National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-29
LETTER rnoM srAuNroN.


srAuNToN VA, Aug. 2j,-i suppose this Is
fairly representative town Of the valley OF Vlr.
ginla. Notwithstanding all the losses which
IL sustained during the war, II Is n vastly bet
ter place than 1t was before the war, and has
grown In population, In wealth and in wealth
producing industries. The town has been
practically rebuilt since the war Thcrc are
still sOmo moss-grown roofs that recall remi-
nlyconccs Of the good old days" but for the
most pArt the old mansions have given place
to modern structures less pretCntiOus perhaps,
but far better adapted to the ncedsof this later
age.
The town is nestled among the hills, and
covers about all the available space in the
basin In which II happened 10 be planted.
The ends of all the streets butt against the
hills, and II they arc to DO extended they
must go up pretty steep grade There u q
street now leading up TO the reservoir, which
| do not think is much frcqucnted by people OF
only moderately robust health. Climbing to
the top Is like climbing up the side Of noun
tain. on the opposite side there is much
higher and sleeper hill, which relqices in INC
pleasant name of Betsy Bell This name
could scarcely have attached itsclfto the hill
without fixing On.f sharp crest some roman.
tic legend but tncro was no ono to tell me the
story,
any &c pS5 Of aIs: the :%RS SS
barber Shops / think II has more drug stores
70 Shc square acre than any given section OF
Washington Of the Same area, and thnt IL say.
\ Ing good deal OfCOurso there Is business or
| these stores would not present so neat and at
| tTaCtlvc an appearance, This is sort OF uis-
| tributng center for the health resorts ~ inc
mountains beyond, and probably the opulcnce
| of tho drug stores may DO due 10 THIS Clrcum-
| stance. Staunton itself has some pretcnsionsto
! being health resort and there are good
4 many people from the cities spending thcSim.
mcr here. They may assist In maintaining
| the drug stores
The commercial traveller has been au impor
tant factor In civilization in all ages. Two
| thousand years ngO Julius Caesar gave MN
Germanyand thcbarbarians who were blessed
| with his periodic visits were much less nerc'
ia their dispositions than those who lived re-
mote from his lines of travel. The com incr
Cial traveller comes to StauntOn ana bring
with him the most prodgious trunks tha
ever taxed the strength and ingenuity OF th'
professional haggage-smashcr. Possibly som'
Of these handsome, wcll.cquipped dry good
stores may exist for his benCft.
There does not seem to be amy great absorb
ing interest taken In politics, Tho large mas
meeting yesterday was made up almost en-
tircly of country people. am obliged 70 con
fess that have not met many republican
who were citizens of the town. The southern
sentiment is still too strong to permit the ire
exercise Of political opinion. The farmer
don't care for social Ostracism--in fact, IL car
not be applied to them-hence they are reput
liCuns In the towns the republicans are no
yet sufficiently numerous TO DEFY the influence
by which the south Is kept SOLID, lney Ut
still subjected to a sort of moral bulldozin
which prevents free discussion and free actor
If there are any republicans in the countr
who think that there Is u regularly organize
aggressive republican party In Virginia that 1
entirely independent OF the readjustcrs an
{ is wholly disconnected from Malone visit
any town in the Valley will cure him OF tn
delusion. Before the Malone coalition ther
. were n few original republicans who, wit
, | the colOrcd people, constituted large body {
5 voters; hut they were pOwCrless TO affect an
!, ! thing, except IN the counties whore there wa
| such II prcpondcranCe OF cOlored voters tina
the bOurbuns made no contest. II was III
> | heavy reinforcement Of rcsoluto, tghtir
n men which Malone brought into the republ
can party that,guvo II a respectable stnndii
I in Virginia and if these were to leave IL no.
1 it would be as helpless us IL was before. III
| party Is stronger In the Valley than in an
. other section of the state because 1t contains
$ larger number of Intelligent, resolute whit
men who came in by the "rcadJustcr' gate.
/ notice that there Is n split In the party
the neighbOrlng county of Albemarle grown
z out of the opposition of the old original r.
=, lpublicans to the claims of the new recruits
q political recognition. IL seems as If the d
. frats of the past had not eliminated all q
=, fools from the republican party In Virgini
l There nro still some male cOntCnts VINO woul
y rather permit the bourbons 10 carry the sta
than waive their own claims 20 leadershi
Whether they succeed in their scheme OF 81
!, ing the electoral vote of Virginia TO the dem
y Gratis or not they cannot drive out Ol u
} party the large body OF white men who ha'
A come to stay