Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-11-05
Plutocracy.

A rich country appears desirable, and
many large capitalists are heralded as evil
dence of the success of legislation and sta
bility of government. We are fast losing
faith in these good things. Probably they
would be good under some circumstances
and doubtless could be made good but for
the truth of the doctrine of total depravity.
Patrick Henry is said to have given his
faith in this religious tenet as a reason for
his want of faith in paper constitutions
We have reluctantly come to the conclusion
that the Vanderbilts, Goulds, Sages Roose-
velts, Fields, Astors, Blaines, Buffers, ct I'd
0m1e genus, add moro to the corruption
than they do to the prosperity or stability
of Republican institutions. This country
would be better off, its State governments
safer, its citizens freer, the rights of both
more secure, its officials more honest, its
taxes lighter, and its expenditures less, if
there were fewer very rich or very poor peo-
pie. A country of yeomanry is better than
one OF lords and peasants. The continual
use OF money for every purpose-socia1,
religious and political, at the North, is sap
ping the foundations of the Government
In that section every such meeting or or
ganization is arranged and controlled by
money. Some mans or some mems money,
makes every selection, fills every place. The
masses are under the control of money, and
it is no longer discreditable to use money to
control men. One class is bought and an
other bulldozed, one is fed and another
starved, one is salaried, another displaced
We have had Grantism, with its nepotism
and receiving of gifts, and then we had
Hayesism, with its hypoclitical morality
while rewarding criminals for party frauds;
hon, nod ArkI,
trading and swapping Of place and patron
age, and now we have Blaineismi on the
square, open purchase of support and votes.
Wherever man can be bought these great
capitalists are swift to furnish the money
if he is a tolerable political bargain. If a
State is to be carried by corruption and
fraud they furnish the checks without ap-
parent question. How long can this last i?
Not long. We warn the substantial masses
North and South, the great body of the peo-
pie, then who pay taxes but hold no offices,
the great BODY Of agriculturists, the farm
ers, the graziers, planters and mechanics,
that their rights. their liberties, their Sc
curity, is imperlled. If James G.. Blaine,
against the protest of the Democracy of the
North and the best men Of the Republican
party North, and against the best people in
every Southern State, is elected President
or is inaugurated President, then pluto
cracy is established as the government of
this country, and the system of our fathers
is overthrown. -Lynchburg Adoance.
THE LATE SIGNoR BRIGNOLI.-Sig. Pas
qualino Brignoli, the well-known tenor,
who died at the Everett House, New York,
Thursday afternoon, of kidney disease,
came to this country in 1865 under the
management of Maurice Strakosch and was
the first Manrico to sing in the ''Trova-
tore" His voice, which at that time was
remarkable for its quality, and his method,
which was the purest Italian, together
made him instantly popular. To these
qualifications he added a handsome face,
and for long time was the pet of the
town. He sang with all the great singers
who for fifteen years came after him, and
was the tenor in successive seasons at the
New York Acadamy of Music. He was
born in Naples sixty years ago, where he
studied law. He afterward went to Paris,
where he gave his attention to music and
made his operate debut with but moderate
success. 1t was not until he came here
that he achieved anything like fame. About
fourteen years ago he married Isabella Nc
Cullough in Canada, who died six years
dSO. OlS DTlSuOu udu uOCu singing Will
the Emma Albeit English Opera Company
for the past three years. He made his de-
but as an English singer in the Bohemian
Girl" Few singers have enjoyed a greater
popularity in New York. He was great
favorite with large and fashionable circle,
who were always delighted to entertain
him. In his life he was somewhat eccen-
trio, intensely supersritious, and an un.
reasonable disbeliever in the modern school
of music He will long be remembered as
one of the last and best Of the rapidly dis
appearing school of Italian vocalisrs.-N.
Y. World.
1t will be remembered that Signor Brig
noli spent several days in this city last sea-
son, and organized his troupe here. While
here he gave two or more concerts to de-
lighted audiences.