Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-11-16
THE NEW DEMOCRACY OF !
VIRGINIA.

THE NEW DEMOCRACY OF
VIRGINIA.
A venerable friend, who is himself
good sample of the NEW Democracy"
asks what we mean by the name2 Well,
that ought not to be hard to answer for
one who has lived long enough to know
the style of the old Democracy in Vir
ginia. The new Democracy is not term
of age. We have seen some very young
men who would never do Tor the new DEM
ocracy, and some very old men who are
admirable members of it. The man who
has Just delivered Virginia is not Young
man, but he is in everything appertaining
to public affairs well fitted for the leader
ship of the new Democracy. He believes
that man is man and must stand in
public affairs, just as in private affairs, on
his own merit.
And. after all, that bout sums up the
whole difference between the class of men
in the Democracy of Y yinia who have
received certificates ofthe inability to run
a party, and the class men who have
just shown that they cai AXE the Demo-
cracy of Virginia invins 4. The faults
of our party in other day &c an open Sc
cret, hnown to all men. IL Is the worst OF
folly to deny them. It was the knowledge
of, and resentment of them that in great
measure contributed to the turning down
of the party. 1t is the widest folly IN
1883 to attempt to run political party IN
Virginia as you did in 1858. Those were
the good old times of lazy set OF barn
acIes who lived on the Democratic party
in Virginia, pretty much on the principle
of the small slave owner who had two me-
groes and sat on the fence and let his fam
lily live on the result Of their labor. They
were the good old times when the mem
Der of Congress was of necessity profess
sional man, belonged to historic family.
owned, or had a mortgage on the leading
county papers in his district, and for
whom the editor ranked as a party tOoter
and whipper in. The congressman might
something worse, as some of them
were, but all the same he was returned as
long as he lived. The effect. and very
grave one, Of slavery in that day, was to
divide society into classes in which there
was tacit acquiescence by some people
that some other people were better than
they were, conclusion that was arrived
at rather on the impudent assumption of
the other people than upon any investiga-
tion of their merits. To sustain this con-
gresham, all the power of his numerous
cousins and family connections were
brought into play, and when he died his
immediate issue, or son-in-law. or some
body of the connection came forward and
obligingly took his place.
With the exit of African slavery that
system was much weakened, but not de-
stroyed. The old tradition about the Best
People survived and was worked for all 1t
was worth. After reconstruction was,
over it was astonishing to see the old poll
tical ghosts leaping over the graveyard
walls and hurrying to The front. They
changed front a little on the historic fam
lily arrangement and put in the plea of ex-
perience in public affairs earned by former
public service. Now, there never was
greater bugaboo, more exaggerated in pub
lie matters than this thing of experience.
The writer was engaged in his profession
in both houses of the Virginia legislature
that man of common intelligence who
does not master the mode of procedure in
either house sufficiently to make him al
home in the transaction Of the public bust
ness there. in the space of four weeks, ha+
already given evidence of his fitness to go
back to bis constituents. This "experi-
ence" is phantom like those the Egyp-
tian priests used to raise with smoke
around their affairs. to keep the prying and
curious from finding out what charlatans
will best benefit his constituents by in the
legislature is horse sense, genial man
ner, kind heart, a n unselfsh disposition,
and clean shirt. With these, the new
member is equipped more thoroughly than
years of experience can equip him. This
cry of experience is the thinnest gauZ
behind which political noodle ever hid
We have seen men in the Virginia legisla
ture who had been there for ten years an6
could not begin to compete in successful
legislation with other men who hadn't
been there three weeks.
n evertheless, it being to the interest OF
all the st ate-craft to maintain this rag fig
ure of experience, supported by the stick OF
assurance, in an upright position, to keep
the people too far from the altar to under
stand the character of the mummery, the
introduction of men without ''experience'
had become very difficult thing in the
Virginia Democracy. So difficult that
many young, active and ambitious men
left the party and went where they
wouldn't have to bring certificates of lone
public service. Their success in public
life showed the fallacy of the cardinal doc
trine of the old times and the old delusions
have received fatal blow.
The New Democrat in Virginia whether
he be young man or an old; of high or
humble social position; book learned or
self learned; poor or rich holds these as
cardinal doctrines and will enforce them
by his vote ;-that every man must stand
on his own personal merits and qualifca-
tions for the place If he applies to his fel
low citizens for any share in the govern
ment; that every man must stand On bis
own personal merits and qualifications If
he applies to his party for any elevation by
that party that party drones who take no
share in the burden Of the day must not
expect share of the harvest on the plea
that they are better fitted for public
trusts-a lounger in thu hospital. bomb