The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-07-12
The Lvnchburg Convention.

the object OF this meeting is, we are not
informed We may safely assume that it
will take opposition on any State or Ma
tional measure, of legislative concern. 1t
will not demand the repeal Of the Riddle
berger bill, nor the re-enactment of the
McCulloch Bill. 1t will not seek to re-es-
tablish the whipping-post, nor to reinstate
the dollar price on the ballot. Nothing
that the Liberals have done in legislative
matters will it attempt to undo. 1t will
not propose change in the penitentiary
management, which has blotted out an an
nual cost Of $50 900 for its support and
converted it into q source of revenue to
the treasury. 1t will not condemn the
fostering care which has been manifested
by the Liberals for the Public Schools, by
which they have grown in numbers, and eff
ficiency, and dispensed their blessings to
twice the number of poor children that
were accommodated under Bourbon rule
None of these things will it have the hard
ihood to interfere with.
In National affairs it will not re-assert
the free-trade doctrine of the Democratic
party. 1t will not declare for the green
back nor against specie resumption. 1t
will not seek to overthrow the National
Banking system and establish for it the
old State banking policy. Upon all ques-
tions of former dispute, affecting national
policy, it will religiously ignore the Dem
ocratic position, for experience has con-
demned it and indicated the wisdom and
craftsmanship of the Republican party
in the enactment of every measure that
has contributed to the progress and pros
perity Of the country.
In fact we cannot see what reason can
be advanced by the assembled wisdom OF
the Bourbon delegates at Lynchburg for
the existence of their faction. Its record
in State matters has been positive curse
to the Commonwealth. Not position it
ever held OF measure it ever advocated can
be defended. Every benefit THAT has ac-
crued to the people has come from the leg
islation of the Liberals.
They have entered into the wants of the
| people, studied them, and legislated to
promote them. Every measure proposed
which had for it's object this desired result
has met with Bourbon opposition. The
| State debt has been settled, the credit of
the State restored, taxes reduced, the
Treasury replenished, the Public Schools
rescued from ruin and fostered into Wig
orous growth and healthy administration
the ballot made free, the whipping post
abolished, the penitentiary made self-sus-
tanning. and all the interests of the people
conserved and advanced by positive enact
ments procured by Liberal influence and
votes and against the bitter and persistent
opposition of the Bourbons.
| With this record to guide us, we can
conceive of no reason why the faction that
will masquerade under the name of De-
mocracy at Lynchburg should have an ex-
istence. 1t can take no affirmative posi-
ton for good, without condemning itself.
! 1t can propose no real reform that it has
not heretofore opposed. 1t can neither
antagonize what the Liberals have done,
nor approve what the Bourbons did when
in power. 1t can do nothing to rescue it
from unsavory memory except to preach
its own funeral..and acknowledge in sack
cloth and ashes, that it's existence has
been blight to the State and ask for a
decent burial.
The appointment by the Board OF Edu-
cation of two colored trustees for the Pub
| lie Schools of Richmond was the occasion
| for a vicious and brutal attack upon the
negroes of the State, and a spasmodic eff
| fort to brighten the people about negro
domination. Intlammatory appeals failed
to arouse aresponsefrom the people. Even
| in the counSelS of the Bourbon leaders and
opponents in Virginia, division was mani
fest, and outside of the State the rebuke
and condemnation from the Democratic
press were universal and unSparing. 1t was
| proposed, as the last desperate resort, to
make this an issue in the next canvass,
| and furnish an excuse for the Lynchburg
Convention. But we do not think we are
mistaken in assuming that the negro ques-
| tiOn will be passed over in silence, OF in
stead of a bitter TRADE of abuse, soften
ing of temper and a generous application
Of taffy will be given to the coloredpeople.
| Already have we seen positive declara-
lions from leading Bourbon journals that
the negro question must be ignored, and
an effort made to conciliate this class of
our citizens. in the hope of winning sup
port from them, and thus unite the Sbest
people lof both races'' in supreme en-
deayor to affiict the Commonwealth again
with Bourbon rule. Therefore we may
conclude that the fierce philippics of the
Metropolitan Bourbon press of few weeks
ago will prove to be wasted venom and
that instead Of the angry breathings of
race hatred, we will find the representa-
tives of the ''best people," billing and
cooling for negro support, protesting their
love and friendship for the colored brother
and appealing to him to come mp and help
them.
We are really curious to see what this
representative Bourbon body will do-the
kind platform it will adopt, and the line
of policy it will mark out. We are in
clined to the belief that it will utterly fail
in defining its position upon any contro-
verified question either. State OF National
1t will thrust aside the present officers of
the State organiZation-elect new men,
listen to a few ranting speeches from the
''gifted orators of the faction and then
''fold their tents and silently steal away"
Without a.platform, without position
upon any measure of legislative impor-
lance, without policy affecting the inter-
ests of the people, wemay look for cam
paign of abuse and villiication, of money
influences and despicable devices. The
battle will wage. fiercest in the black belt,
and the power of the purse be invoked
to determine results, regardless. of meas
ures of State policy and the future of the
Commonwealth in it's relation to the pro-
gressive influences which are. now, for the
first time in twenty years, distilling their
benefits upon our people. Upon the re-
suit in the control of the Legislature will
depend the future welfare of Virginia. If
Bourbonism should succeed it would in
deed be a dark day for the State, but of
this we need have no fears, if the Liberals
are true to their cause and themselves -