Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-10-03

Clubs OF Fifty or more each...-2O
Orders to be accompanied by the cash.
A Way to Win.
The Malone party is composed of
men who are not influenced by strength
Of argument or the dictates of reason.
The leadership is constituted of men
who were soreheads and disappointed
aspirants for Office in the Democratic
ranks, and of Radicals who, finding all
the spoils distributed in their own
camp, went over at the head of the ne
gro phalanx to claim the rewards of
new deal and pension for having de-
feated the Democratic party. The Re-
publican party has little to felicitate it.
self upon in review of the part it has
sustained in our State politics. To &C.
complish mere sporadic defeat of their
opponents in purely local election,
they have surrendered the dearest and
about the only respectable feature of
which this old marauder of party had
left, and that was the rigid exaction of
public honesty and the faithful dis
charge in full of every public obliga-
ton. Non-repudiation in the highest
sense and acceptance of that principle
was its boasted motto and rule of party
conduct. The sanctity it attached to
this was held to be its sheet.anchOr, and
it boosted that the confidence of the
financial world in it was such that a
Democratic success in q, national can
vass would demoralize the finances of
the country to such an extent that a
monetary convulsion, which would
shatter the business interests of the
continent, would inevitably ensue.
Since its utilization with Malone and
his serfs, they have abandoned virtually
this sole remaining ornament, and stand
out as anything but debt-paying Or
ganizstion. They have eaten with
Malone publicans and lain down with
debt-repudiatlng sinners. If they de-
feated Democracy, they did it by swap
ping principles, and going in for forci-
BILE, or, at least, an er odrte, settlement
of the debt; for if single creditor of
the Commonwealth has had a voice in
the present status of our State debt and
the method of its liquidation, we have
yet to hear of it. The leaders of this
faction, therefore, are not expected to
be amenable to reason. They know
there is nothing of consistency in their
position that they are contending for
no principle, and they do not expect to
offer any reason for 1t. Their followers
never yet have known, and, in all hui
man probability, never will know what
the platform of their party is, or why
they stand on it. They know that the
whipping-post is abolished, and they
hope in time that the penitentiary will
be, and here their knowledge or in
terest in public affairs ends. If once
the marriage relation could be abol-
ished, and remove thereby some re-
strictions to the limitless concubinage,
which is the highest conception of per-
sonal liberty known to the African
mind, the great mass and predominant
body of the Radical party in Virginia
would be supremely and abundantly
satisfied. Of course, any argument adj
dressed to this element is a shameful
waste of breath and time. To the sore
head, no logic is effective. Look at the
circle of prominent Mahoneites in this
county who are now sitting down COM
placently in the Radical camp, and you
find in every instance man who don't
care baubee about the State debt, but
who tried to get to the Legislature or
some county or State Office years ago,
and who, having signally failed, became
sulky and dissatisfied. swore he had
been read out Of the party, and that it
was going to the devil; and looking
where Federal fesh-pots were kept full
by the central powers, he decided to
move over, and he has done it. Not
having the moral or political backbone
to boldly transfer themselves by the d.
rect route, they got up the subject of
the State debt as sort OF ark of transit
ton; labelled it the party of Readjust-
ment, and hitching thereto more of the
growing family of soreheads, they
started on their grewsome journey.
The team wasn't strong enough, and
the expedition moved slowly; but
finally they struck a bargain with the
Radical party, who, up to this time,
had the interval between Presidential
elections as a season of holiday, and
they having hitched to the negro, the
old vehicle moved on apace, and soon
landed the whole precious gang of dis
appointed patriots in the place they had
always intended to 60, and that was
the bosom of the Radical party, and all
the State and Federal offices they could
obtain. To this element, of course, no.
argument need be addressed, and from
it no reformation can be expected. All
the assertions from the party will be
those who did conscientiously desire an
adjustment of the State debt, and who
went with the party to obtain it. They
have by this time abundantly discov.
cred the central purpose of the crew with
which they were temporarily identified.
and have left. Our means of victory is
simply in going to the polls. We have
enough people In the Old Dominion yet
who are true to their party and their
State to overcome these apostates, if
they but 60 and register their vote. 1t
is to their exertions and energy that
argument and appeals should be ad-
dressed with the hope Of anything like
fruition.
If the white voters will pay their
csnifation tax and come out on election