Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-11-03

Rooms EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF !
CONSERVATIVES DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
RICHMOND, Oct. Goth. 1882.
To the Conservative People, of Virginia.:
In the election which impends you are
called on to determine two questions:
First, whether you are ready to bow your
necks to the most degrading slavery that
has ever been dreamed of in the politics of q
people pretending to be free.
Second. whether at the bidding of man
who has found his profits in the easiness of
political virtue, you are ready to abandon
the principles OF your whole lives to en-
brace what you have ever abhorred, to sup
port what you have always resisted, and
meekly kiss the hands of those who for
fifteen years have trampled on every right
and interest you cherish, and scorned and
insulted every feeling and sentiment you
hold dear.
AS to the first, it would seem an affront
to white men to argue 1t. Party organiZa-
ton may demand executive leadership; but
when the leader of party tramples on its
written faith: annuls the peoples will, in
the most solemn form expressed; ties with
sealed lodges their representatives hands,
and gags their mouths; demands personal
servlIity tn himself as the price of public
favor, and pollutes the sanctity Of legisla-
tive trust to personal profit and private
vengeance. a tyranny has been established
more dangerous than that imposed by arms
inasmuch as it implies contented abase-
ment.
Nor should the second question be less
easy of solution. ALI disguise is now
abandoned. You who never cast Repub-
lican vote are now boldly summoned to for
swear the principles of your lives, and sus-
tain otalwart Republicanism and it's Pres
ident! Less than two years ago the unan-
imous white people of Virginia repudiated
both, and those who appeal to you now
to become tuncoats united in that repu-
diation. Were you then and have you for
fifteen years been fools and false to your
State. Was all the wisdom and patriot
ism Of Virginia then and at all times con-
fned to the negroes and the Federal office
holders? Do you proclaim yourselves in
capable of the duties of free men? Was
that continued orgy of corruption and
maladministration which drove the South
ern people to despair, right, and wise, and
just, and your protest against it factious
AID unpatr1otic? Is that ''Stalwartism
which the disguised Republicans of the
North are spewlng out of their mouths the
only fit food for Virginians? Is that dis
graced form of Republicanism which the
u,
and the State of Arthur is certain to re-
nounce. the only tit faith for Democratic
Virginia?
Lightly indeed must principle sit on the
Virginia people if this wholesale apostacy
be possible. 70 you, white men of Vir-
glnia, who upon this issue have never fail
I'd or faltered, these questions are now
submitted.
Our State disputes no longer divide US.
All that is political in his canvass is ma
tional. In that field Virginia has never
answered with uncertain sound. Let us
stand together now on that issue as we
have ever stood. The time has not quite
come to admit that the only tit people to
rule this State are the negrnps-the proper
people to wear collars the whites In the
support. of Mr. Massey, the Debt Paying
Democrats vindlcate the sincerity of their
position that in Federal elections thcv ig-
nnred State controversies Let the Read
juster- Democrats show, as we confidently
believe they will, that they are equally true
to their national principles. and that no
Eow-r can make them betray their State.
From every quarter the tldngs come that
this confidence Is well fou, dtd. In every
direction self-respecting meu and pat riotic
mr n IT Gently opposing US are proving the
truth Of their professions that, however
they might be Readjusters in State affairs,
in national affairs they were Democrats.
All the omens point to closing of the un-
happy breach that has divided US and he
restoration of Virginia TO the line of those
certain States upon which Radicalism calls
for support in vain.
A. NJ. KELLEY,
Chairman