The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-07-30

Exc Congressman John S. Wise, of Vir
4 ginia, the Republican nominee for Coy
| ern0T, who is at the Fifth Avenue Hotel
! was asked the other day by a Tribune re-
| porter about the political situation there
| and replied If the Republicans of the
| North will cease treating us like poor re.
lati0ns, fit only to eat at the second table,
and give us that moral and earnest support
which we deserve, there will be no trouble
about making Virginia Republican State
permanently. 1t is worth a great effort,
because OF the possibilities that it opens
up. 1t would reform the entire line of
battle for the party, instead of leaving it
| driven back on the old and pitiless North
and South boundary. Then, too, if we
carry Ohio in October of this year and
Virginia and New Y ork in November
think the Newly ork outlook is very bright
that will be such black eye foi the ad-
ministration that we will have an easy
victory in 1882
docs the vote as heretofore cast en-.
courage the belief that you can carry Vir-
ginia permanently
why not? We polled last fall 141. 900
votes. The highest Republican vote ever
polled III the State prior to that was only
$4,000. They beat us by only 5000 votes.
Ii the Republican National Committee
had given US speakers and aided us other
wise as they did other states. we could have
wiped that out entirely. There are no two
opinions ABOUT the proposition. There are
Two great mountain ranges running down
through our State full of rich minerals.
Inc people engaged in developing them
are hardy race of whites. They are pro-
tect1ve tariff men. We have $4,000 votes
there in the west. We have 90. 600. mostly
colored, votes in the east. The two ele-
ments dovetail tremendously into one
solid phalanx that is growing every year.
Inc people OF our State were always Fed
erallsts, which is another consideration
generally overlooked. Why, my father. in
1850, advocated the doctrine that we must
stand by the Union, let the Government
become the opponents of the Union. and
the Northern States kick themselves out
OF 1t. After Sumpter was fired on, no ar
gument or reason could stop the tide which
swept everybody into the war. Our peo-
pie IN Virginia were taught for genera
lions such reverence for Washington and
Federalism that have known my grand
father to knock men down for attacking
The Washingtonian doctrine. The negroes
OF our State are OF more intelligent type
Than IN the other Southern States. Their
'AAANtsoAO1 10 1u1 buCl duVduG6Qs 1u0Y l
were further advanced at the time of their
and have made considerable
progress since, 1t is possible to organize
Them on an intelligent and enduring basis, |
as it is not possible elsewhere. There are
other reasons why think we can carry the /
state, some OF them personal, OF which / |
10 not care to speak,"
What will be the main issues of the
canvass ?"
The campaign will be largely local. The /
tcIS OF the Bourbon Legislature furnish /
abundant material for canvass entirely 1
to State issues. They unseated
seventeen members of the Legislature and 1
Kept their successors from taking their
seats until they had carried out their de-
signs. They unseated three Senators and
'equ!red them to be reelected three times
,yer before they would give them seats.
Iney seated one man as Senator who had I
)een defeated by thousands of votes and
VINO mad not even made contest for the
eat. This was to give them the necessary
thirds majority to complete their vii
any. They legislated in every way, hold
ng five sessions in all for that purpose, so
IS to throw out Republicans elected to
lffice and to recreate the office with a
3ourbon occupant. They took away from
he Governor powers that have been at
ached to his office for a hundred years.
They passed relief measures for 14O Bour-
ION collectors in the amount of over S10C.-
'0O-money collected by them and much of
t spent in Bourbon campaigns. Their
most infamous measure was the creation
It an electoral commission of three men,
'ers in each county in the State, made up
IT their own party members. It was in
ended to give them great force of work.
rs, as there are hundred counties in the
State. We shall be able to defeat the eff
orts of these boards by care and watch
illness. There are not oyer twelve or
fifteen counties that have been corrupted
md in which they can do any work of the
ind designed. Aside from these local
ssues, the tariff question will have some
prominence. 1t may be that before
his canvass is over the Virginia bond
folders will be supporting the Republic
an cause there. That would be a curl
'us circumstance, would it not? Yet we
lave never swerved from the position
aiken in the Riddleberger settlement. i'll
hey help US it will be because they have
,ome oyer to us through fear of reputation
" the Bourbons. They called us repudi-
tors only year ago. Tribune.