The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-11-04
The Result.

The Result.
The result of the election in Augusta
county is aforceful rebuke to the Demo
cratic managers, because OF their underes-
innate of the intelligence OF the people.
Probably there is no county in Virginia
where intelligence is more generally off
fused among the people, and where they
are better informed as to the political
questions of the day. Especially IS thls
the case as to the two primary questions
which were discussed in this distTict-the
tariff and the Blair bill. With this as
premise, it was to be expected that the
brigade of young lawyers who were sent
ont on the eve of the election, by the
Democratic chairman, with instructions
that there should be no joint discussions,
to talk to the people would meet with II
cold reception. The people had had enough
of bold assertion, land the fact that joint dis
cussion was to be refused, satisfied them
it was not information-not fair and
impartial statement of the issue, but was
intended as one sided, partizan presenta'
ton of the subject. at a time and under
considerations when there was no oppor-
tunity to meet them. The Republicans
had never lodged the issue, or refused to
meet their opponents in manly debate
| They were at all times ready and willing
to give the reasons for the faith that was
| in them and when the other side tray
ersed the highways and by-ways, to evade
such debate. and when their paths were
crossed positively declined the discussion,
it had different effect to what was in
tended. The people of Augusta county
and of the 10th district, are not fools OF
! ignoramuses. They know the fair thing
and the right thing when they see it, and
when the case was presented in the way it
was they determined to rebuke the inso
lence and presumption which decided and
entered upon such a programme.
The fact is, but for the spec ches Of
Blaine and Sherman in the North, there
would have been no material on which tC
predicate canvass. On the tariff and
Blair bill the Democrats squirmed and
twisted and lodged, until it was evident
there was no sincerity in anything they
said The pretext offered in these
speeches to faunt the ensanguined gar
ment was availed of as a god-send and il
was used for all that could be made out Of
it. But the effect was not such as was
fondly hoped. The Republican candidate
was born and raised in Staunton-his sym
pathies aud hopes are blended with thu
welfare of the State, and no truthful mar
would think for moment that he would
array himself. either in public or private
life, against his native State or her in
terests. Did he not believe that he could
serve this State to some good purpose
and contribute to the prosperity and pro
gress of the people among whom his des
tiny has been cast, he would never have
asked for the suffrages of the voters Of
the 10th district. He went, into the can
vass from honest convictions of duty-de
votion to certain principles and policies
and won the fight after a manly and cour
ageous presentation of the issues to the
Judgment of the people. He won it with
out financial aid-with no adventitious
conditions Of fortune but by the honest
verdict of an honest people, who could bt
neither bribed, co creed or frightened
from sense Of duty.
Nor was it strange that such a remark
able victory was achieved. The people
had been deluded time and again by the
! of bo
party and speakers and they had had rune
into their ears in every canvass the great
stigma that would be inflicted upon the
district by the election of a Republican
and the great blessings that would follow
the success of the Democrats. These
promises were not the outcome of con
viction and conscience, but the speciously
4 framed appeals to mislead and deceive, and
when power was attained to forget thai
behind them was an honest constituency
awaiting the fulfllment of these assur
, ances. It never came. And at last al
aroused manhood asserted its power an(
declared its purpose in the glorious result
this day recorded. 1t is the peoples vic
tory and the Rings defeat
AS to the gentlemen whose fortune it il
to rest under defeat, there can be nothing
but expressions of personal kindness
He made an active and energetic canvass
and left no legitimate means unemployed
What he lacked were the necessary vote'
for his election-a fate which has followed
many good men, who have had to bear j
as well as he will. with dignifed composur'
; and manly fortitude.
The successful candidate made an equal
!, ly energetic canvass, under circumstance
, and disadvantages which called for NOR
than ordinary mental resources and an I'm
usual degree of aptitude for political man
agement 1t may be said that the bur
den of the fight was upon him, and hoy
he discharged the obligations thus i'm
posed, the result attests.