The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-02-24

ing ana important, Dut the points nave given
show the force of his argument and the
strength of the position he takes against, as
he himself expresses it, IAN effort to shut the
door of the Republican party in the face of
Gen. Malone"
Address Of the State Central Commit
tee of the Democratic Party to the
People of Virginia,
RICHMOND, Va, Feb. IS, 1SS0-The State
Central Committee of the Conservative Dem
ocratic party of Virginia, at a session held
Wednesday unanimously adopted the follow
ing resolutions
Resolved, That a convention be held in the
city of Richmond on the first Thursday fourth
dayy1 of August, 1881, and that in every city
and county there shall be one delegate and
one alternate for every 200 voters and fraction
of 300 voters exceeding 100 cast in such city
or county for the two Hancock and English
electoral tickets in the late presidential cleo
ton; and all that supported Hancock and
English on either ticket are invited TO partci-
pate in the election of delegates to the Con
Vention, and We assure them Il hearty welcome
and an earnest pledge that we will III good
faith co operate with them all in striving to
unite the Conservative Democratic party to
save the State from the RadicalRepublican
party in the November election.
Pursuant to this resolution the Conservative
voters Of Virginia, irrespective OF past differ
encs On whatever subject, are invited to as
semble in their various counties and cities,
under the direction of the local authorities OF
the Conservative party, and choose delegates
to speak their will in public convention.
In accordance with the uniform policy OF
this committee, and its duty as it has ever
understood it, it summons to participation in
this choice every member of that great party
Jy.n tbo, int Of
ginia have been committed for so many years
Last, almost, among the Southern States to
escape the mailed hand of military despotism,
Virginia, under the wise counses of this party,
was the first to resume her place as self gov
erning Commonwealth; and while tempest
of corruption and robbery, of social terror and
public discord, swept over her unhappy sisters,
She marched steadily onward in a career of
peace and happiness, pursued by methods that
were the models ON which those less fortunate
States painfully and slowly won the heights
which she reached, through conservative
triumph, at single bound. And now that q
menace to the supremacy in her government
of the virtue and intelligence of and people
confronts US more fatal than any we have en-
countered since the yoke of the Underwood
Constitution was lightened, let us meet it in
that spirit of unity and Cancellation never
| heretofore invoked in vain. Our party had its
birth in the throes of a supreme act of COM
promise. 1t has waXed mighty, nourished by
cancellations; it is the child of sacrifices; it
has not lost the capablity of concession, and
never before has the need been more urgent.
Encouraged by our divisions, the republican
party which eight years ago made but a feeble
struggle for the prizes of government, and
four years since fled from the field, suddenly
sprang into formidable existence in the late
election, and under circumstances the most
| dscourag ring disclosed strength which with
slight increase would have swept the State.
! What republican triumph in a Southern
Commonwealth means let the wretched record
of fifteen years attest 1t signifies, in word,
the dethronement of the virtue, character, in
telligence and property OF the State, and the
erection on their ruins of a dynasty of profit
gacy, ignorance, and malice, whose unvarying
| fruits in Southern States have been social
degradation, universal robbery, continued dis
orders-the undoing, in our case, of the toll
some labor of twelve consecutive years.
Higher, in our judgment, than any other
issue that can be presented to our people is
the preservation of their civilization and the
maintenance of white supremacy in their gov
eminent; this is the life of the State our first
duty ali else secondary to it. To secure it
for ourselves, to transmit it to our children is
the sovereign service imposed upon US by our
| time and circumstances This must be saved,
whatever is lost and to rescue it and plant it
on enduring foundations is an obligation that
mounts high above the domain Of party poll
tics and demands of us every sacrifice.
Upon the question OF the public debt the
Committee discams any power or purpose to
speak for the Conservative Democracy of Vir-
ginia 1t but states historical facts, however,
when it alleges that all previous attempts to
settle it have proved but partially effective
that its settlement is a matter Of admitted and
urgent need-and the Conservative, and not
the Republican, party of Virginia is the or
ganization by which that settlement must be
made if it is to be defnitiye and at the same
time just No guaranty of a final and accept
able settlement can be afforded half so potent
and effectual as the pledge Of a united Con-
sentative party.
| When that party Geds united it announced in
| its State convention of 1877 that whatever
scheme of adjustment might be adopted it
should be so ordered as to add nothing to the
burdens of the people by way OF increased tax
alton, and doubtless that resolve will be adj
hered to when again it shall speak with united
voice. In this interest we urge the conserva
tive people Of Virginia to send to the conven
ton of the 4th of August their most represent
atiye fellow citzens-men who will wisely as
well as faithfully reflect their opinions-witt
the view to final compromise and settlement
of the debt on such concession OF extreme pc
sition as the best Judgment OF the convention
may deem necessary
This concord is likewise needed to secure
the public school system of the State. As the
founder of that system, its hereditary guardian
and unfmching friend, the conservative-dem
ocracy will see to the preservation of thi
benetcent institution-to its development, an(
to its defence against all assailants.
We invoke now the spirit of concord which
brought together in the late election so man,
Conservatives formerly estranged to the en(
that Virginia in her domestic affairs may speal
with the certain and potential voice which
marked her response in the Federal contest
that ORDER social freedom, and the blessings o
good government may be added to the adyan
tages of material prosperity of which thu
omens are so suspicious. We invoke it nj
less that in the great contest of the near futur
for the rights of States and the principles 0
constitutional liberty, Virginia may not b
prevented by divided Conservative counsel
from welding her whole strength in the goot
cause to which her glorious history com
mits her.
In view of these urgent needs for the unitet
counsels and energies of the Conservative
Democratic party of Virginia we earnestl.
invoke its thorough organization in all part
of the State, and appeal to its members ant
local officials to proceed without delay to &C
complish this important work.
A. KoINER, Chairman.
j. BELL BIGGER, Secretary.
Mr. Parsons, of the Richmond and Allegha
nv Railroad was in Hiphlan6 county Va