Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-10-14

There has been no public meeting in
Virginia, that we have seen any account
of, which so well exemplifed the manner,
the methods and the objects of the Coali-
tion party as that which was held in the
court house on Saturday. Nothing could
more wildly illustrate that new system
introduced into Virginia affairs called
s'Boss-ism'' than did that assembly. No
public candidates before primaries-that
Institution which belongs in peculiar
right to the people; no convention Of dele
gates elected openly by the people-in
short nothing that ought to characterize
the movements of every political organiza-
tion that lays claim to support from the
intelligent voters on whom alone the sue
cess of political movements must rest at
last. If this had been done by an
s'effete Bourbon ring" as our Readjuster
friends denounce it, we may depend on it
the Augusta county Coalltionists would
have soundly rated the whole affair as a
secret conspiracy to upset the rights and
wishes of ''the people, AS it was, we
suppose we shall not hear word of objec-
ton from their leaders. though we may
hear many protests from the voters. For,
after all, no matter how often or how in-
geniously you may put forward this plan
of getting the power of the many into the
hands OF the few, you cannot make it
success. This sort of thing may have done
away back in the times when feudal land
lordship in Virginia controlled the vote of
it's vicinity, but that time has passed
away. In this day you must give the peo-
pie primaries, conventions--everyth
they want. They are better educated than
they were twenty years ago. If primaries
can be packed, the people are just as able
TO pack them now as anybody else, and
what is more they don't want the packing
to come from any ''boss."
Putting aside the manner of Saturdays
meeting, and how it came to be there's
what will the voters of Augusta think Of
the method? Every voter in the county
wants what is done that duplicates his in
terest, to be done in full view. Not that
you may not stir up your friends to carry
primary; that he does himself, that is what
every good citizen who has an object in
view which will benefit his State ought to
do; but when all the work is done, when
the final representation of their views
comes they want a say in it. Contrast the
earnest and excited balloting of the De-
mocracy of Augusta in convention a few
days ago with the painfully cut and dried,
dead, silent programme Of the Coalition
lists on Saturday.
But even these objections; and they
must be objections to every man who
wants a fair and full representation of thu
voice Of the people on public questions,
are minor matters compared with the
utter ignoring of the principle involved.
IT there could be principle" in the effort
now being made by Gen. Malone to
carry this State This meeting, com
posed of respectable gentlemen, supposed
to represent the views of the ReadJusters
of the county, nominated for the House of
Delegates to represent their views there,
Republican Debtpayer, a gentleman who
has no sympathy with their proposed set
Element of the State debt. This action is
only confrmatory of what we have held all
along, thaG the debt question is merely a
secondary matter. Their programme now
is anything to get power anything for
votes, anything to rope in the Republican
vote without regard to the question at
issue. In other words the idea is to get
Democrat (being also keadjuster) to vote
for a Republican member of the legisla-
ture, such Republican member to vote
for Republican U. S. senator when such
an one shall be put in nomination in the
person of Hon. John f. Lewis. The first
nominee, Mr. Jacob Yost one of the edi-
tors of the "Valley Virgnian," has de-
clined, and in his place the leaders flor it
WASH It the convention, it having adjourn
ed have put up Mr.. Geo. W. McCutchen.
Not that Mr.. McCutchen's name was ever
put before the Readiuster voters Of Au-
gusta; not that as far as those who put
his name forward know whether he is
Republican who wishes to cling to the
debt-paying principles of his party or not,
but simply that he is Republican who
will get some, at least, of the Republican
vote. Such is the programme put forward
by the Readjuster-what? caucus? yes.
that is it: by the Readjuster caucus-the
party that has been denouncing caucuses,
With the gentlemen who have been
nominated we have nothing to do, save as
to their politics. Were it otherwise; did
it come, political questions aside, to the
examination Of men we would not hesitate
80 say that none Of these gentlemen as far
as we have had an opportunity of knowing
them, are Objectionable. With one of them,
Mr. Harnsberger, we are we'll acquainted
and can testify that he is a gentleman of
high character and an excellent Citizen
He has been a candidate before the people
of Augusta before, but an unsuccessful
one. He will be as unfortunate this time
l.. o4I tx1,o