The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-07-14
Mr.. Colfax's Letter.

We publish, elsewhere. another letter
from Hon. Schuyler Colfax, of Indiana, to
Hon. John F. Lewis, of this State, referring
to the Virginia campaign, now in its first
stages. The illustration he furn ishes
Of the condition of public sentiment
when the Republican party was born"
Is not applicable to the condition of
things he addresses in Virginia and the
South. The old Wing party was in the
throes of dissolution because it did not
catch and comprehend the scope of the
political forces then for the first time be-
ginning to manifest themselves in formidable
proportions. A new party had sprung into
existence based upon the moral and political
questions growing out of chattel slavery, as
neither the Wing nor the Democratic party
seemed to be equal to their demands. Each
Of the old parties had adhered to the timid
policy of treating that issue in the light OF
the early political education of the country,
and each of them shrank from the propo-
gandism OF the little handful of abolition
lists. The necessities Of the case, the great
undercurreut of thought and feeling which
were stirring the people, as the result of the
agitation growing out Of the Kansas-Ne-
braska Bill, and the repeal Of the Missouri
compromise act, demanded new party,
with different ideas from those which con-
stituted the formulated creed of either of
the old parties. The repeal of the law fix
ing the limit Of slavery at onee.lratised the
organization of parties on the question of
the extension of slave territory. There
was great overshadOwing moral and polt-
cal principle presented in the issue. absorb
ing all others, necessarily forcing parties to
take position for or against. The Demo
cratic party was recognized as a pro-slavery
party-the Wing as tainted with the sentiment
of abolitionism. 1t was not prepared, however
to assume the aggressive in demanding free
territory in all that country north OF 36.40,
as stipulated in the Missouri compromise
and was therefore notequal to the demands
OF the times, and had to surrender to the Re-
publican party. Is it to be assumed that
there is any parallel between the Wing par
ty of that date and the Republican party Of
this? The Republican party represents
every progressive, liberal sentiment, anG
stands precisely where it stood in its earlier
history, and any compromise of its princi
Piles or organization should invoke the con
demnation of every honest Republican,
1t was in this emergency and in this condi
tion of parties and public sentiment
that the Republican party found its origin
1t was created as the result of the require
ment of great moral sentimen that
was gathering strength to strike down HUI
man slavery, and give practical interpre
tation to the Declaration of Independence
and not the Outgrowth of the morbid greco
of few disappointed politicians who hat
first been the most inveterate maligners o.
the sentiment and purpose which thus stim
ulated the public consciousness, and failing
in securing power by this means, turned
their course, and became the advocates
and defenders of the cause of human free
DOM 1t is an insult to the history ant
achievements of the Republican party tt
institute any comparison between it anG
the Re-adjuster party of Virginia, In the
birth of the Republican party we have il
Illustrated the highest types of American
craftsmanship, of elevated patriotism and
deep mora. conviction. An expression Of
its principles and the motives which gov
erned in its origin and growth may be
found in the lives and characters Of Abra-
ham Lincoln, w. H. Seward, Charles Sum
ner, Henry Wilson, James A. Garfield, ant
the many prominent names which have
embellished the political history OF thu
country. The leading minds of that party
in its earlier and later days, were distin
guished for their adherence to principle
their devotion to honesty, their champion
ship of the rights both of person and prop
erty, and their consistent and courageous
maintenance of the wrong of human slave
~. Neither of the old parties, as an organ
ization, was equal to the necessities of the
times and the great truths which then frs
began shaping themselves for practica
assertion.
~ w 40 AL WILD OLiOi 6ShNy e"AAN ava SAA~ -
poses then declared, that the Republican
party was formed, and not the creation O.
few political demagogues who contra
dicted their whole political existence il
their Identification with it. 1t became ne
cessary to disband either one or both of the
old parties to subserve the great ends which
were influencing public thought and shaping
political history, for neither met the require
ments Of the occasion.
Where is the apposteness of the illustra
ton when applied to the Re-adjuster party
of Virginia? The leaders of that party
have been the most active. effective anG
embittered enemies of the reforms they now
propose. They are as much, if not more
responsible for the legislation they com.
plain of than any others. There were nc
qualms of conscience. no testimonials OF
repentance for the wrongs they had per-
petrated, until they found that they could
no longer control the party machinery
through which they had inflicted them. II
was not until then that they became the
apostles of more liberal policy, and the
especial friends of the negro race, which
they had done so much to degrade and OPP
press. The disfranchisement act, because
of poverty, the whipping-post degradation,
and every legislative enactment that con-
ficts with the spirit and intent of the Con-
stitution of the country, were as much the
work of their procurement as any others
They voted for the bill recommending the
impeachment of Judge Rives because he
enforced the Federal law in its provisions
for the equal rights of the citizens on the
iuries and their trial by juries; they voted
for the legislation which enlarged the scope
of the criminal law in its DISTINGUISHING
provisions; they aided in establishing the
whipping post and never found cause fol-
repentance until their failure to control the
organization and offices of the Democratic
party to which they belonged.
1t will hardly be assumed by either Mr.
Colfax or Mr.. Lewis that the necessities Of
the country demand the dissolution of the
Republican party, or that it has fulfilled its
mission. Yet the illustration of Mr.. Colfax