Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-05-07

the STAKE was TO preserve to the slave =
holders their slaves and prevent the wreck
of, in the euphuistic phrase OF that day.
"a superior civilization" The liberty of
the white man of the South had no con-
nection with the civil war, nor was it
threatened. It was reserved to the Re.
publican party long after the war had
closed, to lay it's hand on our liberties.
Liberty was not only the watch word but
the stake during the Reconstruction era,
and in that struggle the Southern States
won. How complete was their victory is
well illustrated by the fact that Mr.. Davis
second appearance on his tour was at
Atlanta, where he was to view the IN
yelling of statue of Ben Hill, once a
member of the Confederate Congress but
who died member of the United States
Senate.
But to 60 back to Mr.. Davis at Mont
gomery; it would have been very surpris-
ing if he had not alluded to the bravery of
the fathers OF those he was speaking to.
Why should he keep silent on subject that
~ AAoVOAy3 Au0 amOAlCda oOlulOI6
on the Union side have made the theme Of
speeches-the courage, the devotion, and
the endurance of the troops who made up
the Confederate army. Especially why
not, when laying the corner stone of q
monument to those of them in certain
locality who fell? On this subject there
is no mustiness, but that perennial fresh
ness which great deeds bring down even
from remote antiquity. And on this sub.
jecr there will be hardly an American to
be found North or South who will not
agree with Mr.. Davis.
And now for the profitableness OF
Mr.. DAVIS political "reminiscences! Il
Virginia can look with kindly toll
erance on their utterance, we
should think those people at the
North who are kicking up such hubbub
: over him might do so too. If we in Vir-
ginia who are using every honest device to
bring Northern capital, and capitalists as
we'll, down South, and assuring them that
We are once more a united people, can
forgive this contrary ghost who stalks
across the Cotton States in behalf of the
past, we should think Northern State
might. II Democratic Virginia which is
for the first time in a quarter of century
and great many of her voters for the
FIRST time in their lives, living under q
Democratic President. can patiently toler
ate this new issue of Republican campaign
material to defeat the next Democratic
nominee, we should think the Republic an
party at the North might. We are told
that if the people of the North will read
the speeches of Mr.. Davis at NJ ontgomery
and Atlanta, they will see that there Is no
disunion in them. How many men at the
North avaU read the speeches They will
read only the comments of the Republican
party press on them. What then; would
you have the Southerner keep cowardly
| silence for fear of being misrepresented
Oh no, we would have the noble
| Southron of the Cotton States blow
| to his hearts eontent-blow unit
he blows away the chances of carry
ing State in the North for the Demo
cracy in 1888-blow until he blows a Re
publican majority into the House of Rep
resentatives in 1888. And then possibly tht
results will bring to him the conviction
that the appearance of Jefferson Davis
as the centre Of enthusiastic public de-
monstrations, and the applauded expound
or Of the s'war for constitutional liberty
! waged by the States" is not timely nor az
propriate. norm accordance with the idea
of the majority of the American people
| North or South. The American peopl,
have decided with one voice that it is tn,
soldier on both sides who did the work ant
deserve to be remembered and honoret
both alive and dead. The civilians hav'
not vel Aeea ca ss. He'd fSf-'"--------