The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-24
He Proposes to Abandon Military Parades and
Brass Bands, and Will Be Inaugurated
in True Democratic Simplicity.
The PrOfuse Promise and Poor Perform
ance Of the Army Weather Bureau.
DiSgraceful Features of the Consular Service
How Certain Congressman Secured the
Removal of Female Office Holders.
GOVERNOR FITZHUGH LEE.

Promised Change of Heart, Which VIII BE
, Gladly Welcomed.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-Fitzhugh Lee the
newly elected Governor of Virginia. has an
-nnsounced with good deal of parade that he pro-
poses to Sc inaugurated in the good old Demo
cratic style and without any of the fummery and
ostentation which have Chs racterized the Repub-
licsn inaugurations in the pass--Ehis is the first
evidence that has been received from Virginia of
the change of heart of the Bourbon GoSernor
His campaign was conducted with more ostenfSS
ton, brass bands and general fapdoodle, than
that of any other man who ever ran for so inn
portant an office. Not only this but the modest
Governor of the old Commonwealth of Virginia
insulted every man who believed in the Union
by Haunting in the faces of the people of Vir-
ginia the badge of disloyalty, which, in any
country in Europe, and even this, under any less
humane administration than the Republican has
been, would have placed his neck in the halter
instead of himself in o position of honor. Some
of the picture stores in Washington are
still decorated with massive photographs
of this son of tho Old Dominion in which he ap-
pears in full regimentals, while his shoulders
are decorated with the knots which show his
rank while fighting against his country beneath
the stars and bars. The campaign is over now,
and Fitzhugh Lee was elected by rather more
than the usual Bourbon majority. 1t is unnec-
essary to go back to examine the causes which
led up to his success. 1t is enough to know that
the people of the North are more than justified
in everything they have said about the condition
of the South. and the -ebel,ious spirit which
still prevails there. Fitzhugh Lee will perhaps
be inaugurated Governor of Virginia without a
brass band. but he was not elected Governor of
Virginia without ostentatious parade of the fact
that he wore the rebel gray; and it must be re-
membered that he was accompanied On his
stumping tours by squad of cavalry wearing
the confederate uniform. There is one thing in
this connection which seems to have been for
gotten in the heat of the campaign. Lee says
that his cavalry were not dressed in
the rebel uniform. but that they
wore the dress of the Virginia State
militia. If this is true, it would seem that he
conducted his campaign. after ALL with the aid
of troops, and those who are familiar with the
history of Congress during the last decade will
perhaps remember that in 1877, right after the
inauguration OF President Hayes there was
big row created over the alleged fact that Union
troops participated in elections in the South.
The Republican party was accused of all sorts Of
brutality and intimidation because it was found
necessary in the reconstructed region to protect
the franchise of the negro with federal bayo-
nets. The posse commitatus clause of the army
bill of that year afforded the Democratic editors
text for many able screed Perhaps some
of them, in reviewing the campaign of 1885, may
find that the abuse which they heaped upon the
Republican federal authorities in 1876 will apply
with equal force to the Virginia State officials.
and especially Gen. Fitzhugh Lee in this year
of grace.