The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-04-13
The Revolution.

Hon. I. C. Fowler, Speaker of the House
of Delegates, and editor of the Bristol
Meas. has announced in his paper that the
Re-adjusUers intend to support the adj
ministratlOn of President Arthur, and that
they will endeavor to elect eight members
of Congress this coming fall who will stand
pledged to that policy. Mr.. Fowler as
serts that it is nothing more than right that
the Re adjusters should do this inasmuch
as the administration has recognized and
supported the liberal movement in Virginia
both in the election last fall and in the Fed
eral appointments since made, and that 1t
would be ingratitude not to reciprocate the
spirit thus manifested. The Richmond
Wing takes up the subject and fully en-
dorses the position of Mr.. Fowler, in its
Mondays issue, aud in long and well writ
ten editorial promises that under the new
apportionment the Re- adjusters will send
eight admin stration members to Congress.
This is frank and fair, and leaves no room
for Republicans to hesitate in their active
and earnest support of the policy thus lined
they make the fight, so the end to be
achieved is to place Virginia in harmony
with the government and in alignment
with the progressive influences that are
shaping the destiny of the country. We
have too long allowed traditional pref
udces to control our political identity-too
long protested that spirit of nationalism
which it was our duty to encourage and cul-
tivate,-too long persisted in estranging
our people, politically, from the assoca-
lions and influences to which we might con-
tidently look to place Virginia in the way
to material and political power. Republi-
cans may find ample compensation in this
declared policy for the support they gave
the Re-adjusters last fall, and may consis-
tently in the future aid them in the stub
born contests which must occur with the
Bourbon forces. 1t is true the formation of
a successful administration party in Vir-
ginia has not come precisely in the manner
we expected, but we have the assurance
of those who speak for the Re-adjusters
that the end is the same. and with this as
surance we are content. We have endured
much and labored earnestly and constantly
for the past ten years to bring about the
political condition that is now promised,
and were we not to contribute in the man.
ner now made plain, to the contamination
of the results we desire and believe to be
best for Virginia, we would throw discredit
upon our own sincerity and arraign our
own motives. 1t will be an suspicious day
for the Common wealth when an enlight-
ened national policy shall prevail, and the
obstructive influences which have so long
dominated forever be removed in the utter
and complete overthrow of the Bourbon
power, which has lived aud thIived upon
the hates of race and the arrangement of
sections.
1t will be as strange as it will be gratifying
to witness in the Congress of the United
States two Senators and eight of the ten
representatives throwing their votes and
influence in the scale to give effect and eff
iciency to Republican administration, and
lift Virginia above the atmosphere of Bour-
bon partizanism. 1t will indeed date new
material and political era in the South, for
the changed relations in Virginia will have
effect in other Southern States, and wheel
them into similar progressive association.