Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-07-04

sit is useless to disguise the fact that great
many good men Sorrowful over the nomination.
For myself stand squarely by the party and the
Ticket Extract from letter OF Senator Harley
These are words used by one Of the most
prominent Republicans of his day relative
to the nomination of Blaine. Senator
Hawley is not one Of the ''mugwumps'' of
his party, nor is he one of its members
who pose like eminent statues On pedes-
tails and render as little aid to political
party as statue does; he is one of the
active Republicans with all that the term
implies-orator, wire puller, party mana
ger and aspirant. What he says of Blaine's
nomination is true, and be might have
made its stronger by adding that while
many good men are sorrowful. many men
who are far from being good men are any
thing but sorrowful. 1t is not to be de-
MED that there is spirit abroad in the
land for better and purer government,
which has not been met by the Chicago
nominations. No one looks forward to a
clearing up and publication of the govern
ment if Blaine is to be President. A
''brilliant'' administration, stirring
foreign policy. consequent foreign war
and reopening of the old and grand field
of war peculation-that is about what
the popular mind expects from Blaine.
Nobody expects to see him make war on
the shonesty practlced under the rule of
his predecessors. Nobody expects to see
departments overhauled and purified I'M
der him. Rather would he essay to divert
the minds Of the people from the rotten
ness of the government to the sparkle of a
brilliant administration.
This is why a good many coed men are
sorrowful over Blaine's nomination; they
see no hope, no chance of any improve
ment IN the government. Good men and
bad men alike concede the necessity of it.
A government with its Judge Advocate
General, prominent department officials
and innumerable minor officials on trial for
crimes ranking from forgery down to
breach of trust and all involving greater
or smaller sums of the peoples money,
needs President who will make honesty
rather than brilliancy speciality. The
at the head of the government the United
States will attract the attention of the
world, will not answer instead of a pledge
for pure administration. Our government
is already attracting the attention of the
world by it's defaultjng and fugitive Off
Gals, and now the people want the govern
ment to be honest before it is brilliant.
The queer plea of the past that the coun-
try is prosperous, and that is all party
ought to be held responsible for, will not
avail longer. The Republicans can no
longer insert the productiveness of the rain
and sun and soil in their platforms and
point to it as the work of their party.
It has been the fashion to speak Of how
the South regards a Presidential candi-
date of either party. as if all of US at the
South thought alike, solidIy upon politica
problems. This is not the case, but the near
est approach to it is the general desire of
the people of this section for an honest
government OF either party. If we have
a Democratic President we want pure
one; if we are to have a Republican Presi-
publication of the government. Mr..
Blaine is expected by no one, not even in
his own party. to commence any war upon
the criminals in his own party. He does
not propose to reform the government of
the United States; or rather the conduct
Of it by the Republican party. His friends
would take alarm at such proposition.
His reform is to enlarge the country, to
enforce Blaine policy on this continent,
however costly in treasure and life, and to
''shake things up" as Ben Butler fore
casts it.
Such policy is peculiarly unpalatable
to the Southern States. They are Just re-
cuperating from shaking up and know
the meaning of the word. They are just |
getting into line, in industry, prosperity, |
on sure and comfortable footing. They |
want no disturbed country, no disturbed !
currency. no unsettled prices. War may
be good thing for the New England con-
tractors, but the South cannot see the /
profit in it. The fears of the conservative