Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-10-02
The Coming Election.

easy victory-to have what is called ''walk
over the course'-in the coming election,
they will find themselves disappointed
There is strong reason to believe that a
vigorous effort will be made to capture the
county for Malone and his satellites We
have a willy adversary to encounter.
There will be no blowing of horns by
them to put us on our guard. They
know that policy of that kind would be
fatal to them. Hence the campaign on
their part will be ''still hunt" They
will seek to lull US into security, and by
superior activity and organization, in
quiet way, to steal victory over us.
1t must be remembered that many new
and powerful agencies will be brought to
bear against us in the coming contest. Let
us call the attention of the voters to some
of them.
The headquarters of the Internal Reve-
nue. Department have been removed from
Harrisonburg to Staunton. This is sig
nificant fact. The influence of that De-
partment, with its horde of officials, all Of
whom are active electioneerers, did much
towards claiming Rockingham to the car
of Malone. That county being regarded
now as safe in its slavish subsection to his
interests, he has transferred it to Augusta
to try if it cannot bring old Augusta under
his yoke. No effort will be spared to bring
about this result, and, in the present con-
dition of affairs, the influence of that De-
partment, with its unbounded command of
money and Federal and State patronage,
and represented by officials scattered over
the whole country, is thing not to be de-
spised Over-confidence is often the parent
of defeat. Effort must be met by effort
work by work. Vigilance and untiring in
dustry alone can ensure victory.
Again, we must remember that in the
olden time all the officers and employees of
the Western Lunatic Asylum and of the
Deaf and Dumb and Blind Institution,
and our various Courts, were freemen.
They were allowed to think and to vote as
freemen. Such is no longer the case. Every
man who holds a position, however high
or however humble, from Principal to gate
keeper, is bound to vote according to the
dictation of Malone or his underStrappers,
or lose his place. The solid influence of
these Institutions will command a large
vote, probably not less than one hundred.
Then there are other officials of the Uni
ted States Government, such as postmas-
tiers, commissioners, and others, who are
obliged, as the price of these offices, to sur
render the convictions of their consciences
and judgments, and ego it blind'' for the
party that ''holds the bag -
1t is melancholy thing to see an official
who has intelligence to know the path Of
patriotic duty, and the disposition in his
heart to pursue it, yet compelled by the
ruthless tyranny of the Boss to go contrary
to the instincts of his better nature and the
convictions Of his better judgment Some
times he cannot suppress some murmurs OF
discomfort. The yoke gals his neck, and
occasionally he cannot help tiinching a little
when too heavy load is laid on him. Now
and then he is almost ready to kick out OF
the traces, but ''crack" goes the whip OF
his owner, and with happy visions of the
'feed trough" before him, and gloomy ap-
prehensions of the consequences which nay
follow his refusal to respond to the lash, he
meekly hacks his ears, to shut out, if pos
sible, certain ''still small voice." and
Stratobac his +raooc with inoraoced 1,ioo,,
How we pity any one in such an unhappy
condition What wages can compensate
him for the sacrifice Of manhood which he
is obliged to make
Our adversaries have shown great sagacity
in the selection of their candidates This
fact shows purpose on their part to con
test every inch of ground. Of these can
didates, in their character of men and pri
Vate citizens, we have nothing to Say.
Their merits OF dement's, in that particular
probably had little to do with their selec-
ton as candidates. They were chosen with
reference to their loyalty to the Boss, and
to their supposed availability and the sur
roundings which would probably contribute
to their success with large class of suf
fragans. One of them is the proprietor Of
large distillery and the owner of liq uol
saloon, or, in common paIlance, a bar
room. The ownership Of such property
may not constitute any peculiar qualifica-
ton for the Office of legislator, but it cer-
tainly may materially help the possessor in
frGff IT1rr into off Il
and has always been regarded as an import
ant factor in political contests. We doubt
whether it is not almost as efficient as the
press or the stump. Unfortunately, in
these latter days, many voters cannot read,
and are, therefore, inaccessible to the argu-
ments and appeals of the press. Others
Lave no taste for oratorical displays, and
are consequently unapproachable by the
orator of the hastings But where will
you find man whose vote is not likely to
be swayed by the seductive influence of
John Barleycorn? One of the surest ap-
proaches to the hearts of many men is
through their outlets The man who I'M
derrates the influence of whiskey in cleo
lions is profoundly ignorant of human ma
ture A gallon of the insidious fluid may
gain half a score of votes. A barrel may
control an election
Our willy adversaries doubtless were ad-
vised of these facts, and determined to use
their knowledge for all it was worth !!
The other candidate of the coalition
lists" has been chosen with similar regard
to availability. Mark the word "Coali-
tionists p There are no ''Readjusters''
nowadays and no 'Republicans." These
names are obsolete. Like adroit criminals,
they have dropped the names under which
they have heretofore cheated the people
and now present themselves under the
alias of ''Coalitionists p This has always
been, to us, an unsavory name. 1t is sug-
geStive of evil Men generally form sscoali