The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-02-09
Doom Of Bourponisn in kentucky

Doom Of Bourbonisfn in Kentucky.
The Louisville Commercial, of the I'd. the
able and cautious organ of the Republicans
of Kentucky, publishes the proceedings OF
a meeting held in that city on the LIST by
the Union Democrats of that State. 1t APP
pears from statements made that Kentucky
furnished to the Union cause about $4,000
soldiers, and To the Confederate armies
about 10000. Nearly all of both these
forces have been united in the Democratic
organization since the war, and voted to-
gether in all elections. State and National.
For he past ten or twelve years. however,
the Confederates have monopolized all the
offices, controlled the machinery of the
State Government, and only allowed the
Union soldiers the privilege of voting for
the men the machine would select out Of It's
own sacred circle. in almost every State
Convention. and before every Legislature.
when a contest would come UP between
representatives of these two clements, the
invariable result has been the success OF
the Confederate. The State officers, United
States Senators. and mem bers of Congress
all have been of the same extreme political
complexion-the Confederate sent to the
front and the Union Democrat to the rear.
such a contest came off few weeks ago. in
the Democratic State Convention. for the
nomination of a candidate for Clerk of
the Court of Appeals, when Mr.. Henry. a
Confederate. was successful, and Col.
Woolford, Union Democrat, defeated.
This seemed to be the feather that broke
the cancels back. A feeling of indignation
quickly spread throughout the ranks of the
Union Democrats. and upon The call OF
one of their number. a meeting was held
in Louisville on the LIST, to consider the sit
| n,ation. The result was the nomination of
Col. Richard L. Jacob for clerk Of the Court
of Appeals, TO oppose Mr.. Henry. The
preliminary steps were taken for the organ
ization of the Union Democratic party OF
Kentucky. and an invitation extended to
al citizens, of whatever political Identified
ton, to unite with them in a supreme eff
fort to defeat and crush out the Bourbon
Democracy. Col. Jacobs accepted the NOM
nation in a stirring letter. in which he
gives the reasons for his action in very
strong and trenchant sentences, and ap-
peals to the liberal minded people of the
! state to rally to the cause of progress and
reform in that Bonrbon-r idden Common
wealth. The indications are that the Re-
publicans viii support Col. Jacobs. and
| from interviews published, the Green
hackers will lend their aid TO the good work
of breaking the power of the intolerant
and proscriptive wing of the Democratic
! party.
The Commercial extends its sympathy to
the new departure, and intimates pur'
pose to support it, thus giving the assurance
that the Republicans will unite with the
| Union Democrats in overwhelming the
''close corporation or political oligarcby,' .
! as Col. Jacobs designates it, which has ruled
! Kentucky ever since the war.
The experience of Republicans in Vir-
| giuia has been DOUBTLESS similar to that of
the Republicans of Kentucky, and if the
counsel of the Virginia Republicans will be
worth anything to their party friends in
Kentucky, we would say, give CO., Jacobs
a united and earnest support. The highest
duty of every Republican in the South is to
| break the power of Bourbonsm. 1t will
justify the sacrifice of party pride, for the
| time being, of party organ ization. of party
oneness, and the concentration of all the
force of the party. upon any organization,
which promises to rescue great Common
wealth from the clutches of the desperate
partzans who lead the Bourbon forces. We
shall watch the progress Of this Kentucky
movement with interest, only regrettine
that we ire not there to give it the best eff
forts of our head and heart. 1t is only by
crushing out Bourbonism that the South
can ever hope to advance to that political
and material condition to which the enlight-
ened sentiment of the age invites her, and
whore her true interest lies. Partiz4n ism
and not patriotism has been the ruling in
fiuence, and everything that is allied with
substantial progress, has been made subor.
dnate TO the greed for Office and pelf OF
power. Let the States Of the South now
throw off this oppressive and ruinous yoke
and new life will inspire the people and a
propitious and prosperous future rewarT
their efforts.
We wish the Union Democracy and its
auXilirant forces good speed in the work
they have undertaken, and hope they will
not rest until the great end they aim at is
consnmmated in the complete and over
whelming defeat of the proscriptive and in.
olerant Bourbon party of Kentucky.