National Republican., 1885-08-01
PROGRESSIVE AND ANTI.PRO.
GRESSIYE.

Each of the two great parties in the
state Of Virginia has chosen an ex-con.
federatc for its leader in the campaign
of this year. Each has chosen q citizen
of the best repute and the canvass is to
be prosecuted on the issues presented,
not on personal questions.
There are two kinds ofex. .contederates
in the Old Dominion-progressive and
anti.progressive. The former faces the
future, the latter turns its back to the
future and lives only on memories of the
dead and buried past.
Many Of the most gallant soldiers in
the armies Of Lee and Jackson and
Johnston are enrolled under the Repub.
lican banner borne by John S. Wise.
The Republican party of the north is in
full sympathy with these men. 1t has
no doubt Of their sincere devotion to
Republican principles, and it does not
ask them TO stultify themselves by any
admission that would impugn their mo-
tives in the past.
There is intelligence enough in the
great Republican party to understand
that the honesty Of man is not to be
questioned when he has proven it by
risking his life and stalking his fortune
in defense of principle, theory, OF
an idea.
1t is not to fight over again the battles
of the war, not to discuss the issues oi
SO or 60 or "a, not to dig in the grave
yards ofthe unrelenting past, that the Re-
publicans of the north and the gallant
Republican organization Of Virginia
have joined hands.
Each accepts the past rs irrcvocabIe,
its errors as irreparablc, and together
they take up the work Of the present
looking to the future that is big will
promise to those who have learned tc
labor and to wait.
The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN does moi
bject to Gen. Fitzhugh Lee on the
ground that he was a confederate Off
Ger, nor does it complain that 50 many
of his supporters were on his side during
the war. The objection 10 him and his
party is that they represent nothing bu
the past; that they cling to and are
satisfied with the memories of the wa
time and the glories of the Virgini'
that was in the earlier days bu
can never be rehabilitated. "Old thing
are done away and all things are new.
The conditions of existence have
changed in recent years. What is wante'
in Virginia is a cheerful recognition
of the change and the duties which tn
new order of things devolves on the peo
pie.
This recognition is given by the Re
publican leaders in that state. They d
not propose to live on the husks of tn
old time, but they mean to create II ne'
Virginia. They look to the development
of the resources of their great common
wealth. They want the vast treasures c
the mines to be opened. They intend t
make their state tempting field for tn
investment of capital. They see a fl
ture-not far away-when Virginia wi
be great manufacturing state; whe
blast furnaces, rolling mills, and mant
factures of iron and steel products wi
add millions upon millions to their ta'
able wealth, making the payment (
their debt comparatively trivial matter
, The Republicans of the Old Dominic
believe in "all rights for all men," The
have accepted in good faith the legisl'
ton Of war; they accept the fiteent
amendment and all that it implies; the
intend that the black Republican sha
. be just as free as the white Democrat
cast his ballot and have it honest
counted; they have, as we have SAT-
: set their faces toward the future, meal
ing to make that future worthy of Il
Virginia of earlier history-the Virgin
of Washington, of Jefferson, and PNtric
! Henry.