The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-10-22
Vote Down Sectionalisrn.

ierceness it continued until 1861, when it
in the attempt practically to
enforce the doctrine of secession and form
a separate Confederacy out OF the slave
holding States. The result we all know.
and it was hoped the removal of the cause
of the embittered feeling between the
sections would, in course of time, bring
about that mutual forbearance and toler-
ance, which would assure harmony aud
peace and progress to the whole Union. =
Certainly it was believed that the people
of each State would devote themselves to
the obliteration of war sentiments and
prejudices and the duty be recognized of
living up firmly and brayelyto the terms of
adjustment agreed upon and incorporated
into the constitutions of the States and
the United States. Ten years ago. if it
had been suggested that political cam
paign in Virginia would ever be conducted
as this one is-one party depending upon
cavalry parades, headed by a Confederate
General, caparisoned as if marshalling a
hostile military force and appealing to the
soldiers of the ''lost cause" to rally to The
support of their leader-the suggestion
would have been taken as that of Il mad
man. Instead of this, however, it is re-
garded by the managers of the Bourbon
party as the essential means to success.
The great questions affecting State policy,
as well as national interests. are practical
ly ignored. They dare not face and de-
fend their record either upon State issues,
or national issues, relating to the material
interests of the people, and peaceful pro-
gress of the State and Nation. The pref
udices of race and section con stitute the
warp and wool of their appeals. At one
time we will see glowing account of the
marching columns of cavalry, headed by
their candidate for Governor, and at an
other time. an insidious Indictment to
race antagonisms, to arouse the feeling Of
the white against the colored man. There
| is no rational cause for either of these
mischievous methods of conducting the
compaign. There is no threatened en-
croachment upon the interests and rights
of the South-no invasion of her consti-
tutional safeguards--no manifested feeling
of hostility to any Southern interest On
the contrary, Northern capital and enter
prise have. constructed our railroads. aided
in building our furnaces and factories,
Northern people have purchased our lands
and made their homes amongst us, and
throughout all the States numbered with
those that sided with the Union the
friendliest and most catholic spirit is en-
couraged. The negroes are pursuing the
even tenor of their Notwithstanding the
duties of citizenship to ths best of their
knowledge-are essential and indispensi-
BILE factors in our industrial relations. and
are struggling to improve themselves both
in the requirement of knowledge and the
accumulation of property-the sure guar
antees of conservative relations to COM
munity. There is no where any menace
to the orderly conduct of government in
the Southern States coming from the
Northern States-there is no interest that
would not be more readily and surely pros
pered, with good feeling between the Sec
lions, and the full and complete rights of
citizenship recognized. Yet, partizan in
terests have made it advisable for the
managers of one of the political parties to
the pending contest to resort to military
enthusiasm and the ardor of camp deyO-
tion, to draw attention from the real,
practical issues to be determined in the
hope of effecting result that the calm
| judgment and deliberate verdict of the
people would never endorse.
We ask the calm, intelligent, conserya-
tive people of Virginia, whether they are
prepared to sanction such anomalous pro-
ceedings, so foreign to the welfare of the
Commonwealth, so pregnant of mista-
ken sense CT duty, so fraught with harm
| to the State Is it their wish to revive
the prejudices of war times, and make
them the guage of duty in affairs of State
at period of profound peace when
great and vital interests of government
are at stake? Are they willing to be car
ried away in adelirium of excitement over
marching columns, Haunting banners. and
sounding bugles, and lose sight of the i'm
portant questions at issue directly relating
to material progress, and that national fra.
! termination which is essential to the pros
perity of the South as we'll as the North
We know the great mass of the people
condemn the manner and methods of
the canvass as conducted by the Bour-
bons. They see the harm that must re.
suit. They know there is nothing sincere
or manly about it. 1t is simply a device
to confuse their reason, infame Their
prejudices and precipitate a result that
would enure to the benefit Of no one but
the active instigators andpromoters eff the
deception. while all other interests would
suffer. 1t is not only foolish but wicked.
It contains no element of good-no re-
deeming feature-no rational excuse. 1t
IS plot of desperate partizanism who
know they cannot command the conf
dence Of the people upon a fair and I'M
impassioned appeal to their reason. They
know they cannot 60 before the voters of
| Virginia upon the record Of the party they
control, and ask for an impartial verdict,
without meeting with rebuke. They are
wrong on the tariff, on the currency, on
the banks, on every question relating to
national policy, as can be amply shown
from therecord their party has made in Con-
gress. They are wrong on the debt ques-
ton, on the school interests, on the purity
and sanctity of the ballot--on every measure
affecting State interests, as can be proven
by the record Of their party in the Legis-
lature. They cannot stand before the
people upon either their National or State
record. Hence the desperation which has
driven them to the mischievous campaign
they are now Misunderstanding the preju-
dices and passions of war times. and
arousing the resentments of race withou
legitimate provocation or rational ex-
use-appeals which are disgusting all
sensible people both at home and abroad,
and bringing down upon the State general
ridicule and censure, because of the fool
ishness of few selfish, designing parti-
zanS.
Even as question of party policy it is
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