The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-10-26
is THIS COUNTRY FREE ?
Dr. Luther T. Townsend Says it is an
Oligarchy.
SERMON ON THE sEMA1E.s COURSE

DIR. Luther L. TOWnSend says IL Is an
Oligarchy.
a SERMON ON THE sENATE's COURSE.
From the Baltimore Sun.
Two texts were taken by Rev. d.. Lu-
ther T. Townsend last week at the Mt.
Vernon Place Methodist Episcopal
Church. One was:
"They that rule over them shall make
them howl"
The other was:
put not your trust in princes
DIR. Townsend said: mo thoughtful
person can be otherwise than disturbed
at what is doing at the present time in
Congress. We are not SO much alarmed
at what is taking place today as at the
condition of affairs that has has made it
possible for few men unblushingly to
outwit and oyerrule the will of the House
of Representatives, if not of the multi
tudes of our people. This has led more
than one man to express the desire that
some person could be found who is
strong enough to take. for the hour, the
reigns of government in his hands and
restore constitutional liberty to the peo-
pie.
1--WE do not think any great disaster
will come from the present unhappy
state of affoirs. There will be compro-
mise measures that will be satisfactory
to no one, but will prevent an ilnmedi-
ate revolution. Still the underlying
mischief remains.
''Let US look for moment into the
House of Representatives that has just
passed the new federal elections bill. We
do this to reveal an existing peril that
may come at any moment to any state
in the Union. What troubles us most is
| not that this measure has been passed,
but that the leaders of the party in power
in advocating and passing it were not
actuated by high and patriotic motives.
1t troubles us none the less that the lead
ers of the party in the minority in OPP
posing this legislation were also actual
ed not by high and patriotic motives,
but by partisan considerations. What
may well disturb the confidence of our
people is that our Legislators of what
ever political name touch merely the
surface of things without dealing with
what is fundamental
''In the present instance it is funda>
mental that the sacred ballot should not
be placed in the hands of the ignorant
colored population of the South, and
that it should not be entrusted to the
nor to the ignorant classes from different
countries of Europe, who care nothing
for orr republican institutions. But
while the constitution and laws of the
county remain as they are it is as funda-
mental and imperative as can be that
every man to whom the constitution
grants the rights of suffrage shonld be
! defended in the lawful exercise of those
rights. The general government should
if possible, disfranchise constitutionally
all unworthy persons, but should extend
its protection to every American citizen,
and if that protection can be secured in
no other way the entire army and navy
of our republic should be brought into
requisition.
''In thunder tones the United States
citizens everywhere should not be ex>
ecuted by mob where there is a possi-
bility of a jury trial or be denied the
rights of suffrage by self-constituted
tribunals.
1--WE see nothing but future disruption
for the States of our republic if we adj
NIT the absolute sovereignty of the indi-
vidual State and it's right to control its
own affairs, civil, judicial or political
without the interference of the general
government, even although the Ameri-
can citizen is DISTINGUISHED and murdered
when crying for help. Our interests are
so varied, our views so diverse that we
must be loyal to the general government
we must be unselfsh and generous in
regard to those whose personal interests
are not identical with our own, or we can
foresee nothing but an ultimate disin
tegration of our great and grand re-
public.
Look into the Senate of the United
States, said to be the most dignitieG
political body on earth, but at present
guilty of proceedings that brings thu
crimson to the face of every thoughtfu
American citizen. We must become fol
the moment historians. Such a specta-
Gle as the eyes of the nation and, indeed
of the civilized world are now lookins
upon is not the outgrOwth of day, bu
the outcome of years of wrong-doing
From an historical point of view there j
nothing abrupt, but one political con
dition follows another naturally
ut is the working of party machiner.
through series of years that has mad
possible, if not inevitable, the existing
state of affairs in the United States Sen
ate. Theoretically the United States
a democratic representative republic
practically it has come to be one of til
worst types of oligarchy ever known il
history. What is to be most feared
not a mob on the street, but mob i
Congress A country ruled by few me
who have personal interest in it's welfare
especially if they are good and wise, wi
be well ruled. A country ruled by rings
whether political, whisky or silver rings
will soon be unwisely ruled and Their
will follow a subversion of the funds
mental principles of good government.
''Most of our people dream they ar
free, but the thoughtful among us blus
at the kind of slavery to which partisa
leaders and managers are CONSTANT
sub?ecting u.s. The honest men in offic
are helpless. They are caught in tn
trap with the rest of US. The rise an
development of party spirit has bee
anything but patriotic. Local interest
that are purely or largely selfish hav
been the incentive. Hence, not thos
who have done most for the country {
large, but those who have done most ft
party are the men who are in demand
civil service reform is nothing bl
clan-trap. The Republican party is