The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-05-17

pest III ateapot. 1t calls upon its parti-
zans to ''rebul1e'' the protest made last fall
by w. f. Craig, Chairman of the Coali
ton Committee, against the counting OF
Augusta's vote. on the ground that it was
Illegal. Our contemporary does not under
take to prove, or even assert, that that
election was legal. As matter of fact it
knows that it was not 1t quotes the con-
clusion, but carefully omits the recitation
of facts which led to that conclusion
and which were a part of the protest. The
reason given for strict application of the
law to the vote of Augusta, was that in
Albemarle q precinct which gave Paul
over 100 majority aoas thrown out on n
mere technicality, viz that the poll books
were returned lmsealed. The judges at the
voting place, both Funder and Readjuster,
certified that there had been no tamper-
ing with the vote, that it was recorded just
as cast, and that no fraud whatever had
been attempted. A Funder Board of
Canvassers threw out that vote, thereby
reducing Paul 5 majority over 100. If one
party to the contest insisted upon strict
compliance with the letter of the law, is it
singular that the other should contend for
every advantage which the law gave it ?
If the Vindicdt0r is SO fond of rebuking,
why did it not visit its condemnation upon
those who were the first to appeal from
equity to law? We have yet to see sim
linn in # hot nj
condemning the action of the Albemarle
Board of Canvassers. That action was
| antecedent to the protest, and was referred
to as the reason for it. 1t was all very well
but when its party friends are hoisted i'll
their own petard, the Tindiedtor's virtuous
| soul is stirred.
| 1t may be claimed that under the rule
that 1.-TWO wrongs never make Il right, .
the protest against Augustus vote was not
justified by the action of the Albemarle
Board. 1t is true that two wrongs never
do make Il right, but one wrong. If it be
under the sanction of law, always justilies
an appeal to the same law to offset it. For
instance A owes b. Bdemands payment
and when Judgment is asked A pleads
| the statute of limitations and cancels the
| debt When the cause has been deter
mined A discovers that b owes him a
much larger amount than BIS original
claim against him, and Immediately in
| stitutes suit b in turn pleads the stat
ute of limitations, and tn ereby discharges
the obligation. Will any just man claim
that 3 is the party to be censured? In
such contest upon whom should the re
buke" be visited?
A re-reading of the old story of the mote
and the beam may prove beneficial to our
contemporary.
The Board of State Canvassers ought
either to have thrown out the whole vote
of Augusta county, or else counted the
Albemarle precinct. If equity was to APP
ply to one, then let it apply to the other
and if one was to be judged by the law,
let the same rule govern both.
The Lynchburg Ne,rs, in commenting Oh
a paragraph from the VALLEY VIRGINIAN
last week, insists that, inasmuch as the
Supreme Court has sustained the settle
ment of the debt question us made by the
Readjusters, the people Of the State ought
to thrust that party from power and rein
state the so-called Democracy. Indeed,
that is the position taken by the Bourbons
generally, and they are ringing the
changes upon it with persistency which
evidences the desperate straight to which
| they have been reduced.
In part, we agree with them. The debt
question is settled. 1t is settled finally
and forever, we trust, and there should be
an end to all agitation on the subject. The
fruit of long and bitter contest has been
gathered and garnered, and the door locked
But care must be taken as to who keeps
the key. Where has been brain and nerve
and endurance enough to win, there will
be sagacity and prudence enough to pre-
serve. The Re-adjusters would Justify all
the charges of ignorance made against
them, were they silly enough to turn over
the rewards of their hard fought battle
to those who commended against them-and
contended, too, not boldly, manly and
fairly, but cowardly, treacherously, and
by every means condemned by the code of
party warfare. But is any man superficial
enough to suppose that a settlement of the
debt question is all that is involved in the
contest? That was the enemy's citadel
| the fertilization which it's engineers de-
clared impregnable, and behind which a
safe retreat was assured. To storm it and
capture it was but the initial engagement
Of the campaign. The conquest has just
commenced. That which has been done
is but the first move towards that which is
to be accomplished. There are abuses to
be corrected equally us glaring as any in
vOlved i'll the management OF the finances
| there are reforms to be effected which
reach even closer to the interests of the
| people. The chancery system, the road
| system and numberless minor evils which
have crept into the statute books, and the
| operation of which has retarded the
prosperity OF the State and injuriOuSly at
fected its citizens, are demanding attention
and calling for heroic remedies in their
treatment.
| The correction of these abuses must and
will be made. The party OF men who I'M
dertake to interpose barriers, may expect
defeat, overwhelming and crushing.
| The Washington Republican very prop
erly states that the tariff question is to
| be the real issue in 1SS4-the protection
of American industries and the employ
ment of American labor. OF the encour-
agement of foreign industries and the en-
ployment of foreign labor This is becom-
ing, too. an unpleasant fact to the Demo-
cratic leaders. The change in the edito-
rial management OF the New York World
is an indication of the trimming tactics of
that party. From violent free-trade to
moderate protection is n wide departure
| from the record of the Democratic naI.ty