Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-12-03
WHOLE NO. 2,4OO.
THE moRaL or III.
A Review of the situation in vir-
gfnIa.
Raifinoora sun.

MhAAA~At
Baltimore Sun.
The political history OF this coun'
try has no parallel To offer TO the
campaign recently closed in Virgin
in. Feeling was intense, excite
ment ran high, speeches were tuli OF
passion and bitter inJective; socle-
ty was stirred to its foundation by
the struggle of two elements hither-
to comparatively unintldential TO
master a third element which, time
out of mind, has controlled the for
tunes of the state. The fact that
the question ostensibly at issue was
the maintenance of the financial
honor of the Old Dominion does not
explain the violence of sentiment
which brought about three duels
and threatened as many more.
Discussion of matters of finance are
commonly carried on in cold blOtd,
and are not productive OF excite
ment, when, in Virginia, both par
ties to the discussion are on the
debtor side, and their differences re-
fer. only to matters of detail. 1t IS
not at all likely that anxiety to
pay or not pay a.portion of debt is
the whole cause of the cOmmotion
which has convulsed Virginia socle-
ty, broken up ties of comradeship
formed in the army of Lee, and es-
tranged old friends and kinsmen.
The student of comparative politics
will. by the virulence displayed on
both sides, be reminded OF the con-
tests of the fierce democracy OF Ath-
ems. where party differences were
felt and acted upon as absolutely lr-
reconcilable. The belief on the
part of the conservatives that the
effect of the colored and readJuster
coalition would be to put In power
persons wholly incompetent for ana
unsuited to official station, with no
stake i'm the country of property or
reputation, will alone explain their
savage impatience of the claims OF
their opponents, while to the latter
the fipht seemed to be righteous
one waged against arrogant intoler-
ance. and likely to yield the sweets
of Office too long enjoyed wholly oy
one set of men. Neither party, Il
was felt. could exist in the face oil
the other. 1t was not simply as be-
tween ssius" and "outs," but be-
tween class-feellngs, inherited prej-
udices and offended sentiments.
Events will show whether the vic
TORS are worthy of their success.
whether the defeated party was ami
mated by a correct prescience or on
ly by blind prejudice, which IS al
,yovs unable 10 do Justice to the
motives of an opponent. IL q sena-
tor worthy of the another of STATES
menu is sent to Washington by the
reaaiuster majority in the Virginia
legislature. if fair-minded men OF
ability are placed upon the benchess
of the court of appeals, ana the a.,
fairs of the state are administered
with as much success as heretofore
If is probable that the plain citizen
of Virginia who looks to practical
results will be cOntented. The NOR
/ al remains. however, that the fac
tion of democrats pledged to scale
the debt of over $50, ,000,0 900 down t
/ S19. .SOO, 900 triumphs, not so inuet
by the operation of forces origlna
ting in and belonging properly, u
/ Virginia tiS ny C~AbNA Ae'. = A,F-
| it is alleged, by United States gov
ernment officials and by private In
dividuaIs belonging to party
which has hitherto had a fair recoro
| for financial honesty. 1t is mattel
for regret apart from the merits o
the contest in Virginia, that fedora
patronage should be thus prostitu
ted to the furtherance of partisan
interests, and although long use ha'
made the country familiar VIII
such immoral and dangerous politi
cal action, it will ever continue L
be matter for the true patriot t
deplore. No question IS ever fairly
settled until it is settled upon az
own merits and by the person.
whom it properly concerns. !
would be, perhaps, premature Z
consider whether the successful Goa
lation in Virginia possesses element
/ of stability, or whether less orator.
| and man-worship, and more coo
reasoning and hard work on IN
part of the conservatives Will not a
the next election give Virginia
back to The "solid south"