Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-06-13
ANOTHER OPENING FOR THE
DEMOCRACY AND REFORM.

: FRIDAY MORNING.. JUNE Is. 1884.
ANOTHER OPENING FOR THE
DEMOCRACY AND REFORM.
That impalpable moral force that
drives nations as well as individuals to
better and more honest ways, seems to be
at work once more in behalf of the Anne
rican people, and if the Democracy has
the wisdom to spread it's sails to the breeze,
will make it the instrument OF great good
to the Nation. In no Presidential nomi-
nation, except one-that of Horace Gree
ley by the Democratic party sixteen years
ago-have we seen revolt 80 alarming in
its extent and powerful in its character as
that which has followed the choice Of
James G. Blaine by the Republican party.
No such fire along the lines of his own
party, and from guns of such calibre, has
ever been turned upon Presidential can
didate. If the election took place now
Blaine would in all likelihood be over
whelmingly defeated. Whether when the
election does take place, he will suffer
like fate depends in great measure upon
the course of the National Democracy. In
view of the tremendous and stunning neg
alive that he has received from organs of
Republican opinion in the East as we'll as
the West-indeed everywhere, except the
rotten boroughs of the South, it gives the
impression that the Chicago convention
adopted the reckless hardihood of its can
didate and went ahead without regard
to the opinion of that formidable portion of
the Republican party that lay out of reach
of its brass bands and banners and bum
mers. Let US hope that in the same city
next month, the Democratic convention
may learn from it wisdom. There will be
no need of Democratic mud finging in
the coming campaign. That can be left
to Mr.. Blaine's own friends. Republican
papers of the highest character are bring
ing charges against their candidates in
tegrity in public life sufficient to destroy
the standing of any man. They charge
that while Speaker of the House he used
his Office to make decision in the inter-
est of a corporation, to its pecuniary bene
fita md afterwards applied for and received
compensation for the same; that on anoth-
er occasion he repeated the act; that while
Secretary of State he used the influence
Of the American nation for the pecuniary
benefit of a corporation, and in short that
he has been, to use street phrase. ION
the make" ever since he got into posi-
ton to enable him to do so. The same
Republican papers bring columns of
proof to sustain these charges. 1t is true
that these charges, though published wide.
ly with the proof, before the nominating
convention met, did not turn from Blaine
majority of the Chicago delegates, but
it is also true that the element of the par
ty led by such men as Geo. VIM. Curtis, a
sincere reformer, and Hoar of Massachus-
etts, an insincere reformer, will not give
an active support to such man in his
fight before the people. Again, to what
is called the business interests of the
country, Mr.. Blaine is regarded as dang
erous man by large element of the Re-
publican party. His foreign policy is
looked to with apprehension, and the
symptoms Of willingness he evinced while
Secretary of State to involve the country
in foreign war gave good ground for
that apprehension. A foreign war,
means death to the business in
terests of the Atlantic States and
particularly the national porC of New
York. 1t is not the intention Of the Re-
publicans of New York to give him the
Republican vote of that State in Novem-
q O
ment that has for several years waged
war against the corrupt use of the
machinery of their party and which
is opposed to any representative of that
method. 1t opposed and still opposes
Grant, Conkling, Blaine, Logan, Arthur,
and all of that kidney. The present nomi-
nation of Blaine was brought about by
combination of the Conkling Grant-Logan
element. Conkling and Grant who had long
since broken with Arthur, who, to their
establishment, had attempted to set up as
statesman and run the government, are
warm supporters of Blaine and make his
nomination offensive because of their sup
port. One who looks over the members of
the New York delegation and sees among
those who chung to Arthur to the last, the
names of Barney Biglin, Mike McCord,
Mike DAILY, and Johnnie O'Brien, will
understand who it was that constituted
his following; and if he will read still
further on and see the name of Collector
Robertson and the other office holders who
supported Blaine in that delegation, it is
not hard to account for the dissatisfaction
the nomination gives to the indepen-
dent Republican voters of New 7 ork. 1t
is not going too far, even this early in the
campaign, to say that Blaine cannot pos
sibly carry New York if the Democrats at
Chicago put up man at all adpated to
the American idea of a President.
So much for the standing of Mr.. Blaine
with his own party, something that is
more fully given in our news columns
elsewhere. And we allude only to that
because there is no possibility of Blaine's
receiving any Democratic votes in his
canvass. In Virginia it is enough for the
Democratic people to know that his pro-
consul here will be VIM. Malone. To
know that from this day out Malone will
seek to enslave them again, as he once
did, by the aid of Arthur; that from now
out. all the same detestable methods of
the boss will be in active operation,
aided by a Blaine campaign fund, to give
the Electoral vote of Virginia to the Re-
publican party; that If his work were to