The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-07-05
Hon. John Sherman.

Hon. John Sherman.
We think the less Hon. John Sherman
says about the content ION in the Republi-
can party in Virginia and at Chicago ana
the result of the Chicago Convention the
better it will be for him. lie exposes II
vast amount of ignorance of Republican
sentiment in this State when he says ::
"Mahone and his delegates represented
nine-tenths Of the Republicans of VIZ
ginia, including more than twenty thous-
and Confederate soldiers in the white
position to open the controversy. nor to
say or do anything Thai is not iii tle direc-
ton of an honorable adjustment of the
diff 'rences which have arisen in the party
in this State But we cannot allow the
statement Of Mr.. Sherman t0 go without
fiat denial of its accuracy. Gen. Malone
could have held the party together as a
solid phalanX, had he recognized the
rights of the people and consulted their
wishes. He had been trusted to degree
and deferred to with subseryency new
er before witnessed in this country, and
had he appreciated the confidence reposed
in him, he could have held the State and
broken the solid South clear to the cotton
belt line. But he construed each conces-
sion to his demands as warrant to make
further demands, and the support he had
received as condition of the public mind
to justify him in still further absorbing
into himself the rights of the people. The
usurpation had gone so far as to demand a
protest. The protest reflected public SEN
| timent. but he needed It not. Instead OF
| hating III his arbitrary course, he deter
had uttered the warnings, as traitor"
and ''disorganiZers, whose fellowship
must be renowned. He would allow no
liberty of thought and expression, and
manifested an utter indifference, if not
repugnance, to the success of the party
unless it was achieved through him and
in his way. He would take no instruction
i from repeated defeats. He would not
! 'arn by the open revolt. and even the re-
nunciation of party association, because
of his despotic methods. of many of the
best men in the party, at one time. He
grew more eXacting ard arbitrary, each
year. and lost self-restlaint i'll proportion
as the party lost opportunities and advan-
tages. under his management.
The browning act of his abuse of power,
was his secret circular, issued in the in
terest of Mr.. Sherman. Probably it is be-
cause of this evidence of personal devo-
ton that Mr.. Sherman has given vent to
his feelings and utterance to statements
that cannot be sustained. This circular
was in itself a confession that he was
afraid to openly appeal to the Republican
sentiment of the State. 1t was evidence
that he had no confidence in his own posi-
tiOn with an untramlneled eXpr+ ssion Of
the wishes of the Republicans of the
State. and Senator Sherman has 10 fact or
authority for the conclusion he has ex-
pressed in the quotation we have given
| His informant designed to and did deceive
| him.
We do not care, however to dwell upon
this matter. We only refer to it in jus
tice to the Republicans of the State and
the facts of the case. We are ready to
make any reasonable concession to bring
about harmony and unite the Republican
forces in Virginia. With that done We
can give Harrison and Morton the electo-
raj vote of Virginia. But the basis Of an
adjustment must be fairness and a proper
recognition of the people. There is not a
Republican in the State, who was opposed
to Gen, Malone in the recent contest, who
is not willing to make honorable conces-
sons, and who will not surrender personal
feeling and ambition, where it does not
involve surrender of honest conviction :,
to effect fraternal understanding. The
Republican party is greater than any one
man, and its welfare is paramount to the
plans and plots of individuals, however
prominent they may be. The party and
| it's interests must be considered first, and
when this has been properly subserved, it
would matter little with us who might be
benefited by it.