Year: 1870

"There is this day in Virginia the most
cordial union between the old Wings and
the Democrats, who have common oppos
sition to Rerublicanism.'- En-:
qaktreT. ,.-r (


Exactly. Then why disturb that harmony
over the mere question of q name2 Every
body knows, and everybody acknowledges,
that there exists in this State but two DO
lltical orgauizations-Ra and anti
Radicalism. Whoever is for the one is of
necessity against the other; and however
much the lntolerant spirit of our opponents
may have been toned down since their de-
feat twelve months ago, the fact neyerthe-
less still exists that it was Radicalism which
a few years back destroyed the civil govern
ment OF virginia, and substituted in it's
stead the arbitrary will of the soldier, who
enforced his edicts at the point of the bay
onet; it was Radicalism that denied the
right of suffrage to the white men of Vir-
ginia, while it clothed with that high pre-
rogatiye the negro and the pauper ; it was
Radicalisti that drove from every Office, both
high and low, the native citizens Of Virginia
and supplied their places with negroes and
aliens, and occasionally with men to the
manor born, who in some instances were
worse than either; (and it is Radicalism
that still holds under the ban Of political
prescription thousands of the best men of
the South) until the reign Of besotted igno-
rance and incompetency was fast entailing
upon the people all the horrors which a
similar rule has since visited upon many of
our southern sisters. 1t was at this mo-
ment, when the waves Of flnaticism rolled
highest and the portentous mutterings OF
the coming storm sent dismay to the stout
est hearts, that there was q reunion of the
dry bones of old parties, which, under the
soothing name of Conservative" deter
mined to make one more effort for the
redemption of. Virginia. Whatever men


may have thought then, it is unnecessary
| to speculate now whether the flower of
safety would have emitted sweeter fra
GRANGE had it been called by another name.
The result was that despite differences upon
that score, throughout our borders good


men and true, eschewing all political diff
| ferences of the past, were found rallying to
| the support of the newborn organization,
until the demons of discord were routed
| from the high places which they dis
graced, and Virginia was once more re-


manded to the keeping Of 'Virginians-her
! sic sempe7' tyrdnntS of old resuscitated, and


again become the watchword of her sons.
| Suppose the Democratic party of the


North and the Conservative party of Nir-
2inia are synonymous-both aiming at the


accomplishment of the same end, the over


throw of Radicalism /; if we of Virginia


can render more effective service by adopt


ing the latter, what objection can be urged


against our doing so? Were it left to our


own dictation, we would probably tear


away the thin Partition that separates the


two organizations, and assume at once the


name Of that grand old party under whose


wise administration this Government lived


and gloriou>ly proSpered until radicalism


obtained power; but i'll the spirit of him


who declared that if the eating of meat gave


offence to his brother not another mouthful


should pass between his lips, let us discard


individual preferences and rally as one man


to the help Of our natural allies, be


they Wings, Democrats, Conservatives, or


"others."


1t is not unlikely that the blazed trees in
the political forest through which we are


now passing will lead us into the camp OF
Northern Democracy. Be it so. In the ma.


tional conflict of 1872 Of whom else are we


to seek for succor? But that will not


deter any man now cooperating with the
| Conservative organization in Virginia from


doing all in his power to secure the triumph


Of his associates. If it does, he must either


remain silent witness of the struggle or


openly take sides with the destroyers of his


country's good, and of that we have no fear.
| When the common enemy is not merely


vanquishcd, but destroyed, we may, If we


choose, array ourselves upon minor matters


Of difference under whatsoever banner we


see proper. Until that is accomplished,


however, let us preserve our unity, and


work shoulder to shoulder for the advance


mcnt of common cause and the procure
ment of a common good, nor distract our
| harmony by 4 useless chailering over name,
as some of our Richmond contemporaries
have been doing the past summer.-LeeS-
burg Mirror.