The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-09-18
That Order.

We published last week the order. of
Col. Jno. S. Barbonr, Chairman of the
Democratic State Central Committee. dis
countenancing joint discussions in the State
between the Republican and Democratic
speakers. The ostensible reasons for this
extraordinary pronunciamento are en-
braced in the following paragraph:
Apart from other considerations not
necessary to be mentioned, the extraordi-
nary position taken by the Republican
leaders IN Virginia, in charging that the
result of the last State election was due
to violence and bloodshed, and making it a
grave subject of Congressional enquiry,
has placed them beyond the pale of proper
controversy upon the hastings and rem
| dered legitimate discussion of party is
sues impossible the true and only object
OF public discussion being to enlighten,
not to inf1ame, the popular mind.N
| 1t is apparent on the face that the true
reasons for this proposition to abandon the
field of discussion in this State are not
given in the order of Col. Barbour. In
deed, it is the first time in the history of
Virginia politics that a formal announce
ment was made that the people should not
have the benefit OF a fair comparison of
party views and calculation ofparty prin-
| ciples and policies. 1t is that which the
Democrats fear. They dare not go before
the voters of this State and attempt to de-
| fend theirrecord either in State or National
| matters. 1t is a virtual confession of this.
They do not want the people to cast an
| intelligent vote. They do not want them
Informed on any of the important ques-
lions affecting public interests. They pre-
fer darkness..and passion to light and rea-
son-ignorance and prejudice to enlighten-
ment and facts. The specifications in the
Indictment that make up the order are
contemplate, and assume virtue and
an innocence which do not exist. The
Democratic party cannot escape from its
proper responsibility for the crimes to
which this order refers. Even if the Dan
vile circular had not been one of the pri-
mary causes of the deplorable tragedy that
was enacted in that city last fall. the fact
| that they took advantage of the terrible
occurrence. and spread broadcast inflam-
matory and false statements to intensity
passion and aggravate feeling, that party
advantage might be gained, would sutfi-
GENTLY repel the charge that is assigned as
the basis of this order. Their handbills
We're circulated at the churches on Sun
day as the people. were leaving the houses
| OF worship they were sent out by couriers
! to every nook and corner of the Common
wealth, and every device and suggestion
were ayailed Of to magnify for party ad-
vantage that which should have been con-
demned and disowned by all good citizens,
whatever their political utilization. To
have sought and accepted party advantage
by such means, was giving. countenance to
the wrongs that had been perpetrated and
but fcrj which such discreditable appeals
could not have been made. They were
parties to the crimes after the fact, as evil
denced by their own conduct, flor to avail
Of the fruits of q wrong, knowing it at the
time, is tantamount to justifying it, in all
of its offensiveness.
We have stated the true reason flor this
order 1t is to keep the people in igno-
rance of the issues Of this canvass, and all
other excuses are simply eyasions. 1t is
not a creditable policy and will not work
advantage to those who have promulgated
it. The people want fair play and will not
countenance anything that. does not look
to that