The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-06-19
Party CourageA

shown the courage of their convictions.
No clark horse'' for the Presidential can
didacy was considered. The party had
made record, and upon that record it
to stand. 1t was eminently prop
er that cand idates should be chosen who |
were prominently identified with the or
ganization from it's earliest inception, and
no two men could have been selected who |
more completely and closely fitted the re-
quirements of the occasion. The noml- |
nations demonstrated to the world that
the Republican party has no apologies to
make-no eyasions to practice-no con-
cealments or subterfuges, no doubts or mis-
trusts of itself. 1t goes before the coun-
try upon the record it has made, with can
didates who reflect it's spirit and pur-
pose, and who are fully equipped to up
hold the standard, defend the history and
maintain the integrity of the party. With
visor down it enters the fight, with its
principles and its policy written on every
page of the country's history for the
quarter of century past. 1t dares to
encounter the ISLANDERS and villi6cations OF
it's opponents, and to appeal to the intelii-
gence, the manhood, and the honesty OF
the people for verdict, with no misglv-
ings as to the result If ever candidate
was presented to the people in obedience to
their demand and who represents them In
their thoughts and aspirations, it is James
G. Blaine. He is the great commoner OF
| his time, full of confidence in the pa
triotism and honest purposes Of the
masses. To them the Nation owes its
unity, its progress and prosperity, and in
them he trusts, perfectly willing to abide
their decision. Sublimated and hyper
critical theorists there are, who consider
themselves the salt of the earth, the
| and moving in an atmosphere too ethereal
and exalted for the people to reach OF
understand. They can see nothing in the
| result of the Chicago Convention to in
spire their respect OF command their sup
port. Processing to be Republicans and
devoted to Republican principles, they
cannot recognize in the platform OF the
Republican National Convention and the
nomination of men for the two highest Of
| fees of the government who have been
| intimately associated with the party in
every great conflict and whose record is
| without blemish in support of those prin-
ciples, Republicanism 10 measure up to
their standard. They. indeed, assume to
be better and purer and more patriot
| than the party and the men who have
made its record, and conceive an ideal
different from that which the voters of
| the party either understand or are will
ing to accept. This kind of sentimental
refining is not suited to the practical bust
ness notions of the masses, nor is it con-
| sistent with the robust common sense OF
those who make up parties and govern
| ments It is too exalted for the ordinary
comprehension OF the uses of administra-
tion, because it does not address itself to
the necessities of the case or the results
desired.
We may, indeed, take it for granted that
those who are not willing to support the
nominees of the Chicago Convention
men truly and fully representing the best
thought and action Of the party-have
some other reason and object than the in
terests of Republicanism or the success of
the principles of that party. Their pro-
| fessions of party attachment and devotion
to party principles, may be ever SO vocifer-
GUS, but when their action, if successful,
could only result in the defeat Of both and
| the acceptance and endorsement of the
Democratic party and its principles, or
to doubt the sincerity of their attach
ment to principles andparty. Even if the
party should be as bad as they represent
it, because of its nominations, they GER
| tainly cannot cOncede that it is as disrepnta-
BILE and dangerous as the Democratic par
| ty, OF less entitled to the confidence of the
country than party that has been per-
sistently arrayed against every meas
ure that has been prOmotive OF ma
tional growth, prosperity and honor-that
dares not announce an affirmative doc
trine OF uncover its purposes and plans to
the inspection of the Nation-a party that
moves by the dark lantern and covers and
skulks in the light of day. Such conduct
will deceive no one. The people are not
so dull and stupid as not to understand
that there is something behind all this
pretense and inconsistency, some hidden
and forbidding design-some selfish and
indefensible motive-and will measure it
accordingly. When the Republican Ma
tional Convention has declared its princi-
pie and policy by united voice, and given
a unanimous endorsement to the nominal
tion of two representative men, it must
be something other than devotion TO the
Republican party and its principles and
record that moves these self-cOnstituted
censors to prefer the Democratic party to
it, and shape their conduct so as to defeat
the one, if it were in its power, and ad-
vance to power the other. Such conduct
will not bear impartial scrutiny or COM
mend itself to the approval of honest men,
whether Republicans or Democrats
The regrets of the Democratic papers
because of Mr.. Tilden's letter of declen-
sion were very general and lugubrious.--