Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-12-04
TRIUMPHANT IN DEFEAT.

pendent paper wlich withheld iis
support from both pa',ics I'D r.c
late election, after seeing how DC
was done in that patol Virginia,
now comes out with The following
expose and comments, under thc
above heading:
'1f from our Mngwump stand-
point We could not OF, at least, dil
not choose between the two par
ties in this state in our editorial
capacity when the campaign open
ed, and we therefore declared that
we would remain neutral we Ger.
tainly had our eyes opened before
it had proceeded far; but We were
determined to keep our paper ont
of partizan politics and TO see tie
campaign close as it began, with
out committing ourselycs. II IS
true some people imagined We had
committed ouIself on several &C..
casIons. when we Only showed in
dependence where they expected
me too Yet we were fully con-
WINGED that We made a mistake IN
not supporting the Republican
ticket for though we had become
disgusted with State politics be-
cause of the offensive sectional and
race feeling which characterized
them, we saw clearly, az the pro-
gress of the campaign developed
the methods Of the Bourbon party,
that the Republican party was
fighting for principle and against
the intOlerant spirit Of its mntag-
onist. We had good evidence Of
all this in our Uwn capacity, but
we choose to speak in 4 more gen.
eral way just now.
dwell, We know why some
Northern Republicans, after settl-
ing in this section, become Demo
Gratis. We know why Democrats
trlumphantly point to them as
proof that the Democratic is the
respectable and intelligent party
here. Those Republicans are Re.
publicans in sentiment all the while
and are all the more convinced OF
the truth of their creed, in seeing
it antagouized by this spirit Of IN
tolerance, which for social and
business considerations they some
times feel con strained 10 c0nciliate
For it is utterly without reason,
and reason cannot convince; and
though jefferson said 'error can
be safely tolerated where reason is
left free to combat it,'-this error
Is so intrenched in passion, PIE
judice and sentiment that when an
opportunity occurs-likc a State
political campaign-tO combat It
with reason and practical argument
it sweeps them from their bearings
or they simply retire, and for the
sake of social or business interests
seem to 60 with the current.
"But, still the assertion of JEFF
ferson is true. Though this Boar
bon party has won it has not dar-
ed to appear IN its true colors. Its
platform and its arguments we've
fashioned after the Liberal party's
creed. The people had been in
structed by the logic Of eyents,and
the Bourbon, though hating the
Liberal, adopted his creedas meth
cd in his madness. While this
strategy was practised where a
show of argument was required,
the Fitz Lee cavAlcades and bar
becues were run with vigor 10 ac-
complish happier results. The
bloody shirt was vigorously waved
by the Bourbons, while yelling
their purpose with the hypocritlcal
cry of bloody shirt against the
North. Let the Mugwumps of the
North, in their innocent simplicity,
assist these Bourbons, whose real
purposes they do not know-it Will
be all right. Let negro votes as
sist, and let weakened Democrats
and Republicans assist this Bour-
bonism,-it will be the death of 1t,
and the ultimate triumph OF the
principles of the brave party which
now seems defeated
-------sz-D