The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-05-01

JGlllpldllOll. We Dbl Ill LUZ dCCOIu ttllu Syll
patny us to the high political destiny and
moral duty which await our party. know
that justice and honor govern your con
duct in all things, but at the same time
fear that some OF you, whose names it il
not necessary to mention, but who know
will understand me, have been in the mat
ter now under consideration, actuated bys
mistaken sense of right. and by miscon-
ception of those duties and obligations
which, as men, you owe to our party. 1t
seems to me, therefore most remarkable
error on your pant to attempt to crafty
the unveiled seltshness of a man who it
seems is willing to sacrifice party ohliga.
tions and to violate that fealty which we
all owe to our constituents in order to con
tinue iii office Il few personal friends, but
political enemies, / believe. Judge Thos.
Christian was influenced solely by a false
idea of friendship. l feel confident that
no mercenaly motive ever even suggested
itself to him. but do think that he should
have been governed by u higher and nobleI
feeling than either friendship or gratitude
Il sense OF duty and a recognition OF the
solemn obligation he tacitly took upon him.
self when he assumed the position given
him by a Democratic constituency.
He should have recalled that noble Senti
ment uttered by the Irish patriot Emmett
Il love thee, dear, not so well love not
honor more
do not wish to be misunderstood, for
entertain no hostile prejudice to any man
because he differs with me politically, but
do desire it to be known Of all men, that in
politics | recognize no individual, and
regard it as my solemn and only duty tC
elevate the power, influence, and char
acter Of my party. But let us reason to-
gether, let us look at the situation, and de.
termine what it becomes you to do under
the circumstances.
d Y GU must remember, that during the
last campaign, we denounced the enemy
for turning out of our charitable institu-
tions the old, tried and experienced Off
GERS for no other reason than that they
were Democrats, and filling their places
with inexperienced and untried partizans.
When the bills for the removal of the
Coalition boards were under conSidera-
ton, the sole and prevailing idea was to
replace the officers who had been removed
and thereby set the seal of our condemns
ton upon the action of the Coalition Leg
islature. We have captured and destroyed
the citadel of political corruption and
compelled the enemy to surrender, and
shall We in this, the hour of triumph of
the Anglo-Saxon, by bargain and sale, or
what is still worse. by collision with the
enemy, show to the world that our thirst
was for gain and our only ambition was to
acquire power and office? And yet you
will say contract was made, an agree
ment was entered into, and you must keep
it. say, away with such contract. 1t
would have been better had the bills been
defeated than to divide spoils, and, as a
party, to forfeit that high principle which
should actuate us. Go. We senators, to the
doubling Thomas, and appeal to him to
release you from the agreement, which
must have been made without proper
thought And I feel that he will reconsid-
Ell his unwise conduct, and if he will not
you yourselves can defeat this undemo-
cratic alliance by resigning positions to
which Il hope you will pardon me for say
ing IT'D you, members of the General AS
sembly, ought never to have been ap-
pointed. [ write this in the interest of,
OF against no individual, but / merely
utter the protest which swells up in the
indignant breast of every Democrat in
this, my county. JOHN N. OPIE.
CARD TO THE HON. JNO. N. OPIE.
Dear SIR In your card recently pub
lished | must say you have done me and
other senators very great injustice, in
charging that there was a collision OF
combination as to the election of q Board of
Directors for the Deaf and Dumb Asylum.
having for its chief object the election of
Major Charles S. Roller as superintendent
of the same. But for the very great in
justice you have done others would treat
your card with that silent contempt which
| think it deserves.
The facts in this matter are as follows
The present incumbent of the asylum as
is the Hon. Charles S.
Roller. who was my former roommate and
bed-fellow and is my particular friend.
Although we have differed very widely in
our politics, and perhaps in our religion,
none of these differences have ever alieni-
ated our friendship, and if | may be al
lowed to say it, / think was instrumental,
through the kindness of Major Roller, in
retaining Democratic professor in that
Institution under Readjuster rule. And
when the fact became known to me that
the Hon. John N. Opie was a personal en-
envy and prosecutor of Major Roller /
would have been an ungrateful dog had [
not loaned my influence in retaining q gen.
tleman in this position fitted specially for
this place, and with no charge against him
Opie's Democracy could permit him to
lionize Messrs. Wickham and Callahan,
and install in fat Office Mr.. Wingfield,
all Straightout Republicans, but he cannot
permit my Democracy to recommend a
gentleman who had been a Readjuster, and
| am alluded to by Mr.. Opie as the doubt
full Thomas" In reply to which l will
say that have never had doubt about
anything save in the Democracy Of Mr..
Opie, and the sanity Of any constituency
that would elect such a fire-eater after
having for their representatives such men
as John B. Baldwin and John Echols. N O.,
Mr.. Opie, am not now nor never was a
but / am afraid it is more
than you can say and as to any allusion of
yours about mercenary motives, &c., of
mine it contemptuouslv refutes itself
among all sensible and decent people,
What can gain from a party that IS in
the minority two to one and elected as my
successor, under Readjuster rule a Repub-
lican Judge ? Conscientiously opposed as
| was with four OF five senators that agreed
with me in caucus against running these
institutions as you would political ma
chine, and in view of the oath that each
member of the Board Of Directors has
to take, how they can do otherwise than
act non-partisanI cannot see. / will state
this. that | did make request of some of
these gentlemen whom | thought possibly
might be placed on the Board of Directors
for the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and some
of these gentlemen promised to use their
influence for Mr.. Roller in the event of
their being on the Board of Directors.
Only two members that had ever spoken
to happened to be placed upon the Board,
and after they had been nominated not
one of them have l ever importuned or
have they made to me any promises since
their appointment as directors and I will
further declare that / am not (by many
the only Democrat in the State of Vir-
ginia that has recommended Major Roller
for reelection; and if necessary I can
name some of the more influential Demo-
cratic canvassers in the State who have
given this gentleman the highest testi-
monials. In vindication of myself and
friends, hope Mr.. Opie and the public
will read this card.
/ am very respectfully,
L. j. CHRISTIAN.
P.S.-This card would Ihave been pub
lished sooner had not been absent from
the city. T. ]. g.
Isn't it kind of curious that no woman