Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-01-30
ssThe Virginia BOurbOns.'
We clip the following from the N

"The Virginia BOurbOns."
We clip the following from the New
York Tribune =
''The Virginia Bourbons are anxious
lest it will not be clearly understood
that they have no design of fooling with
the State debt any more. In all the
talk about new convention, and reor-
ganizIng the party, that intention is re-
peated with painful regularity. An
other noticeable thing is the tenderness
with which they approach the work OF
making a platform for the party AS
the trouble comes from the desire to
please every one and offend none, some
Of the o. gans suggested that it would be
best to do without platform and organ
ize for spoils and not for principle"
1t would be ''fooliDg," indeed, If the
aforesaid "Bourbonsp should again be
induced to play into the hands of the
party with which our contemporary is
identified ~
The Tribune knows very well that the
Republican Administration exerted the
whole of its strength in favor of the
party opposed to the policy of the Vir-
GINA Debt Pave rs,i e., the "Bourbons, J"
and that it does now. The Republican
party must, therefore, bear the respon-
sibility, and share the disgrace result
ing from the Mahone-Arthur victory in
this State. We did all that we could do,
as party, to have it otherwise. We
fought the issue fairly and squarely,
stalking almost the life of the party on
the result-and lost our case, and well
nigh our organization. And now the
question has gone up to the highest
Court, and is happily out of politics, or
ought to be. forever.
But we must tell our contemporary
that it does not become those who aided
Malone in his raid upon the Virginia
bondholders, to be twittiDg those who
fought for the privilege of paying what
they believed to be an honest debtor,
at least, debt that had been recognized
by the highest legislative authority of
the State. and for the settlement of
which the State, when she could swear
by no greater, pledged her sacred honor
If the situation is different now from
what>it once was, the Republican Ad-
ministration, the Republican party of
Virginia, and the Republican press of
the North, that made common cause
with the Boss repudiationist, must &C
cept the shame. None OF it attaches to
us, and we do not propose to do any
more "fooling" in this line. .-a-.
We note what the Tribune says about
the desire of the "Bourbons," to lido
without platform, and organize for
spoils and not for principle" 1t is q
sufficient answer to this charge to say
that the principle for which we con-
| tended has been lost-lost through the
power of outside combinations against
us; and we propose to yield to over
whelmiDg numbers and resources" as
the peerless champion of another ''lost
cause" did at Appomattox. We seek
organization now, for our own protec
ton, ahd to rescue the old State of Vir-
ginia from the grasping cupidity, igno-
rance and venality, of the worst set that
ever controlled the destinles of a great
Commonw wealth. Does the Tribune IN
derstand us now ?-Lyachburg Virgin
| ian.
CIVIL SERVICE REFoRM.-We are
about to have specimen of civil service
reform in this community. within few
days. Letter carriers are to be appoint
ed, and if report be true, some of the
most obnoxious of the oppointees of the
late postmaster dd interim. have been
recommended by the present functiona-
ry. We have this from Republicans,
MISUNDERSTANDING Lie pOSCudStcI IcIuScS
to name the parties be has recommend
ed for appointment. Although the post,
master was a Democrat, before he aop
ped over to Mahoneism last Fall, and is
of Democratic lineage, we had no ex
pectation that he would recommend any
pers of his former political faith. He
burst not do that But we had a right
to expect that. without so much as the
fear of the Boss before his eyes, he would
recommend none but suitable aud we'll
gu lifted Readjusters or Mahoneites, Gf
he could find theml. men that the peo-
pie would be willing to trust with valu-
able letters, and who have education
enough to enable them to discharge
their duties properly.
If this has not been done, we can on
ly offer our protest, and that of the com
munity, against such wrong, lin the
interest of partly, to those who largely
patronize the mail service, and to urge
the business men to refuse to receive
their letters at the hands of unreliable
and Incompetent carriers
The Virgiridn will make it lively for
all concerned, if this wrong is inflicted
upon our growing commercial commu
nifty. We ask only that honest, compe-
tent, and efficient carriers be appointed,
and will be satisfied with nothing less.
-Lynch6urg Virginia, Jan. Path.