The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-13
OUR DEMOCRACY UNTARNIsHED.

From time to time we have heard and
seen in print inuendoes rather sltan
charges that the fidelity OF The Times
20 the Dcmocrauc-party was questionable;
that The Times was disposed TO kick
out of party traces and had done the
ipar1y intentional harm in an underhand
WAY.
These are very serious charges ana
should be made by any one who valued
his own character only upon the fullest
and dearest eviderce.
But however serious they are we are
perfectly indifferent to such criticism,
and if our own feelings were alone con-
suited. ten thousand such might be said
or written every day and We should not
experience one single moment Of annoy
ance. In the course we have lately pur-
sued. which has been the subject of this
criticism, we know we have had our eye
upon the truth and justice and the per-
,mancnce of the Democratic party, sing
~ and alone, and, with that deep con-
aiction possessing our whole mind, we
care nothing for adverse comment and
wait patiently for that movement
of the public conscience which we know
as certain to arise when men learn that
they are being deceived and made par
aicipators in evil at the very time when
they suppose they are marching along
dhe paths Of righteousness and truth
.Tacitus in his annals when speaking of
lshe charge that Nero had set fire TO
Rome, says:
80, for the quoting Of this rumor
Nero judicially charged with the crime
and punished with most studied seventies
that class, hated for their general wick
edness, whom the vulgar called Chris
aians. The originator of that name was
one Christ. who in the reign Of Tibe-
RUS. suffered death by sentence Of the
arocurator Pontius PLATE. The baneful
superstition thereby repressed for the
time. again broke out. not only over ju-
dea the native soil of that mischief. but
tn the city also, where from every side
all atrocious and abominable things col
lect and flourish
The Times does not of course, dare
mention it's work as III TO be thought Of
where the minds of men are turned upon
,tire sacredness and glories Of our religion.
Iut ii Is not sacrilege for us 70 mention
an-this connection that Tacitus was one
of the wisest and most discerning men
OF his time. and yet Tacitus knew no
better than 10 speak of Christ's follow
irrs. less than one hundred years after
the crucihxlon. as "that class hated for
their general wickedness." and of His
Word as "the banefui superstiuons." and
,'that mischief"
AS we have said, We are Indifferent "a
such criticisms as We have been subjected
20. but the fact that newspapers publish
them shows that there Is certainly an
element OF our population (wc believe 1t
20 be a small one) which thinks Of us cr-
roneously and unjustiy and. that being
80, our duty TO our party 20 ourselves
and TO what our Declaration Of lndepen-
dence calls "a decent respect 20 the
opinions Of mankind" suggests that We
should make some inquiry into the jus
lice II the structures that are passed on
Us.
What has The Times said or done that
can justify any question Of It's loyalty 10
the Democratic party and It's principles?
The whole OF the case against Il lies
within a very small compass, which: can
b. very simply stated. and IL is this.
Seeing In the election held last Novem-
Der for Governor. as CO.. Catlett Gibson
slated ia the House Of DELEGATES, that