The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-06-03
Wholesome Doctrine.

period in English history. me pOcer %
aaOnarclls acre lesse1ling and the influence Of |
the uristoc,acy aeas fading array. The only |
power that was growing power that
would never henceforth be limited-was
the poacer of the people. He claimed, there
fore. that the most pressing need at the
time was political education by
which there could be cultivated in the
minds of the people sense ct Their moral
They should be taught that
labor ,could hare its Just reacdrd, and that
the ,tealthy should be permitted to ENJOY Their
riches IN security.
The ideas presented in what the Eng
lish statesman says are very suggestive.
They assume that there can be no health
in the State except in proportion to the
moral and intellectual advancement OF
the people. The principle asserted In the
remark that the powers of monarchles
were lessening and the influence OF the
aristocracy was fading away Is no less
apparent in this country than in Europe.
Although we have no nominal monarchy III
America, we have the despotism OF pollti-
cal rings controlled and directed by de-
signing, selfish men, which are as arbitrary
in their sphere as the monarchles and the
aristocracy of the old country 1t simply
illustrates that man is naturally tyrant
unless restrained by fear of the law or
public sentiment. So long as he can keep
within the limits of law, and at the same
time deludc and deceive the people. this
tyranny is manifested. We have it in the
politics of the State and the municipali-
ties. The few govern the many and rarely
for the good of the many. Plausible APP
peals to prejudice are resorted to for the
purpose of suppressing healthy mental ac-
ton and rational conclusions from conser-
vative premises. In this way the people
are misled. and the ends of the selfish ma
nipulators promoted Government, de-
signed for the good of the many. is per-
verified from it's legitimate purposes to the
securement of the personal ends OF de-
signing men, who care nothing for the
people. except as they may be used for
such results. Were the people fully con.
scious of their own esponSibllity-the
duty they owe to the State and communi-
ty as citizens. and their morals and minds
trained and developed to feel the full
strength of their manhood, in its broader
and better sense, they would scorn the lit
tie rings and cliques which consplre To de-
base them into subseryient tools to prosta-
tute the right which adheres in them to
the selfish purposes of such designing
combinations. What is the strength and
influence of the few, sustained by inde-
feasible motives, to the robust vigor and
masculine moral force of the great mass
of the people proclaiming and maintain
ing their own rights The wonder IS
that the people have not long since been
aroused to the humiliating position IN
which they are placed by the scheming
demagogues who control all the depart
ments of the State Government. and use
the power thus given to their own adyan-
tage regardless of the public welfare
When the manhood of the State is assert
ed. good government follows. Virginia
needs a revolution of this kind-the break
ing of molten images and The throwing
down of brazen idols, fashioned and
erected by partizan conspirators for the
people to worship. Let the people assert
their moral and intellectual strength
bravely maintain their rights and escheW
the marplots who would appeal to their
passions and preiudices, to effect results
harmful to their interests and in denial OF
their Just relations to government
We must have more Of the honest con
vIctions and deliberate conclusions OF the
people incorporated into our legislation
and less of the tricks and plots OF dema-
gogues. to make Virginia what she should
be. More of the moral and mental power
of the masses to leaven public policy, give
tone to public sentiment and shape the
destiny of the Commonwealth. What real
interest have the people in the excitement
of passions and the appeals to race and
sectional preiudices On the contrary,
their welfare lies in the progress, develop
ment and prosperity of ali the interests OF
/ Jne SIdue. duu lucoo CLUB S'litoo W oA1ooAi
passed through the narrow proyinclailsm
and despcable sectionalism inculcated by
the most offensive Bourbonism, that its own
power may be perpetuated and all other
interests suffer Our wonderful natural
advantages of geographical position, Gil
mate and material resources are such as to
invite the enterprlsing of ever portion OF
the Union But with all these benehcent
gifts our State lags behind, under the
basalisk influence of Democratic Bourbon
ism, repelling the enlightened endeavors,
the active en- ergies and the needed capital
of others, who would gladly join in utll-
izing our resources, were broad LIBERAL
ism to prevail which was tolerant OF differ
ences Of opinion in politics and everything
else, so they were the honest convictions
/ of those who entertained them.
We want more of manhood moral and
mental strength and self-assertion and
less of the tricks and schemes Of Bourbon
demagogues.
There is something very touching in The
floral tributes paid to the memory OF Gen.
Grant on last Monday. From the North
/ OF .nl1th frnIn