The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-11-20
sTis Not as Deep as Well. nor as
Wide as a Church Door,
but tits Enough,

is not fatal, but it is enough for the pres
ent. Itldecides by the narrowest margin
that at least the executive branch of the
government of the country is to be trans
ferred to the control and direction of the
Democratic party for four years from the
4th of March, after an enforced absence
from administrative duties for "a years.
1t will be invested with power under Cir
cumstances and conditions vastly different
from those Which surrounded it when.s.it
was compelled to surrender authority
which it had held for nearly thirty-four
years, with practically butss..one Presiden-
tial term interyening-t of Mr.. Fill
more. Between 1928 and 1860, the Wings
succeeded twice in defeating the Demo-
Gratis, but the success of Harrison in 1910
was a barren victory, as his death and
Tyler's succession, continued Demo-
cratic policy. In 1861 it went out of
power, leaving an empty treasury, ruined
credit, paralyzed industries and the surg
ing waves of revolution beating langrily
against the, ship OF State. The mutter-
ings of sectional strife were loud and deep.
The fearful ipremonitions of internecine
conflict sent shudder Through all the
fibres of ''our governmental structure
The. Democratic.party had been defeated
by.a fair expression of the. popular will
| and through the forms of law and under
the sanctities of the Constitution. Yet te-
nacious Of power and apprehension of en-
croachments upon vested rights in property
recognized by the Constitution. resistance
to national authority was finally deter
mined on. Its frightful and bloody con-
sequences constitute the saddest page in
American history. and its eventual ter
mination. dated a new chapter in our ma
tional life. When the last drum beat call
Ing to hostile engagement had died away,
and white-winged peace lowered over a
million of new made graves, the Republic
can party was confronted with the most
gigantic problems of governmental respon-
sibility which ever a people had to encoun-
ter With waste and desolation reigning
supreme in one-half Of the Union; social,
political and industrial systems upturned
and revolutionized passions, intensified
by four years Of stubborn, bloody conflict,
nursed in sullen suspicion; four millions
Of bondsmen invested with the liberty and
rights of citizenship, land huge debt that
staggered, the wisest craftsmanship, the
Republican party marched to the stupen-
dous work before it, with courage I'M
daunted, and unparalleled in the history
of nations. 1t successfully grappled with
every issue and interest, and after nearly
twenty years of labor and trial, it presents
to the world the most marvellous consum-
nations ever offered to the contemplation
of enlightened civilization. The national
debt has been brought under easy control ;
national.cr has been advanced to the
front of the powers of the world the in
terest rate reduced from to 3 per cent. ;
the public treasury overlooking with rev.
ennes under diminished taxation; the in
dustries of the country multiplied and en-
larged, so as to challenge the competition
Of all other countries +: the continent
spanned by four railroads: an empire sprung
into existence out of .,the :: desert all
sections and States of. the UnionSprosper-
ng.and progressing under uniform laws OPP
Grating alike upon the interests of each and
every community commerce.and material
forces binding the sections closer togeth-
Ell and the equal rights of all. recognized
by the laws and constitution of the coun-
try. Were we not living witnesses to these
| wonderful achievements, it would sound
| like the legends of romance to recite the
conditions of 1861, when the Democratic
party was elected from power, and those
| which will invite attention in 1885, when
| it will again assume executive control.
The lessons which are impaired by the his
| tory of less than a quarter of a century
cannot fail to make their impress upon the
party that will come into power in 1885
| under the same nominalism that it went
out in 1861. The eyes not only of this
whole country, but of the civilized world
will be concentrated upon it, and its every
act and movement watched with absorb
ing, scrutinizing interest. The response
bility will be great, while the task will be
comparatively easy if the methods and
policies which have brought the nation
from chaos and ruin to order and grandeur
shall be observed and respected.
The reflections which naturally suggest
themselves in reviewing the past twenty
four years cannot have other than sober,
serious influence on those to be placed in
authority. They will direct to conserva-
tive methods and men to careful thought
in the policies to be adopted and the dam
gers to be avoided. With a full compre-
hension of the responsibilities imposed
and the expectations Of the country, the
incoming President will doubtless ignore
extreme men and extreme influences and
dedicate his mind and energies to an ad-
ministration that will reach above the
mere behests of partizans and take in a
broad nationalism that in itself would re.
buke the personal ambitions of petty pol
iticians, whose aspirations reach no higher
than the spltes of factions and the hates
which grow aud fiourished in the soil of
The Republican party has glorious re-
cord, history which commends itself to
the admiration and approval of all patriot
ic citizens. Those who are sincere in their
devotion to its principles and have given
the organization their support. have moth
ing to be ashamed of. Yet there is not
Republican in the land, who comprehends
and appreciates the duties of American
citizenship, who will not be, willing to re-
cognize in every Conservative act of the
new administration. a proper motive in
its suggestion. and contribute his influ-
ence to make successful Ieyery effort to
promote the general welfare. From the
date of the determination of the contest
in New York, Mr.. Cleveland passed from
the relations Of candidate of party, to
those of the chief ruler of fifty-five mil
lions of freemen-from the position of the
leader Of a political force, subject to the
passions and excitements and animosities
and asperities Of partizan strife, to the
higher relation of President elect of the