Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-12-11
THE VIRGINIA SENA TORSHIP.

4
The choice of the Democratic members
of the Virginia legislature for successor
to Gen. Malone 10 the U. 5. Senate has
fallen on Hon. John Warwick Daniel,
one of the most gifted and brilliant ora
tors that Virginia has produced. With Z
a face and physique to match his supei b
eloquenee, he has before him field in
which to realize that dream of the people,
that the old time prestige of our State for
oratory In the halls of Congress should be
revived. 1t is dream in which this
writer has shared and We had always as
signed him the succession to Riddleberger.
Mr.. Daniel besides being an orator of The
highest intellectual standard, is in sympa
thy with the views of the great majority
of the State he will represent on pro-
lection to home products and national alo
to education. He will go into the Sena,-
with two years training in the House,
training of which his industry will mo-
permit the benefits to bs lost. The claims
of Mr.. Daniel on his party were strons
and undeniable. His best service hau
been rendered to it on the hussings and
in legislative halls, 10 season aud out o.
season, without sulklng in defeat and
without fear or faltsring So much
for our estimate of the new Senator for
Virginia, an estim ats which Is as true as
it Is high and which has oftrL before Deen
expressed Of him in these columns. And
now few words about his defeated COM
pstitor.
Hon John S. Barbour in the matter ot
party service had rendered it to the Dem
ocrats Of Virginia in a higher degree than
any man that ever lived in her history
He had set her free from the most CALLING
bondage in which the misfortunes of poll
tics had ever placed her. 1t Was service
for which no reward could De too great. His
mind, his means, and his talent for pOiiti-
Cal organization have been given in season
and out, a any cost Of toll and watchfui-
ness, year after year, for three years.
Having set her free he applied his whole
energies to keeping her free. He used
his own and the talents of others to con.
duct the campaigns which kept her 80.
What Grant was to the Union armies and
Lee to the Confederate armies, John S.
Barbour was to the Democratic party of
Virginia. If victories are credited to
commanding generals, and promotion to
successful conductors of campaigns, such
credit aad promotion was his due-the
promotion subject to the condition that he
III cr1itoH IF Wo mr. uduoantoe nf
giving political rewards merely for party
service. We sho1ld as soon think of
putting a farmer or a merchant on the
judicial bench simply because he had car
rled his county for the party. Mr.. Bar
bour Is qualified for the Senatorship. He
is longheaded, sagaciOus, farseeing
statesman; calm under all circumstances,
thoroughly acquainted with national af
fairs and man of great influence in
congress. His views On any matter would
command the respect of both parties in
the Senate, and he is man of great in
telectual force. 1t was because of his
unimpeachable fitness coupled with the
services he had rendered the Democratic
party of Virginia, that we advocated his
election to the place of Senator Malone,
while we urged the selection of Major
Daniel to succeed Mr.. Riddleberger. 1t
is because we still and as strongly hold
these views of Mr.. Barbour, tn 1t We sim
cerely regret his defeat, and that we
shall welcome any future opportunity
to repay him the debt, that, in common
with all Virginia Democrats, we owe him.
1t has been thought best by the represen-
tatives Of the party in the legislature to
defeat him, but that fact will not for
moment lessen the high regard in which
the Democratic people of the State hold
him. Il will be matter of congratula-
ton to the people of Augusta in their
disappointment, to know that the three
representatives from this county stood
staunchly by the old commander and
voiced their sentiments and wishes in the
caucus. This county, like this journal,
was decided in the opinion that both
Barbour and Daniel should be in the u.
s. Senate, and that Barb our should be the
successor of Malone Its representatives
simply registered that opinion by their
votes.