The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-02-02
CORRESPONDENCE.
Reply to the Election Poem. .

CLIFTON FORGE, VA, Feb LIST, 1888.
MEssRs. EDIToRs:-If there be limit
at which forbearance ceases to be a yir-
tue, surely the writer hereof hath just
cause for complaint. And even .'Bruin''
is justified in turning at bay upon the
contemplate ours, who are barking at
his heels in their vain effort to drag him
down to their level.
During the recent election, I patiently
endured the taunts and jeers of the rab-
BILE, their ''tore your shirt and pants
with me-" their threats Of efigy, their
imputations of traitor, thief and william,
deeming it all naturally incident to po-
| litical enthusiasm. But now, when the
pie time to heed the promptings Of their
sober judgments, for.any one to delib~
erately write and publish similar refiec
| tions, in paper of my own town, the
| oTense is OF a more serious character.
And certainly it could not be expected
that should forbear to reply to the vile
i SANDER and satirical venom, which is
exhibited in the so-called Election
Poem" published in the VALLEY VIR>
GINIAN, of the Goth ult. 1t is a vile and
Malicious attack, which has no other
excuse for its existence than that of po
| litical animosity ahd calumny, or sordia
to ingratiate themselves into public
favor. The stealthy and insinnating
manner in which the ELECTION Poem"
is written and signed, stamps the writer
and his coadjutors, with that insidious
character which is ever yoked to the
illbred. cowardice, and which is an OBJ
| ject of just contempt to every true born
Virginian. And when confronted with
their insolent folly, they were cringlng
enough to deny that it was meant for
it's victim. Oh you brow beating hyp>
ocrite, 90 now and pass your hat around,
but remember, the brand of Annias is on
your brow; and that unless you shrive
| yourself and do penance, you are re-
| proach TO any cause.
imagine if the truth be known, that
thou art the one whose Harder is emp
| ty;'' that thou art the one who is seeking
| to replenish his empty Golfer at the
next spring election by attempting to
make public sacrifice of the honor of
your political opponent. In your vain
imaginations, you have erected the altar
| and decreed the sacrifice, but mark you
what l say, justice and an enlightened
public will provide a different victim
for the immolation.
We are living in a New South. A
South where Bourbon aristocracy is
dead. Where an honest man, tho pens
niless, is yet man ''for a that and a
that;' where 1.-The rank is but the
guinea stamp the mans the good for
a. that A South, where the sunlight
of free suffrage has permeated all honest
hearts. And you are now confronted by
one of the New South, who owes nothing
to you and your kind, but the loss of
parent and fortune and consequent hui
miliation; one who claims the sacred
<,fa A 10 ink
and vote as he pleases, regardless OF in
timidating influences of you or your
class.
If my name was enrolled as a member
of the Clifton Cleveland Club, l consider
that / did nothing either morally or
crininally wrong in refusing to adopt
their political principles, after studying
the issues of the campaign. AS matter
of fact, [ never visited the Club but once
during the campaign, nor did | act in
any official capacity, whatever, for the
Club. AS for betraying their secrets, |
was not aware that they had any, until
the election aO0s oUe2. And when the
writer-whoever he is-of the Election
Doggerell, states that | had gone off
with the .'Coons," think Pat Reynolds
will testify, that [ never paraded the
streets election day with any, tho |
would rather walk with honest old Pat,
than such as he, she, or they who wrote
the Doggerel When the writer inti>
mates that was tricky from the start;'
that always called on the Captain to
get his little pay, or that | was "trai-
tor denounce him and his accessories,
if such there be, as liars and defamers,
as untruthful: for truth is precious and
divine, too rich pearl for such towards
ly swine.
With this notice of my very amiable
opponents, | wash my hands and disdain
to give them any further attention,
whatever.
JNo W. BEAR,
Or ''BRUIN'' if you like.
Room 8, Bank Building.