Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-12-24
We Shall See.

It was generally supposed that the resul,
of the November elections would open the
eyes of the Republican leaders to the popu.
lar alarm and disapprobation at their des.
perate and revolutionary course in the last
Congress. It was predicted that the omin.
GUS shadow of the band, and the prophetic
writing on the wall, would startle the
drunken guests at this Belshazzar carousal.
But not SO. Despite the fact that a very
large number of the Republican members
| of the Senate were known to be opposed to
the force bill, the astonishing spectacle is
now presented of an apparent unanimity,
OF the Republican side, in favor of this ex.
treme and odious measure. 1t is oviously
the dictate of desperation. The popular
verdict is overwhelming against them and
their subversive legislation. They plainly
see that they stand no chance of maintain
ing their robber grasp upon the govern
ment and politics of the country by fair
and open appeal to the popular judgment;
and they have deliberately resolved to act
upon Bob Roy's maxim.
For why?-Because the good old rule
Sufhceth them, the simple plan,
That they shall take who have the power,
And they shall keep who can."
To the dispassionate observer it would
seem to be the very acme of revolutionary
methods, if not of anarchy, Two months
ago almost one half of the Republican Sen.
ators were avowedly opposed to the danger.
GUS and destructive expedient Of force
bill. But now unner the terroism of the
caucus, aud the domination of desperate
leaders, thy abjure their honest and con-
servative sentiments and join iu the insane
demand for coercive legislation to count the
Presidential and Congressional vote of the
Southern States on the Republican side, ir.
respective of the popular predilectIon.
They reverse the historical proyeib and ap-
peal from Philip sober to Philip drunk. 1t
l., to change the metaphor an appeal from
the pen to the sword. After the fullest
presentation of their case through the de-
bates in Congress, and through political
pamphlets, scattered thick az aatumpal
leaves in Val)ambrosa, from one end of the
land to the other, they have been signally
rebuked at the polls. Their appeal, there
fore, is no longer to the reason and sober
Judgment of the people, but to brute force
Ito the sword. They propose to turn the
federal courts of the country into political
engines, and surround the voting precincts
of the South with armed emissaries of these
partizan judges, in order to terrorize the
suffragans and coerce pretended popular
maJority iOs Cnt hepuDllcau party. He
fact is the dominant will of this political
outlaw, Reed, has placed him in the hand
of his party. He is a moral brute of the
most ferocious type. When he shows his
teeth the other members Of the parliament
of beasts" stink away in timid servility.
He has managed by bravado and brute
force to intimidate his entire party. There
is an amusiu story in that wittiest of all
books, by Csrvsntes. When the Don mis-
took caravan of muleteers for an army of
hostile Kuight.erraats, and vallantly charg
ed upon them, thick -muscled teamster
dragged Sancno Panza from his saddle, and
with the broad side Of his sabre belsbored
him most numerically upon that portion
of his anatomy which We need not here
particularizs; whereupon Sancho,upon get
ting on his feet agaia, soliloquized that no
one need hereafter tell him that the pen
was mightier tnsn the sword. This is evil
IDENTIFY tho conclusion to which the Repub
lican leaders have come-that the sword is
mishtier than tbs pen. But is it? We
shall see at the ides of November, 1892.
Yes, we shall see.-Lynchbarg Ne,cs.