Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-02-06
MORNING. FEB. 6, 1855.
AWORD OF ADVICE,

IL w CAO VI FL lCEs
So fast does time pass, that in little
bore than ninety days the two parties of
Virginia will be holding their pi imaries to
elect delegates to their respective State
Conventions. Advice given now when
he waters are calm will be of much more
alue than it would be thrown upon the
POLITICAL waters when they are turbulent
With personal preferences. We have no
pats among the promireat Democrats of
Virginia who it is our desire or interest
% promote in public life. We regard
hem solely on their ability to reach the
PJsition for which their party may nomi-
ate them. and their cap acity to Gill it
when reached. In other words we regard
public men as for use by the party and
bot the party as for use by its public men.
was solely on that ground that we were
D urgent for the promotion of John s.
Barbour to the Chairmanship of the Dem
Pcratic State Committee. It is solely on
his ground that we now earnestly advise
he party to make him it's candidate for
Governor. He is the one naG,a in Virginia
With whom victory over Malone Is sure.
And this the party all through the State
recognizes. 1t is said he is to be Post
oaster General. or very likely to be; very
rood; that should not interfere with his
Fontinned service to his State. A Cabi-
pet officer can easily resign to become
Governor of State. It would be per-
onal sacrifice? $50 it would be, but, If we
mistake not, John s. Barbour has made
luite as 6 reat sacrifices for the Democrat
e party of the 9Th district and of the
Ftate in the past; and this last sacrifice
you'd give Virginia peace for four years
In argument that we don't think he is
he man to Withstand. We can under
tand very well how little there is to
pc desired IN the position of Cover.
Dor of Virginia to any public man; that
is political pigeon hole out of which
he tenant creeps at long intervals waving
veto in his hand to show to the people
hat there is such an official as COVER
Dor; but the people can easily change
hat into seat in the U. s. Senate, which
Mr.. Barbour will fairly be entitled to and
(which Virginia will be glad to give him.
We give the Democracy this advice thus
earlv because we see f,ating through the
press recommendations of many able,
popular, and IN all respects worthy gen.
lemen, for the post. We would not de-
fract from them. and will support any one
bf them who is nominated with all our
bower; but we apprehend that this much
5 to be said of some of them-that their
domination would be the last act in the
drama. Mere personal popularity will
not insure the election; the simple posses
Pion of the capacity to fill it does not in
Pure reaching the position-the candidate
must have these and more; he must have
? capacity for organizing, already so fully
Tested IN full view Of the Democracy of
Virginia as to give them nflence of uic.
ory. In all the gloom of the four years
preceding 81. but one man inspired that
eon61ence, and with him in front the par
~ came ont of slavery. Aud it is this
that makes him indispensable now-we
want to exchange no certainty for chan.
5te5, however brilliant. The nomiLa-
tion for the governorship of Virginia this
year is to be no matter of personal COM
3pliment. of locality of the nominee, or Of
Traditional memories-it is to Uin.
There are two things that the Demo-
cratic party should commerce schooling
fits mind against undertaking its enemy,
|or taking a man on trust with whom
Ito beat that enemy. AS for the other
names; after the head of the ticket we
have no personal preference, indeed we
|h ave no preference atall outside of the
practical value Of the nominee. Looking
lat the footing up of the vote in the various
districts they can fnd who
has made larger gain and captured more
counties from the enemy than was accom-
|plished in any other district aud select
him for L. Govern or. What the Den.oc
Tracy of Virginia will want -snofe than
anything next fell ... is nominees who will
bring out The cote. Mr.. Barbour's name
|eeems to US as that of man who has
shown that be can do it. If there is any
|uther man whose record shows better or as
we'll, why then give US tie other man.
W hlle our columns are not thrown open to
THE public for suggesting their individual
friends for position, yet they are open to
ANY communication in which are given
the facts as to the record for availability.
AS we have said, our interest is not in
man, but in the men who can be shown to
be able to win.
We hope the Democratic party will heed
this advice. 1t has not been so long out
of Babylon that it is ready to go back into
captivity again. With Malone on the
throne in Virginia, the sight of a scatter
irg of Cleveland appointeeS comfortably
filling the Federal offices would be an ex-
ASPIRATION rather than a compensation
And yet it is melancholy fact that there
is such an animated hunt for Federal po-
sition such satisfied and secure feeling
in sight of Federal 5poils, that some of the
most active men of the Democratic party
in the State seem to have forgotten that
there is to be another conflict of unparal-
leled severity, because of its expected
decisive character, to commence in Vir-
ginia in less than four months and for
which the enemy is already and industri-
ously preparing. In this Valley, inst
twenty years ago one of the most humili-
ating defeats an army ever got. was expe-
rienced just after victory. The victori-
GUS troops were suddenly called from
loot to defeat. What was it to them
then that few pieces of artillery had
been captured in the engagement and sent
safely to the rear before the reverse came?
What will it be to the Democratic people