the creditor, and that rejected
by the other as to the citizen, constitute
the creed Of the Republican party OF the
nation, and no Republican platform or
formulation Of ideas would be complete
without public faith and citizen rights-for
the maintenance Of National and State integ-
rity and the assertion and protection Of
every immunity the Constitution assures,
Is Republican doctrine and anything short
of this would be surrender of the dis
tinctive features OF the Republican party.
There Is but one course for the Republi-
cans to pursue consistent with self-respect
and the great achievements and patriotic
record Of their party, and that is to organ
ize for the contest this year and present
their principles and policy for the accep-
lance or rejection of the people. Any other
course would be political death-not only
death to the party, as such, but check to
the progressive forces which have starte1
the nation upon new career and are work.
ing out the problem of mans capacity
for lf-government-stimu all, from
the humblest to the greatest, to play part
in the great mission of this Republican
government, dedicated as it is to the cause
of religious and political freedom, in the
broadcast and most philanthropic sense.
Eastern Extension.
We have it from reliable source that Hon.
c. P. Huntington, President of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad Company, has agreed upon
the terms and conditions for the construction
of the extension of that road from Richmond
to Newports News, distance of 65 miles,
with Mason, Shanahan & Hoge, and Mcmahon
& Green, the well known Virginia contractors.
Maj. Mahon, at the request Of MIR. Hunting
ton, went to New York with the bids of the
firms above named, and after remaining there
for a week or ten days, returned to Staunton
on Monday last While he was in New York
the agreement was substantially made.
It is the purpose Of the contractors to at
once commence operations, and push the work
to completion by the 1st of July. the time
stipulated. By that time the western connec-
tons of this great improvement will have been
finished, and the way opened for direct COM
munication between the sea coast over the
Chesapeake and Ohio road to the West, North
west Southwest, and Pacific slope, constitut-
ing one OF the great continental lines of Amer
ica At Newport's News. extensive arrange
ments are making for the improvement of that
terminal point on the road-the plot of a city
is being perfected; the wharyes are being con-
structed in the most comprehensive and dura-
BILE manner and everything that large expert
ence, sagacity and ample means can do is be-
ing done preparatory for the immense business
that 1t is expected will be accommodated when
the connections east and west have been con-
summated. The contractors who have been
awarded the construction of the eastern con-
nection are among the best known, most re-
liable and responsible in the whole country,
and will push the work with their accustomed
energy.
The country to be traversed is low, and little
bridging is to be done. The line will run near
the ancient city of Williamsburg the once
famed capital ofthe Old Dominion, and though
still the residence of excellent people, proba.
bly, one of the most decayed cities in the land.
Every step from Richmond to Newport's
News is on historic ground. Powhatan, the
undoubted seat of the great Indian chief who
ruled this part of Virginia when Smith landed,
will be the starting point; the battle fields Of
the Chickahominy in the late war the vicin-
ity where Smith was captured by the Indians,
to be rescued by Pocahontas; the
track of the Revolutionary armies on the
way to Yorktown, and dozens of equally in
teresting localities will be reached. A vast
wilderness intervening between Richmond
and the sea, once the scene and seat of social
refinement and material prosperity, but now
given over to the bats and owls, will be re-
stored to its former beauty and usefulness
new wealth evoked from decayed and aban-
doned estates, and the busy stir Of industry
enliven the now barren wastes
Meeting of the Central Committee.