The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-01-17

made subordinate to the vile, wicked, in
cendiaryappeals to race prejudices. Ifsuch
be the popular wish, then indeed may we
exclaim, Poor Old Virginia, for it will
sound the death knell of her hopes, and
cause all her true friends to bemoan her
sad fate in sackcloth and ashes.
-
1.-THE only National party that exists in this
eountryil!' Well, let us look at the only Ma
tional party's claims to be National. 1t hasn't
of this country. 1t hasn't one member of its
cabinet outside of that section. 1t hasn't one
abroad to the civilized world who comes from
outside of that section. There is the Virgintdn'
National party for you! There is but one party
the line and that is the Democratic party, the
only National party in America, and which Is
the most likely one, now in sight. to take charge
OF the affairs OF the Nation after March 4. 1880.
Nothing but supreme folly on the part OF its own
representative men can avert its victory. Pin-
dictator.
True to the intincts and traditions OF its
party, the Viadicator can think of nothing
else but office. Were it to get above that
sordid consideration. it might see in the adj
ministrative policies Of the Republican par
ty that which ought to command the support
and allegiance of every intelligent man
North and South. The Republican party has
given the country National Banking sys-
tenn that affects all sections alike, and
gives to the people and to business safe,
reliable currency. that forms the basis of
all commercial and industrial calculations.
1t has given to the country tariff laws
which have operated to the development Of
the material resources Of all sections,
building up industrial enterprises in the
South and North, and advancing National
wealth and credit beyond all precedent,
either in this OF any other country. 1t
has given national homestead law, which
invites the industrious of all sections to
make homes for themselves and their fam
lilies almost without money and without
price. 1t has successfully protested against
| Democratic State banks and greenbacks
and successfully inangurated specie pay
ment, against Democratic votes. 1t has
arrested Democratic projects for a ''reve-
nue. only'' tariff, which meant the reno
val of all protective guards to home indus
tries and inviting thepauper made products
| of Europe to invade our markets without
competition. 1t has thus stimulated and
advanced the interests Of the farmer, the
mechanic, the artiZan, the merchant, the
professional man, and every class Of com
munity, whether of the North or South
East or West.
| 1t has not one electoral vote in the
South. Aye, indeed. And why The
South has twenty or thirty members Of
Congress, based ON the citizenship of the
| enfranchised class. 1t has by reason Of
this, forty or sixty electoral votes. which
enable it to. cast 153 votes in the
electoral coIlege-requiring only forty
nine from the North and West to give it q
majority. The popular basis on which
this is predicated, is in many localities,
practically dlsfranchised by Bourbon vio-
llence and intimidation. There are no free
and fair elections in at least half dozen
States, where it is well-known the Repub-
Ilicans have majority. The South is thus
made solid, with but little hope of it being
broken, we admit. There is no discussion
of national questions verdict upon mo-
tiorsdl policies. Bourbon methods will not ad.
NIT of this. We have the evidence in the re-
cent Virginia election that the discussion OF
! neither State morn ational measures affect
ing legislation, was tolerated in the canvass.
It was race prejudice.a as it is in other South
| ern States, but to greater extent there
than here. The political power conferred
by Acknowledgement is greedily exercised,
but the conditions ON which it was OBJ
| tanned denied and repudiated. 1t is power
gotten on false pretenses and premises,
and should be no more exercised than
should the obtainer of goods under false
pretenses, escape criminal prosecution.
In the North, it is different. Every
man votes there as he thinks or DESIRES -
The basis of representation is recognized
and the popular verdict, unembarrassed
and unmolested, is recorded. Occasion
ally the Democracy get a few electoral
votes there, in proportion as ignorance and
ceprevail as the preponderating influence
The wealth and intelligence of the North
and West vote, generally, the Republican
ticket, and it is only where indifference is
manifested or disposition to rebuke inn
proper practices in the Republican party,
that it is otherwise. With the same free
dom-the same liberty granted to the
ignorant in the South that is allowed in
the North, the South would not be solid
any more than is the North and not as
much so. The North is solid or principles
principles involved in the financial and
industrial systems of the country. The
South is solid. from race hate and preju-
dice, and utterly regardless of either prin-
ciple OF policy affecting national admins
tration.
AS to the Offices, We do not give that
the Importance which our neighbor seems to
do. Such favors generally follow electoral
votes, whether wise or unwise. But they
are of immaterial moment when brought in
comparison with the administrative poll
cies of the government the banking
system-the custom laws, and the moving
cause of industrial progress and business
security-wherein all the people are vitality
intersected. The Offices are only for the
few.-administrativ policies forthe many,
and it is these that the Republican party
gives paramount consideration.
The expression Of bright expectation for
1884, and the advent to power of the De-
mocracy, is only delusion of the Vindi-
Gator, or more likely, given out to delude
it's readers. There is very little substan-
tial ground for any such hope. The intel
ligence of the country is not yet prepared
to accept a party of negatives simply OPP
position--as the exponent Of American
interests, progressing so rapidly in all the
avenues of commerce and manufacture,
in art and science. There must be some
thing positive, aggressive, self-reliant,
and which corresponds with the increas-
ing material, mental and moral forces of
the Nation, to win the votes and crystal
ize the influence of the intelligence of the
country. This the Republican party Of
fers and the Democratic party does not.
And for this and other reasons the Demo
cracy viii have to content itself with
fault-fnding, grumbling and obstruction,
for another Presidential term.