The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-11-19
4 Strained Construction

OONAeS%ANI
State has certainly given a latitudinous
construction to remark il the last VIR-
GILMAN. Under the caption of Wick
ham Monument the words '.unthinl.-
ing and passion ridden rahblen were
carefully chosen, and mean just what
the language signifies. To assume that
they apply to the Democratic party, or
all who ever associated in sympathy with
that party after the war, is to pervert
the Specification Of the words and cons
tort their meaning. Many of the most
intelligent and patriotic and thought
full of that party believed that they were
formulating policy for the best inter
est of the Commonwealth in the course
pursued after the close of the war. There
were many men, who did not think at
all, but stirred by prejudices and pas
sions, were bitter in their persecution
and prescription of those who be-
lieved the true course to pursue was to
accept the situation, recognize the au-
thority of the Federal government and
the laws enacted by Congress, and con
form the legislation and the policy OF
the State thereto. They did not
constitute an organization-they did
not represent the thoughtful element OF
what was called the Conservative party.
ncr did they respect the opinions OF
those who differed with them. Such
men as Wickham and Hughes and Lewis
were branded as traitors by them and
held up to public scorn. The State
probably never went through the
ordeal these men did, and therefore can
not appreciate the conditions they had
to face and the fierce passions that they
had to encounter. The campaign of
1872 and 1878 brought out this spirit in
it's intensest form. There was a license
given to passion and prejudice, and it
was supremacy INDUCED by the I'M
thinking and passion-ridden class, who
gave no thought to the rights OF others,
| or the motives which controlled them,
nor to the obligations which Virginia
had assumed in resuming her relations
/ to the Federal government.
We referred to this condition, not to
stir up feeling, or revive the memory of
those days Of bitter contention, but to
emphasize the courage and high intent
of one of the conspicuous figures who
was the object of this angry passion.
That it was unjust and indefensible is
amply attested by the changed relations
of the three gentlemen Ne have named, as
representing class, to public sentiment.
! Without modifying their political con
victions or changing their party rela-
tions, no three men, as such, stand high
| er in public opinion than Wickham,
Lewis and Hughes. They have lived
down the prejudice and passion of the
hour, and in all the relations of public
and private life, have demonstrated
their devotion to Virginia, and the sins
cerity of their motives in the political
alignment they had chosen from sense
of duty. There were numbers of men
who differed with them in the trying
times to which we refer, who never as
sailed their motives or DETAINED their
characters. The ''unthinking and pass
I
more by passion than reason and with
ont organization, did do it and without
an argument or a reason to justify them.
1t required high purpose and manly ma
lures to pass such vituperation by as
was leveled at them without notice.
Conscious of the rectitude of their own
motives-conyinced of the righteousness
of their political views, they bravely
met passion ridden sentiment without
turning to the right or left, and main
| tanned their beliefs under all conditions
and in all associations.
If the State will take in retrospect the
political history of the State since 1865,
and calmly think over it, the meaning
of the offended words it quotes will be~
| come apparent, and that its criticism is
unjust and uncalied for. At this day.
| when the dead Wickham is reyeFed and
houored by all Virginia, it is difficult to
conceive that he should have been dis
trusted and denounced twenty years ago
by many of the very men who now
cheerfully unite in the tribute to his
memory that is reflected in the marble
shaft erected above his mortal remains.
The construction the State gives the
words to which it excerpts is both
strained and latitudinous, and not justi-
fed by the facts Of the case or the spirit
Of the article from which it quotes.
1.-THE above article was In type for last
, weeks issue. but in making up the form
late at night, it was overlooked and
omitted unwittingly.