Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1896-11-11
Under Which King, Benzonian Z

Under Which King, Benzonian
A few of our subscribers have left us
because of our recent political utter
ances, and a few others have warned
us that they will do 80 unless we mod
ify our views and future expressions.
Let us remind them that during the
campaign just ended the vilest Of
epithets have been hurled against the
democratic party by the republican
press, and republican orators as well
"a by that other element known as
assistant republicans" who essayed
to vote for Palmer and Buckner.
Prominent among the terms used were
those of Repudiator and Anarchist. A
Repudiator of honest obligations ac-
cording to the understanding of any
person using the English language in
diligently and by those using it in this
campaign, means thief. An Anarchist
as defined by those who used the term
to Witty democracy, is one with knife
and firebrand, a destroyer of life and
government, a murderer, an assassin,
felon of the deepest dye, an outlaw.
In addition to these there were other
terms used directly against the South,
calculated to infiame the passions and
excite the prejudices of any people.
To add to this insult the honest con-
victions of that great body of American
citizens who call themselves democrats
were assailed by such men as Bourke
Cochran. hired with plutocratic money,
who threw the first firebrand into
democratic fax, and especially into
the Southern fields. The utterances
of this renegade were the severest and
bitterest he could employ. They were
bought words and he was earning his
money.
What could have been expected !?
Were the people to sit idly by apd see
the forging of their chains, or listen to
gentlemen cry peace, peace, when
there could be no peace ?" Has it been
supposed by those men who claimed
to be the only democrats, who now
claim to be the saviors of the country,
who aided a party, whose triumph
always forebodes Southern humilia-
ton, party whose fondest hope has
been to elevate the negro above his
former master, and break by tyranny
the spirit they could not break with
| th % nrd hof cko =,
and hear ourselves thus abused and
see ourselves pictured arm in arm with
assassins and murderers, and as the
co-workers and conferers of Guitteau
When Southern people shall have. so
far forgotten their ancient lineage,
and the spirit of freedom which ami
mated them in the great struggle
which ended in their surrender at APP
pomattox. then, and not till then, will
they cease to resent the insults and
approbium of the recent political con-
fict; then, and not till then, will they
forego criticism of those persons who
for gold bedecked themselves in aure-
ate colors, left the ranks of democracy,
took the banner of republicanism in
head of the Mckinley procession, or
went skulking along with that band of
Jesse scouts'' who accompanied the
republican army.
Ii in the heat of the campaign or
under the pangs of defeat, or out of
an effort to portray the feeling of the
people whose sentiments we voice, any
expression has crept in calculated to
hurt the feelings of our enemies or for
per friends, we answer that our words
were general, they were mild beside
those used about us, they have been
wrung from us under the greatest
provocation, they have been aimed
more at the leaders than the privates
in the ranks, but they have been
chosen after due deliberation and
there is as yet no expression for which
we desire to apologize and no senti
lnent which we now wish to ,retract. |
One cannot serve God and Mammon,
any more than he can be in the demo-
cratic party, and out of it at the same |
time. Those who remained with us in |
the fight have applauded our utter
ances, those who left us have WINGED. |
Their action nor their thaeats have in |
the least dismayed us, and our journal
will 60 on doing what it believes to be |
right regardless of coercion or threat. |