National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-17
Republican virginia.

lhIVuuChluH VI tue puDllC lTcc bCuOOl b1b-
TEN, aud by the inflow OF northern capital
and enterprise. Virginians differ widely on
other points, but upon these there is pre-
vailing agreement, II not an entire unanlm-
ity. There is a similar consensus, too, that
to the Republican party and Republicans
these great benefits are due. Moreover,
notwithstanding the sullen dissent Of that
small class, which, with its adoring or mer-
cenary and servile adhereuts, believes that
II has hereditary right to rule, If not to
own other men, the masses OF the Virginia
people, OF all colors, rejoice in that civil
and political equality which the Republican
party has established among them In So far
as constitutions and laws can do so.
It is undeniablc, however, that the old
domlneerng elements survive the master,
the overseer, and the slave dealer; the fire.
eater, although his diet be now the mere
smoke of what he once fed on, still fingers;
and these have appealed, not without effect,
to all the old preiudlces OF section, race,
and war against the Republican party, In
somuch that many still regard the very
name of Republican with the repulsion
formerly felt throughout the south at the
name Of Abolitlonst. But with respect to
the great body of the people in Virginia,
we have positive proof that they are rap
idly abandoning their proftless prejudices,
and are learning that American patriotism
and wise political policy may flourish more
vigorously, II less odorously, under the Re-
publican than under the Democratic name.
The socalled True Republican victory of
1869, and the carrying Of the state for
Grant in 1872, were significant indications
Of that underlying and growing liberal
ism which asserted itself so emphati-
cally and resoutely in the movement
which called Gen. William Malone to its
leadership in lST0--a movement which re.
ceived no check in its career OF progress aud
victory until the desperate bourbons In No
vember, 1888, rcsorted to every fraud, to
multiform intimidation; and to bloody vic.
lence. All this is history. Yet even greater
confirmation OF the rising tide against bour-
bonism and Of the tendency toward Repub.
licanism is given in the remarkable conces-
sions Of the bourbons themselves to the
popular current. On the debt, the suffrage,
the schools, and various other matters, they
have not only confessed defeat, bat pro-
fessed conversion; and, whatever hypocricy
and false pretense may be in all this, 1t
is none the less indubltable testimony
TO the existence OF condition of
things to which bourbons think 1t
expedient to stoop, II only to conquer.
In fact, there can be no stronger evidence
OF how completely free and enlightened
opinion in Virginia has yeered to Republi-
canism than the open court and covert in
trigue by which since 1883 the bourbops
IN uuvsU ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, IN
one direction, We have the further ac-
knowledgment, in another direction, of a
declining popularity in the legislation
whereby bourbonism has seized the whole
apparatus Of registration and election and
placed II In the hands Of its tools.
1t is very important to people so largely
misreprescnted to others, and so largely
liable to be misrepresented to themselves by
their many Democratic journals, that all
liberal and Republican newspapers in aud
out Of their borders should clearly and re.
peatedly declare the truth of situation
which demonstrates that Virginia is Re-
publican state In interest, convection, and
actual will-her people declaring this at
every opportunity allowed them, aud only
needing full assurance of their resistless
strength to shake the incubus Of bourbon
ism from them forever. The liberal vote Of
the state in 1870 was only SO 900, but In
both 1884 and 1855 1t exceeded liO 900,
Notwithstanding the disadvantages Of
every kind under which it was
cast; and no well informed mau
IN Virginia doubts that in 1884 and 1885, as
well as in 1870, the bourbons were really
outyoted on any fair count, the proof being
Irresistible that In 1884 the state went for
Blaine and Logan. Nobody believes that
the true vote Of bourbonism keeps pace with
its count, and nobody believes that either
Its platforms or candidates deceive or attract
the people, these platforms and candidates
being mere masks to hide the real nefarlous
work, or shallow pretexts to falsely account
TO the worldfor successes dishonesty won
or usurpingly grasped. When any dlspas.
sionate and intelligent mind considers the
nature OF the Democratic campaign In Vir-
ginia last year, with Lee for leading can
dldate, it is plain that the appeal was made
directly and in its strongest form to the
White voters on every plea and prejudice Of
race, color. condition, and every other In
1ammatory consideration connected with the
war between the states. Yet all this was
but an elaborate blind. The victory was a
foregone conclusion. That was to be
claimed and enjoyed anyhow, but simple
folks in and out of the state were TO be
bamboozled into believing 1t q real victory
by reason OF the immense popularity OF
Fitzhugh Lee and the revival of confeder-
alta feelings. Lee, however, had been badly
defeated for the legislature In his own
county OF Stafford In 1879, and that county
still went against him last year, for all the
paid colored legion that paraded on horse
back in his behalf. But 1t Is plain that II
Lee and his peculiar campaign were really
TO win sufficient votes to elect him (the
votes of 1888 and 1884 being Justly regarded
by all parties us utterly false), the gain
must be in the white counties and among
the white voters. The results, even as re.
turned, show that this was not the
case. The white voters were
not won, and 1t was din.
cult and dangerous 10 tamper with
the ballot boxes and returns In the white
counties; hence the returns 10 com, IN Ice
had TO come, md did come las in 1888 aud
1884, from the back counties. Taking the
returned vote Of thirty of the whltest
counties OF the state, the Republican net
gain last year, in spite Of Lee and his
bugle-horn, was over one thousand votes,
while the required votes to give Lee an ap.
parent majority We're sent from thirty OF
the blacklist counties OF the common
wealth. Think Of it Counties like Hal.
fax, for instance, where by the last census
there is a colored voting majority OF 7GO,
and which gave Wise 600 majority in 1882,
giving 1000 majority for Lee and against
Wise in 1885. Does anybody believe It?
Can anybody believe itS
Ruf tTrH nj ~ IA hn T.