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Valley Virginian: June 3, 1868 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

The Only Issue Before the People
(Column 01)

Summary: This article calls on all "free men of the Republic" to act against the domination of the Radical party rather than be--unconstitutionally--acted upon. The author demands unity of all sections against this one single issue: Constitutional government of law and right. Issues regarding clemency, Reconstruction and blacks should only be dealt with after the defeat of the radical ticket in November. The most important thing is to first ensure the defeat of Grant and Colfax in the presidential election. Only then, will constitutional government survive throughout the country.

Full Text of Article:

We have waded through an ocean of stuff on this subject--we have tried to be excited over the "Impeachment." We have exercised ourselves to get up a "sensation" over the rumored "charges in the Cabinet" and the proposed lying down of the "Lion and Lamb together"--the sweet bed of roses in which Andy Johnson and Congress were to wallow in harmony and peace--"all for the good of the country" &c. in fact we have actually heard of the nomination of Grant and Colfax for President and Vice President by the Radicals at Chicago, upon a bitter radical platform, and still we are so apathetic as to remain quiescent, and in this feeling we are so presumptuous as to believe a majority of the people of the United States coincide with us.

What is the matter? Can't the people be roused? Are the freemen of America lost to all feeling and is the Nation to rush madly to destruction and no hand or voice be raised to check the rapidly speeding train of events? Thus queries some imbecile, some poor weak creature who does not perceive, in the present column, the gathering wrath of an outraged people.

The only issue now is:-- Shall Constitutional Government--shall the Government of Law and Right be perpetuated or shall it go down!

The Radical party say that it shall--with their platitudes about equal rights, "Union" &c, they mean that it shall, if they elect Grant and continue in power. Mr. Thad Stevens says boldly that his party "is acting outside the Constitution"--outside and above the written and unwritten law handed down to us by the proud and devoted fathers and founders of this Republic. Stevens and his satraps are the soul and body of that party and their word is law, or rather force to it, for law, nothing they say can be called.--It is not the simple degradation or extermination of the people of the conquered States--the equality--the citizenship--the honored birthright of every American that is at stake. It is not the fate of the 3,000,000 poor deluded negroes, less in number than the free Indians we drove before us--it is the fate of 3,300,000 white Americans that hangs in the balance. An All-wise and beneficent Creator--the Eternal and Everlasting God, never gave a people such a heritage; nor did he ever place before them such an issue--words fail in attempting to express it--only the heart of the people, inspired by Him can.

But a solemn sense of duty, as public Journalists, a conscientious conviction of what is right compels us to say what we think, and our judgment is based upon a residence of years in both sections of our now distracted country. The Democratic party--that is all the elements opposed to the rule and ruin policy of the fanatical radical, meet in Convention in N.Y. July 4th, 1868. That Convention will, if it does its duty, represent the mass of the law abiding, God fearing people of this country, and a fearful responsibility will rest upon its members. It is no holiday work; no old time party caucus; no "cut and dried" political maneuvering that they will be called upon to do. The fate of a people, for weal or woe,--the honor of the martyred dead, on both sides hangs in the balance. It is, (words of solemn and awful import).

Shall Constitutional Government--shall the only Government of Law and Right be perpetuated or shall it go down?

This is the only issue, and to accomplish the object of every honest man but one thing is to be done. It is, overthrow the party now in power at the polls in November. Little side issues about "Clemency," about "Impeachment," about "Reconstruction," about "Negroes," it id omne genus, can be attended to hereafter. The main question now--the only question--is to nominate the men on the above ticket who can beat Grant and Colfax and who are for the Constitution and the Law.--It matters not to the people whether they were "war" or "peace" Democrats--whether "Whigs," "Rebels" or what not--all the is the overthrow of that party of rule and ruin. The Southern people care not--they will ever honor their dead and glory in their past--but they want peace and their rights, as free citizens of the Republic. Free citizens of the North and West, will you drop your prejudice and passion and do your duty or will you, like Sampson of old, destroy yourselves and the Temple of our hopes?

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: Conservative candidates Robert E. Withers, James A. Walker, John L. Marye, Jr., Marmaduke Johnson, Coleman Yellott, and Shelton F. Leake will address a mass meeting in Staunton on June 17th.

To Work, Gentlemen, to Work!!
(Column 02)

Summary: The author suggests all men of wealth lend their hands to defeating the proposed constitution by enlisting the support of the poorer white citizens. To do this, work must be done that will require the use of material items. The principle concern is that if this work is not done, the poor white Virginians will grow apathetic, not vote, and thus the radical constitution will be ratified.

Full Text of Article:

The papers are working, calculating from Schofield's report and other sources, which give the Conservatives 37,000 majority in the State. That majority may be fooled away by "General Apathy" or Gen. Fool, as it was in the election for delegates to the convention. Trust not to it, people of Virginia, but recollect that "God helps those who help themselves." Work now--See every man in your neighborhood--make him register and see that he votes against the Constitution and for our ticket the day of election.--You gentlemen of property and influence in each and every neighborhood, you lawyers, doctors, merchants, property-holders, in towns, and villiages must turn out and work on election day. Your carriages, your horses, your wagons, your presence and labor--everything must be used to bring honest, but poor white men to the polls. If necessary you must pay for the support of their families while they are absent from daily toil. It is work -- hard work and no striking at the price. Come down to it now and save future confiscation of all, by a small sacrifice of time and money. If you leave the matter to the "boys" as you did during the war and hug your "theories" to your beating hearts at home, it may be that the "boys" may get up an "indifference" equal to your own. Turn out, gentlemen, turn out! for God's sake and ours! This is a "rough and tumble fight" and even a broad cloth coat and silk vest must be soiled or we may all go down -- property as well as life. "The devil is loose in this land." Help us to catch him, is all the "boys" ask now. Is it too much?

The Difference
(Column 02)

Summary: The difference between the "Southern people" and "yankees" is noted here as one of a machine like attention to energy, detail, and material advancement. The author suggests that southern men of greater character and mind adopt the yankee ideas and incorporate them. When this occurs, southern men will rule the continent.

Full Text of Article:

Our Southern people have great individuality of character. It is strongly marked upon the constitution of the U.S., and of the States. Their education and habits made them love the independence of the individual men and bend their remarkable development of great master minds--rulers and leaders of the people for years.--The yankees--we mean the Puritanic New Englanders when we say yankee--are, and have always been, machines --the concentrated embodiment of one idea, and that idea itself. They have worked together, and in war the machine overcome the individual selfishness--force and concentration upset the individual--the grand and generous but unsupported idea. Now that slavery which gave power--gave strength to that individuality is gone forever, it is not like the "play of Hamlet with Hamlet left out" for us to longer contend single handed against this fearfully and wonderfully made machine? Is it not sound sense to educate the enlarged, individual brain of the Southern people, so as to adopt every good yankee idea and conquer them? It strikes us that not only policy but sound sense, love of country, pride--every feeling which should animate a patriot dictates this course. When you engraft on Southern character, yankee energy, yankee idea of detail, yankee devotion to material interest, still retaining the lovable qualities of the Southerner, you have the people who are to rule this continent.--Let us try it. The price is surely worth the sacrifice of individual invalutism and prejudice.

A Word to Union Men
(Column 02)

Summary: The article reaches out to Augusta's unionists and encourages them to join ex-confederates in voting down the new state constitution. "If you vote with the deluded negroes and white scalawags prepare to be classed with them and don't complain."

Confederate Dead
(Column 02)

Summary: The paper complains that some of the bones of Confederate dead removed from Gordonsville have been lying exposed in Staunton's station since last September. The paper urges the Ladies' Memorial Association, who had allegedly raised enough money to bury the remains, to do something about the situation.

Deaths
(Column 03)

Summary: David G. Harry died in Staunton of paralysis at age 61.
(Names in announcement: David G. Harry)