The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-08-10
Alex Hunter ESQ.

Fauquier county, which instructed its del
egates to vote for him as their candidate for
Congress. 1t is straightforward, manly
letter. We, however, in giving it to the
public through our columns, do not wish TO
be considered as endorsing all of its posi-
tions. The blum der Of 1870, OF the Conser-
yative State Central Committee, was not the
of its infidelity to public trusts
nor did its action then date its downfall.
Before the disruption in that organization
the seeds were sown which could promise
no other fruits than decay and ruin. When
in 1875 the constitutional amendments, res
directing the whipping-post putting
price upon the ballot. and thus violating
the solemn pledge OF the State, were adopted
through deception and fraud upon the vo-
ters. the cause of the downfall Of that mon
grel organization found its source. From the
time OF Its first success in 1869, under the
name of True Republican" until the Mo-
Fart Convention and the subsequent ukase
of the Lowell COMMITTEE it has been UNI
faithful to the people and reckless OF their
interests. Its management OF the finances,
by which contract was created that I'M
posed burdens the people were unable to bear
and increased the public obligations nearly
million dollars annually in defaulted inter-
est, has been the source of all the misfor-
tunes which have attended the State since
II ho6 fho "
nor capacity to measure up to the demands
which confronted the Commonwealth and
demanded Craftsmanship to meet. Every
year OF its existence fou nd the State drift
ing rapidly towards reputation and ruin.
Its reckless disregard of the condition and
needs Of the people-its sectional and race
hates-its prescription of all who did not
bow to its yoke, its insolence, ignorance
and meanness, had invited the adherence
ofthe civilized world. Penthouse politicians,
the seedy descendants of preferred few,
assuming the role of the ''best people" and
with violent and disgusting pretension, de-
nouncing and defaming those who were
their betters in all the relations of life, and
infinitely superior to them as citizens OF
the Commonwealth laboring and sacritic-
ing for her erity-this class forcing
themselves to the front and worming them
selves into public positions, had more to do
in prostrating Virginia, ar,esting progress
and CT ystalizing hates than all other things
together. The Conservative party, from
its organization to the present time, has
been positive and continuous curse to Vir-
ginia, with no intermediate period to date
the mischief it perpetrated or mark the
wickedness of it's motive.
1t may be excusable in Mr.. Hunter to re-
fer to the election of 1876 as Dem ocratic
success and taunt the Northern Democrats
with want of courage to assert their rights
in the Inauguration OF Tilden. The frenzy
to which he refers bewildered the reason
of some Southern Democrats, and LED
them to honestly believe that Tilden was
elected. But Tilden himself, as the cyphel
dispatches afterwards exposed. knew bet
ter, and the Northern Democracy knew
better, as did the party in the States ovel
which the controversy of that year was
waged. The crimes committed by that par
| ty in the Cotton States, in 1876, ought tC
sink every one connected with them to the
bottOmless pit. A gentleman from Missis.
sippi-a native Virginian and Democrat
but few weeks ago detailed to us the hor
rible methods which the Democratic party
adopted to control that State. He said the
Democrats in 1875 marked every promi
nent colored man who had influence with
shot them In open day with perfect impu
nity-that Republicans of either race who
were troublesome were put out OF the way
and by such devilish means the State was
made Democratic. He further stated tina
Chalmers, running as an independent can
didate this year, would either have to retire
before the election or be killed. This gen
tleman is in no sense politician, but a quie
planter and land owner, and he told Vi
facts as to the doings and crimes of thu
Democratic party of Mississippi, with sucf
perfect composure and calmness, that it alb
solutely astounded us. He said the oppo
| stion to the Democratic party can out VOTE
US but we can ont count them, and we NEAR
to do it; and that is the whole of it.
| 1t was by such methods that the Demo
cratic party claimed the electoral votes o
Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida. The
facts and the law were against them and tht
electoral votes were cast against them al
they should have been.
! However much Mr.. Hunter may enveigf
against the Northern Democracy, and hi
cannot say more in the line he indulge'
than we believe. they have been no worse
than the Southern Democracy. The South
ern Democracy proposed through crime tt
deliver the solid South, if the Northern
Democrats, through criminal intent, would
accept the boon and add its small quota tt
complete the Job. The conspiracy did moi
succeed, but failure relieves neither thu
Southern nor Northern Democracy of thu
criminal motive.
| When Mr.. Hunter expresses desire tt
! see the day when members of Congress
from Virginia and the South will hole
themselves al0Of from caucus and vote t.
support the administration whenever they
consistently can, thus securing to their PEG
pie and to their States that aid and assis
lance from the national government tina
the Impoverished Commonwealth are 81
much In need Of" he falls into as transpa
rent blnnder as he charges upon the Con
servatives In 1879. 1t is not isolated &C
ton the South wants. Its policy is to be
come identified with national sentiment, ma
tional feeling and sympathy, and by reason
Of common brotherhood, which recog.
nizes no section but the entire Union, share
fully and generously AMI equally with the
other sections of the country, in the fos-
teripg care of the government. We have
had too much of sectional policy already
| and 1t is not sagacity nor craftsmanship te
make it more so after the manner suggested
by Mr.. Hunter. The remedy he would pro-
pose would not prove benefit to the inter
ests he would subserve, but, according tc
our notion, make things worse than they
are now.
We might comment on other points in
this letter, which indicate an imperfect con.
ception Of the real issue in this canvass