The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-04-27
The Situation,

1880; to re-organi ze the Circuit Court Dis
tricts or the Commissioner of Sales act-all
regarded by the Readiusters as important
measures. The most important legislation
enacted was the passage Of the Riddleber-
ger debt bill, and the several bills auxiliary
to it; the repeal of the whipping-post law;
the repeal of the capitation tax restriction
upon the ballot, to be submitted to the peo-
pie before it can become effective, as it is a
constitutional amendment, and the election
of the Supreme Judges to take their seats
the 1st of January next.
! The debt bills are Readjuster measures,
while the repeal of the whipping-post law
and the restriction upon the ballot might
be termed Republican legislation. So far
as the Republicans, as such, are concerned.
they have no cause to complain of the re-
suit of the legislation of the session. The
bills we have mentioned were cons idered
by them paramount questions. and in no
other way could they have been enacted
into law except through the coalition eff
fected in the election last fall. While the
Democrats now profess Indifference to both
of these enactments. and many OF them
will vote for the removal of the ballot re-
striction in November next, yet it is well
known that had they gained control OF the
Executive and Legislative departments,
ton. So the Republicans owe to the Re-
adjusters these acts of simple justice and
constitutional right, and cannot and will
not be insensible to the obligation implied.
1t would be the basest ingratitude did they
not appreciate what has been done in
furtherance of their wishes and hold them
selves in readiness to give tangible evidence
of the measure of that appreciation. Both
the restrict ion upon the ballot and the
whipping post law were designed, In vio-
lation of the spirit of the constitutional
amendments and the pledge of Virginia,
to embarrass, if not destroy, the right of
suffrage conferred by the amended Ma
tional Constitution, and for this reason Re-
publicans have regarded both as acts of
bad faith, which should be wiped out and
| the rights and immunities of the citizen
left just as the Constitution designed they
! should be.
The defeat of the measures which had been
determined on by the caucus, and which were
considered of much Importance to the State
and the Readjusters, as a party, may be
traced to personal more than to political
influences. 1t is useless to conceal the fact
that the rigid exactions made by the eau
Gus, and the Incorporate language en-
ployed to enforce obedience to them, caused
restless and dissatisfied feeling all over
the State. While the general disposition
was to sustain the action of the party in
determining its policy, there was re-
served condemnation of the methods
adopted and dissent from their expediency
which nothing could have suppressed but
| the remembrance of the arbitrary and des-
potic rule of the Bourbon faction. Had
| there been more of Cancellation, more of
tolerance, the result would almost certain
ly have been different, and all serious dis
sensions and schisms avoided. 1t was vi
tally essential that a catholic and pacific
spirit should have prevailed in all the de-
alterations of those who made common
cause in November last againsta common
foe. The forces which constituted the
successful party had not been firmly welded
together nor its power crystalized into a
permanent organization. 1t was in its
formative period, and not sufficiently forth
fed against repellant influences to justify
excessive harshness in enforcing caucus
edicts and implicit obedience to arbitrary
commands.
Nor was the manner of distr ibuting pa.
tronage calculated to encourage political
oneness out of two distinct factors in the
successful power. While the Republicans
positively demanded nothing. yet common
sense should have suggested proper re-
cOgnition of three fourths of the numeri-
cal strength of the controlling authority.
The inordnate and insane greed for office
whether with honor or emolument, or
either, or not-exhibited by the Readjus-
tiers, was absolutely disgusting. The dele
rum of success seemed to turn their heads
inside out, and with an impudence and in
sulting arrogance the like of which, even in
miniature degree, we have never before
known, they grabbed with insatiate nav,
for every crumb in the present or prospec-
tive, both State and national, appropriate
ing to themselves everything they could
command-total.y insensible to the COM
mon decencies ard propreties of political
association, and without consideration
for their past and future identity.
Parties can only be disrupted-not crys-
talized and solidifled-by such means. To
form and strengthen political force,
proper recognition must be given to the
elements which constitute it and spirit of
justice and fairness prevail in the arrange
ments which follow the exercise Of author
ity. Influences should be consulted which
are calculated to harmonic and concen-
trate, instead of disintegrating, and con-
sideration had for the political association
and education of those whose support is
essential to success. Republicans cannot
Uc iuulu0TouG W tllS. anu IL w Ill Ut His
take not to fairly and justly weigh the eff
feet of any improper discrimination in the
exercise of power. This has not been done,
to the degree that proper respect for the
larger numerical strength would suggest. |
Favors have been dispensed in the interest
of particular individuals, regardless of a |
general policy looking to permanent Or
ganiZation, competent to resist the common |
enemy. Mere ambition for place and noto-
riety has had undue influence in determin-
ing favors and investing with authority,
rejecting selfish and partizan prejudice
whose growth would be fatal to unity and
healthy cooperation. The Republicans
are Republicans yet, but are willing to unite
for the accomplishment of liberal ends and
the medication of liberal ideas, but this
cannot be effectively secured so long as
there is the absense of broad and catholic
of the situation and the
agencies which must be invoked to give as
,urance of future triumph.
With less of mere personal selfishness,
md more of a wise comprehension of the
higher interests involved, there would be no
difficulty in forming successful party out
If the clements which are OpDoSnd to Rour-