The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-01-31

Messrs. Editors: 1.-The prudent man fore
seeth the evil and hideth himself the
simple pass on and are punished" /
learned, whilst yeta small boy, that there
was strength in unity" I was often
told, too, that 1.-TWO heads'' were better
than one, though one might be a sleeps
head" Now do not propose to treat the
communication Of Republican from 1865
to 1884, with undue levity, for | say, with
out intending to fatter it's distinguished
author, that | regard it as production of
much merit, and contains much that should
be kept steadily in mind by our side in this
controversy. 1t teaches us that, in the
argument of this case, we have by no
means walkover. And yet. exactly how
our Republican friend proposes to over
come 143 900 votes, cast for Bourbonism
in this State at the late election, with the
127, 900 cast by us, reinforced by all our as
certained losses in the town of Danville,
and in the county of Pittsylvania, amount
ing to some 8 1000 votes, or, altogether $780,
600 votes, passes my comprehension. No,
my friend, we might as well wake up to
the truth at once. The Bourbon, or So
called Democratic party. can and will at
the next election, unless we find some
means OF disorganizing their forces, poll
100000 votes at least; and. unless we are
prepared to overtop that mark, we must
go to the wall. You may enter this pre-
dlction on the record, and say | made it.
Now, | believe there are, lying around
loose, in this State, votes enough, if we
can gather them up and utilize them, to
enable us to overcome this great force and
have many thousands to spare. Here in
this city of Richmond there are not less
than one thousand such votes. How many
there are in Manchester, in Petersburg,
in Norfolk, in Portsmouth, in FrederickS-
burg, in Winchester. in StauntOn, in Alex.
andria, and other cities and towns of the
State, have no means of accurately know
ing but my information is that, every
where there are numbers of our friends, as
against the Bourbon Democracy, who
either refused to go to the polls last fall,
OF. going, for reasons of personal pique, or
belief that their friends had not been fairly
treated, voted for the other side. And in
the counties, the detection was no less ex-
tensive, and numbered many thousands, OF
which any one may satisfy himself who
will take the trouble to examine into the
facts. Brave talk is all well enough. 1t
is sort of vent-hOle for surplus steam.
But political victories are not won by talk.
To win these we must have votes-mOre
votes than our opponents. Let well
enough alone" says our friend. 1.-The Co
alition party of Readjusters and Republi-
cans, is intact, thoroughly organized, and
the strongest party that exists in the State.
Oh that has existed since the war" And
this is said in face of the fact that this
party has only recently measured its length,
and found itself just little too short. 1t
pOlled 127 900 votes, it is true, and this is
better than it ever did before. But, as
well as it did. it is not well to forget that
the Bourbon Democracy went about 1000
stronger. The Coalition party is good
enough Republican for me-" says oul
friend, and s'the Readiusters are good
enough Republicans for him. Yes, and
so they are for me. and for you, but what
we complain of is, that there Is not enough
Of them. A wise general would hardly
risk second battle on the same ground
| and under precisely the same disposition
Of his troops that had lost him the field
the day before. No, he would rearrange
and recruit his forces change his com
manders, if need be; and, then, having
strengthened his weak forces as well as he
could, he would be in condition to again
accept the gage of battle with hope of sue
cess over his enemy. Otherwise, it would
be the sheerest folly to do so. In actual
TACT, our case is not so strong as the one
supposed. Elections are carried by num-
bers, and not by the strength, or proves,
or position of the enemy, as in actual bat
tie. $4,000 votes precisely offset $4,000
votes on the other side and no more. To
offset l43, 900 votes we must have 143 900.
Can we get them. and, if SO, how? is the
question to be solved. You, Messrs. Edi-
tors, have undertaken. to devise the ways
and means to accomplish this purpose, and,
| believed large majority of our friends are
| heartily with YOU in your efforts. Wise
against them. 1t is only the simple who
pass on to punishment. There are enough
votes in his estate. opposed to Bourbonism
and its methods and practices, if they can
only be gathered up and induced to act to-
gether and in concert. to give US the vic
tory Thic ,1.n Grnnlxr l,ol;n,rn Coln.,, az,