The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-11-29
Harrison and the South. -

However COuSeIFdblVo anu ScHolulO q
Southern Democratic journal may be on
economic questions, it generally loses its
fairness and Judgment when it undertakes |
to discuss party issues, or rather defend |
the views of lis own party. The Peters
burg Llder-Appeh is noted for its ability, |
its fairness generally, and for the lucid |
and practical way III which it presents po-
litical questions. Ii has been 50 fair and
liberal, has Enumerated such broad views
and enforced them With 50 much indie
pendence. respecting matters affecting
party relations, that The wonder TO US has
been how it could retain its identity with !
the Democratic party. Remembering Its
course for years in this respect, we were
much surprised to read in its issue of the
22d AN alticle, in which, under the caption
OF Harrison aui the South. " it resurrecis
the CONDITIONS of abnormal times, when the
passions provoked 10y the bloody conflicts
of the sections, we're still fresh; when
apprehension WAS still keenly alive, aid
no time had been given to blunt the as
perities and allay the feelings which
sprung from the fiery ordeals through
which both sections hal been unfortu-
nateIy called to pass. 1t parades the
''carpet-bag regime" of twenty years
ago as a count in the indictment against
the Republican party of the present, stat
ing only one Side to the question, and not
dealing fairly with the relations that ex-
listed both North and South to the govern
ment. hat that has to do with "Har-
ri5on and the South at this time We
do not understand. What beneticent and
catholic object the Iadec- Appeal has in
to revive the passions which ought to
have faded out of existence with It's de
parture, we cannot comprehend. Ger
tainly there is nothing salutary for the
present to be learned from it, Ger
talnly there has been nothing said Or
done by Ge1, Harrison or the Republl-
cans of the North to warrant it. Ger
tainly there is 10. hing i'll it which Can
have any relation TO the administration
of the government after the 4th OF March
next. Certainly Gen. Harrison and those
who will be entrusted with shaping the
policy of the government are not pOliti-
cal babes and weakings to be frightened
from sense of duty by such references.
They are AS familiar with the history OF
the Republican aud Democratic parties,
and their relations to public policies. as
the Indee-AppedJ and the Democratic
press of the south. They have as high
respect for the laws and constitution and
as keen and deep sense OF responsibility
for their faithful observance as the De o
cratic leadersuf the South. They know that
all the States aud all tue people. are equally
the subjects of the fundamental national
law, and that it is the duty OF all to Obey
them. Gen, Harrison knows and those who
will be his constitutional advisers know
that be cannot have one policy for the South
and another for the North, and he ought
to know that be cannot have "a successful
administration if be shapes 1t to suit
the Democratic partlzans OF the South
Mr.. Cleveland knows by this time that it
was trusting the extreme men in the South
that wrecked his political hopes, and made
failure of his administration. 1t is not
likely that Republican President will
follow in the sa LIE line, and trust to sim
liar influences.
But to come closer to the article of ouI
Petersburg contemporary. After discuss
iny the "ctrpet baggers' and holding the
Republican party responsible for theiI
wicked acts aud inAuence-which no one
either North or South defends-it as
sumes that There were plenty OF good
men among us to have filed acceptaby
every Federal position, and who would
gladly have done SO. There were the
Uni)n men; there were the Wings:
there were the Douglas Democrats: and
there were liberal men of all kinds who
cared very little for any party. but great
deal for he public peace aud good gov.
ernment of the South. All of them were
available, but the Republican party blum
dered into sending down upon US horde
of its camp followers and ward politi-
clans, who soon brought Republicanism
into an oLium far worse than any which
resulted from the conflict of arms"
This presentation might have IN )re
apparent effect if there were not another
side to it. II oar contemporary has re-
tentiye memory. lie has not forgotten
and must ackno~ that Tor South
ern torn man. at The time he speaks
of, to be Republican was social death
How were the Lewises, the Riyeses. the
Gilmels, the WIckhams. the Hughes. the
Ryes, treated when they declared for the
Republican party, at the time to which
reference is made? No one questioned
the character, The high motives and ster-
ling worth of John +. Lewis: or DIR. Il.
Gilmer or Gen. WINS. q. Wickham; or
Judge r. w. Hughes; OF Judge Rives; OF
Geo. Rye; or Judge FuItz. Yet they were
denounced as enemies of their State, traitors
to the South, and were traductd and ostra-
cised as if they had been aliens and fol eign
to the Common wealth. How WAS it with
Longstreet, in Louisiana, aud Orr, in
South Carolina? We heard Gen. Grant
Judge Orr that if they could get forty
men in each of their States, and as many
in Other Southern States, to accept the sit
uasion as they had done. the control ot.the
Federal positions in their respective States
would be given them, backtd 10y the power
of tie government. But instead of this,
Longstreet, the right arm of the Southern
army and the most capable General in it,
after Lee and Jackson, was ostracised. ira
dueed and maligned as never was a NAH
before or since. Or WAS so thoroughly Sc
gregated from his people and 50 merciless
ly and Indignantly denounced, that he
sought refuge in the inhospitable CLINE OF
Russia, and there died. And Gen. Grant
himself, that great man whose heart over
howed with kindness for the South, what
was said of bin ? He Was denounced as a
brute, a butcher, a s0t, debAuche, with
no redeeming traits; a petty tyrant and
corrupt conspirator, WHO was aiming to
destroy the Republic and build upon its
ruins monarchy. Those who supported
him in 1872 in preference to Greeley were
prosecuted and prescribed. In all the
forms that business and social enginery
could invent. His generous action at the
close of the war-his broad charity, that