The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-06-04
[For the vrEGINIAN.
The Convention.
IMPORTANCE or coNsERv ATIsM IN IT'S
TEMPER AND WISDOM IN IT'S c0UNsELs.

IEMB.h AND " lsDOh IN HIS COlN6El.S.
Our approaching convention is exciting
some interest. Perhaps not as much as it
ought to. Parties aspire in this country
to the exercise of very high and RESPONSE
Bile trusts. They assume TO select and
nominate to the people, the officers they
ought to elect to public places and when
once in power, they propose practically.
to furnish the material for filling all the
Judicial, as well as the executive, Offices in
those two departments of government.
No party is really worthy OF public conf
dence which does not appreciate the o6t5-
| cations and responsibilities ofsuch a trust.
1t will be idle for us to rely upon the debt
| question, y or the blair School Bill. 7 to
elect our candidates, if we select men who
! do not command the full confidence of the
| public, not only as to their capacity, but
as to their integrity. When our party was
III power it made some great mistakes in
| the selection OF local officers, and that, not
unfrequently in respect of very important
stations. 1t is the consequence Of this, we
are now suffering from, quite as much as
any other ''ail-ment." 1t is al wrong in
principle to say that the party in power
must put none but partizaMs in Office
under any circumstances. The party i'll
| power has for it's highest, most sacred OBJ
legation, the duty of giving the people
good government and for tlljs, capable and
honest officers are necessary. In localities
where the party is weak and has not suit
able material, party interests should be
| Subordinated to the sacred obligation
aforesaid Il and if need be, the officer should
even be taken from the other side. The
| duty to see that the party lives up to this
principle, rests upon all the members of
the party, and particularly upon those,
who by reason of influence, and talents,
are prominent in the party. Any one, or
a few leaders OF q party, if left alone,
| to manage this matter. are much more
likely to err, than if the body OF the party
in convention viii feel and act upon q
sense OF this general duty, and III the eX-
! erciSe OF free and intelligent manhood,
consult and deliberate over these matters
and devise such measures as win most
certainly build up the party in the public
favor and regard | do not know any
better way Of indicating to the people our
purpose OF giving them good officers, in all
subordinate stations, ii again entrusted
with power, than for us to put forward for
! Governor, Lieutenant-G0vern0r and At
torney General the wisest and purest men
we have. There is at this time in the
| public desire, an absolute craving for
character in public station. The party
which nominates the most upright men is
going to win i'll this fight in Virginia. 1t
matters not whether they be orators or
not. In this fight - good name is better
than great riches, wise head better
than silvery tongue, a liberal mind bet
ter than much cunning.' And q big,
honest, sincere heart, is the one quality
above all others to be sought after. We
have good material. If our delegates all
go to the convention impressed with
the paramount Importance, both as a
matter of duty and as a matter of policy.
of regarding these things. III choosing
their nominees. and determined to exer-
else their free, untramelled Judgment, in
choosing rulers for the people, they are apt
to select men whom the people will de-
light to honor. If they are false to this
trust they may look to see the party
beaten 10000 votes. Again, there must
be toleration-freedom of thought, and
freedom of speech III the party. We stul-
lily ourselves, and belle all Of orr 91rofessed
l5beraltW and hatred of Bourbon proscrp-
ton. if we, for All instant, question the
right of ALL or any members of the party.
to assemble and meet together, when and
where it pleases Them to consult and con-
/ fer as to the interests of the party
Knowing by constant reading how very
conservative and wise your journal is. adj
miring its catholic spirit-deprecating
contention and discOrd-Sineerely longing
to see the Republican party Of Virginia
take and hold, in the public affection, that
place which its principles entltle it to
have-l have yentured to offer through
your columns, for the consideration Of
such of your readers as belong to the same
organization with us, the views above eX-
pressed. have always thought the best
way to correct our faults is to discover