Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-08-21
BOMBASTIC 8OUHBONS.

=
to G ct into their hatulent platform
alm) st everything that wiser mel
would have left out. Equal sue
cess attended their effort to leav,
out that which prudent politicians
won Id have insisted on putting IN
In. the light of the experience o
tho last twenty-five years, ont
would naturally suppOse-we meaI
any one but a Bourbon that ;
De mOcratic state convention would
ire adj softly and speak low on th'
gu estion OF state sovereignty, no
state rights, but the theory that
state is superior to the United
States in the things delegated t
latter.
But these Virginia BOurbOns arr
afflicted with a chronic and in
durable incapacity to learn any
lesson from experience. WheI
they put their wagon on the track
belonging, by the federal cOnsti
tuition, TO the general government
and have seen it smashed into
kindling wood by the federal loco
motive, they Immediately put
another wagon on the same track
and, if warned that it is going tC
meet the same fate as its prede
cessor, they eject pint of tobacco
juice per man and exclaim with
one voice: Begawd, sab, it cant
be done-leastwise not in Vir
giniaw
In their fearfully and wonder
fully constructed platform these
deliciously asinine Bourbons rise
up and declare that the question is
whether the state OF Virginia
shall be arraigDed before the
federal courts, controlled by Re-
publican judges, adjudicating upon
the sovereign rights of the state in
the interest of the bondholders."
If that is the question, and "the
state of Virginia" is ''arraigned be.
fore the federal courts" what are
these bumptiOus BourbOns going to
do about it We do not propose at
this time to discuss any phase of
the debt question. That and the
question of federal authority are
distinct. The Virginia Republicans
take issue with the opposition upon
any and all threats of disobedience
of the federal authority. Rebellion
or hints or threats to rebellion are
not needed in the management of
Virginia finances.
The New York Tribune, refer
ring to this blast of hostility to the
federal power, says of the Bourbons
that
They mean to overpower ma
lOrity Of the people of the state, to
deprive enough of the right of suf-
frage in defiance Of the constitu-
ton to give a minority the power,
and to nullify acts of Congress de-
signed to protect citizens in the ex.
ercise of the right Of suffrage by
means of these acts of the Virginia
legislature which give to partizan
officials unlimited opportunity for
the safe exclusion of voters and
for fraud. The Republicans Of
Virginia have only this one obsta-
Gle to overcome. If they can up.
hold and enforce the laws and the
constitution of the United States,
they are sure to prevail. But the
rebellion led by a Lee, and appeal
ing to the people to set up state
sovereignty against the United
States authority, will conquer fit
can, by putting down the constitu-
ton which enfranchised the ne
groes and the laws which were de-
signed to protect all citizens in their
rights
We may add that there is not in
the city of Washington an intelli.
gent man of either party who will
even pretend to believe that the
Virginia Democrats intend to have
an honest election.
I'VE should be id fools to let
Malone get on Top again, under
any circumstances, when we have
the election machinery in our hands
was the remark made by one ofthe
most influential Virginia Democrats
last Friday. The only hope for the
Republicans is to create such a
of public sentiment as
will compel the plotters to submit
to a fair vote and an honest count.
National Republican.