The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-07-05
The Change in Officers


Republican source, signed more of Re
publican than CoalitiOnist." Weinsert
the article, not because we approve of its
personal reflections, temper, language or
spirit, but in Difference to the wishes of a
much.prized friend, who was at the birth of
the Republican party in Virginia, bravely
stood by it in all of its trials and unllinch-
ingly proclaimed its principles when it re-
quired courage and manhood to do so, and
by reason Of which he has q right to be
heard through the columns of Republi
can paper. The reforms which have been
effected in State matters through the Goa
lition party, justify the course of the Re-
publicans, inasmuch as every one Of those
accomplished was of Republican advocacy
before the ..Readjusters had an organized
existence. What Republicans desired and
demanded in State matters has been
brought about through their aid. What
Republicans propose in national matters,
they declare purpose to support. The
policy of coalition received the counte-
nance of the representative body OF the
Republican party Of the country, and was
encouraged and approved by President
Garfield, and also by President Arthur. 1t
received it's most timely and effective sup
port from the Republican press of the
North, creating a public sentiment in its
behalf that not even President Garfield
felt at liberty to disregard. At that time,
the VIRGINIAN was contending for diff
ferent policy. We believed in maintain
ing Republican Observation-Disclosures
policy and Republican integrity. We
fought for these with great earnestness,
until defeated at Lynchburg in 1881, by the
efforts and plans and sympathies Of those
who are now complaining at the logical
result of their own conduct. Our cores
pondent was one of these. We remember
| to have discussed the matter with him and
presented our reasons why Republican
policy and measures should be carried out
| through Republican organization, instead
/ of by compromise and eventual surrender.
| He differed with us then and was just as
| earnestly in favor of coalition as we were
opposed to it. After the Lynchburg Con-
| vention we were left to choose between
| the proscriptive BourbOns on the one side,
and the Liberal Democrats, or Readjusters
coalesced with Republicans on the other,
the latter pledged to maintain Republican
policy and measures, and the former COM
mitted against them. We did not hest
tate. We entered the canvass for the
Cameron ticket, and having thus been
sense or policy Of flying away from it, SIM
ply because the President has, for reasons
satisfactory to himself, made changes in
Federal offices in the State.
! AS to the removal, OF failure to reap
point Mr.. Bolts, we possessed no power to
prevent it. We doubted the policy and
could not see the justice of it. The Presl-
dent, however, determined on change
and in making it, selected one OF the most
competent young men in the State for the
duties of the office-one who is in full
sympathy with all the reforms that have
been effected and all those that are pro
posed who supported Cameron, and not
| Daniel, as our correspondent asserts, and
who will, in all respects, measure up to
the dem ands of the service he has been
called upon to perform. He was fixed up
ON without his knowledge. He was as
much surprised as any one when the ten
der of the position was made. At first he
positively declined to accept, but as a
change was going to be made, friends pre-
vailed on him to reconsider his determine
| ton in the interest of party harmony and
| effective organization.
The policy of the administration in Vir-
ginia is not, in all respects, what we think
it ought to be. We believe there is UNI
wisdom in many things, and that Gen.
Mahon makes mistakes that operate to the
disadvantage Of the party he supports
These are matters which we cannot con-
troll, nor are they of sufficient magnitude
to justify us in antagonizing movement
at this stage of its progress, which has in
it so much that we approve, and is calcu-
lated, as we believe, to promote the inter
ests Of the people of the State. Having once
committed ourselves to policy, we are
not apt to turn from it for trivial causes
nor for mere personal reasons. We must
be convinced that the ultimate effect will
not be beneficial to the State and country be-
fore we will change our position. Were
we so convinced now, OF should we be SO
i convinced hereafter, we would not hesitate
| in our efforts to defeat it and urge all 9TH
ers to aid us in the work.
With these reflections we submit the
article Of our esteemed friend to the con-
sideration of our readers, protesting, at the
same time, against the personal references
made in it, and especially the harsh allu-
sions to President Arthur who we believe
is guided.by high sense of public duty
and an earnest motive promote the pub
| lie good.