The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-11-22
Gen. Mahone's Address.

Wepublish the address issued by Gen.
VIM. Malone, as Chairman of the Read
juster State Committee, occasioned by the
result Of the recent election in this State.
We do this because Gen. Malone is the
organ through which his party speaks, in
an official sense, on importantpublic ques-
tions, as to the political relations of the
State. and not because we think it such IL
paper as ought to have been presented to
the people of Virginia at this time. In
a time of infiamed feeling, turbulence and
turmoil, when reason has had but little op-
portunity to reach an equilibrium after the
exciting incidents of the recent election,
it would have been more appropriate to
have calmly and deliberately approached
the discussion of the situation and in dis
passionate terms presented such facts as
would have appealed to the popular judg-
ment and invited the approval of the coun-
try, irrespective of party, as to the temper
manifested and the merits of the cause
championed. We abate nothing of our de-
testation of the methods by which the
election in Virginia was decided on the
9th of June. They speak in no uncertain
sound to all fair-minded men, They need
no eXaggeratiOn Oh. inflammatory coloring
to impress the country with the despera-
tion which evidently controlled in the
contest on the part of the leaders of
the Bourbon party. Many, however,
who were carried along with the cur
rent of mad passion, and were found
swellingl the vote of the Bourbons, will,
in their. calmer MON ents, regret that
they were influenced in their action by
considerations less than the welfare of
the Commonwealth. The great mass of
the people of Virginia are conservative
and law-abiding, but like all other commu
mites, may be, at times, led to give way
to abnormal passion, when excited appeal
is made tofeeling and prejudice, and be-
fore time for reflection has been given.
This does not argue that those who
were precipitated into the avalanche
of passion which flooded over the STATE
lIOhl tlC ou w OllC OUlf VI NOtClllUtl,
could not be brought back to reason
and rational reflection, and discover their
error before another campaign. They Ger
tainly cannot, by keeping alive the inhu-
ences which drove them from their better
Judgment and caused them to vote against
their interests. There was nothing in the
legislative enactments of the Readjusters,
and there was nothing in the legislation
to which they were committed in the flu
tule, to which the great mass Of the peo-
Pile could object. 1t was all designed for
their benefit. Not even the Bourbons had
the audacity to dispute this, as to what
had been done, for they virtually endorsed
it all. With such considerations to pre-
sent to the country, it is not at all improb-
able that all who had been in active SYM
pathy with the Readjusters. and many
who had been mechanically associated
with the so-called Democrats, would unite
with the liberal cause, and give their
support to all measures affecting State in
terests that might be urged hereafter.
So far as this address might beconstrued
as an appeal to Northern sympathy, affect
ing the Observation-Disclosures of 1884, it
is a mistake. The. whole country is famil-
iar with the prominent facts of the re-
cent canvass in this State, and is prepared
to render judgment upon them, without
the aid of blood-eurdling appeals and an
CRY criticism. To the degree that it is
possible for National authority to assure
a free ballot and the protection of the
rights of the citizen, the Republican party
has done this. But under our political
system, there are things beyond the per-
view of the National Government. The
States have rights as well as responsible
ties, and in their constitutional sphere of
action, these rights and responsibilities
are committed to the States. The only
legitimate action for the Republican party
to take, would be to give expression to its
sentiment and conviction at the ballot
hoy in condemnation nflnffea.si-re t'Ira ME-
gal methods to control popular election,
and defeat through that agency the object
had in view in the success Of those meth
DDS. If solid South. should be assured
through suppressed or outraged ballot, a
solid North would confront it through a
free and unawed ballot. The ball0t-box is
the properarbiter Of thep political parties of
the country, and to the degree that it's sane
tity is appreciated and guarded will par
ties be judged, when it comes to make up
the verdict of the Nation.
We assume it to be conceded fact that
the Republican party will not enter the
canvass of 1884, upon purely sectional con-
siderations. Its record affecting the hu-
siness of the country-our national growth
and Individual prosperity, as the result of
the operation of the measures it has
enacted into law-its conservation of the
public credit, the broad national applica-
tion of it's principles-the Astounding ben
elits which have flowed to all sections of
the Union-will present such contrast to
the narrow sectionalism and selfish parti.
z;lnsm of the Democratic party that it has
only to be stated to convince the Ameri-
can people that their welfare is intimately
| connected with the success of the one and
| the defeat of the other. The independent
sentiment of the Nation will not tolerate
Il ''bloody shirt'' campaign. There is
courage enough, intelligence enough and
patriotism enough in the country to as
sert and maintain the supremacy of law
and to rebuke all law-breakers and agita-
tors, who would subordinate the public
good to partiZan passion. Appeals to pref.
| udice and resort to desperate and violent
means to secure party triumph may sue
coed for the moment, in certain localities
but there is a majesty in the law, an in.
tluence in order, a resistless power in the
the moral force of the Right, when moving
on great national theatre and implicat-
ing our national character, that will sweep
before it the devices and schemes of I'M
scrupulous demagogues and pestiferOus
agitatOrs and vindicate the conservatism
of American institutions in the eyes of the
world.
1t is a time for the craftsmanship of the
Nation to address the reason and not the
passions of the people, whether of one sec.
ton or State or another. The Republican
party cannot afford to do less in the con.