The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-11-29
"ofen sive Partigans.

From the cheerful tone of she edit orial
articles in some of the leading Democratic
papers of the South in referring to the
election of Gen, Harrison. it seems that
all of them are lot in the dumps. The
more sensible of them take Il hopefni
view of the situation. and conclude that
the invested interests Of Northern men
in Southern enterprises Is a guarantee
that there will he no harsh legislation or
unkind discrimination agoinst the South
ern States. A better guarantee Is In the
common sense aid patriotism OF the coun-
try, which would MOI tolerate any revenge
full enac ment OF resent al policy, Were
there disposition upon the part OF eX-
tFeHffotS to lnangurate such COURSE
Sensible men know that this Is one coun-
try, with one destiny. and that il is the
duty OF those iu au horlty and all others
to study the common veal and adopt such
measures as will promote it. The dark
forebodings which have been given out,
come from extreme paltiZans who have
been guilty themselves of eXcesses, and
who have not considered the rights of
others in the methods to which they have
appealed and the ends they have had in
view. These partiZins deserve precisely
what they fear. Bat laws cannot be
enacted OF policies instituted to bear spe~
cially upon Them. They must operate on
all alike. and in this way the offensive
few escape from the judgment They so
richly merit. IL is his class of men who
have been placed IN official position under
CIrvelaud'S administration. The most
pestifetUns malignauts aud blatant par
tizans have by sheer impudence and ag'
gressiveneSs, dominated i'll The recognition
of the present administration. Pa tizan
activity and meanDess. and not real merit,
have been the passports 10 official favor
T It public service has been considered
s. nudarv and made subordinate 10 parti-
IAN Claims and rewards have been melted
out in proportion to the audacity and
men lacLy of the machine maDll,ulatOrS.
i In Virginia there has scarcely been an APP
! poinlment made that was not predlcated
upOn such considerations. The most I'M
SCI upuIous part,2ans were The quickest
to una favor and receive recognition. AS
result the public service has been pros
tituted to the necessities of the ward and
cross.road politicians, regardless Of the
interests of the people and the civil SER
vice demoralized, if not debauched. to
compensate ''partiZan workers" for the
dirty work which they performed.
There will be no approach to proper
civil service until every mothers son of
these partizan appointees is removed
They in no way represent or reflect the
conservative sentiment of community or
inspire public confidence in their compe-
tency and fitness for the proper admins
tration of public trusts. AS Cleveland
made an exception of Virginia in the ap :
moving every Republican office holder at
the command OF Congressional cabal,
80 the Republican administration ought to
right the perpetrated wrong by giving the
boot to the offensive partiZans'' who were
beneficiaries of this discrimination.
Here in this district, during the recent
election, the Democratic candidate for
Congress was allowed to have removed
efficient postal clerks and substitute mex
perienced men, to subserve the purposes
of his campaign, thus suDordinating that
important branch of the public service,
with which the business of the people is
SO Immediately associated, to further his
political schemes. He will. no doubt,
pose as civil service reformer and be-
come Mortified at any suggestion that
looks to the replacing of the competent and
exemplary officers who were removed at
his behest.
1t is This spirit that has dominated in
the bestoWment of official patronage. 1t
should be the first dLty OF The Republican
administration to rebuke it and the men
who engineered the most aggravated and
unmitigated partizan methods that ever
were practiced by party.