The New York herald., 1879-12-26
V | r G. | N | A..
The State Debt Question as Explained
by the Debt Payers.
A VICTIM OF DEMAGOGUES.
Is Readjustment Another Name
for Repudiation7

for RepudiatiOn2
RICHMOND. Va, Dec. 90. 1879.
The Canadian exhibit OF curiosities at the Centen
nial Exposition included the original field notes of
"Mason and Dixon's ine." line which ultimately
separated the slave State Of Virginia from the free
State Of Pennsylvania dividing the Northern States
that had done away with slavery from the Southern
States that seemed determined to perpetuate and ex-
tend it-a line which marked the strangest political
division. the strongest social antagonsm and the
Aercest prejudices and resentments that ever gave
rise to rebellion and civil war.
The field notes of the famous survey. having been
preserved at Halifax. N. g. were purchased by the
United States and are now deposited in Washington.
When Mason and Dixon's line was drawn in 1767 the
variance was already defined between Northern and
Southern customs. manners. speech and feelings
which became remarkable after tho union Of the
States-a variance hardly ever moro obvious than
now. The abolition of slavery has had different Of
fects in different Southern communities. In none
them has it sted the pride. the dosyncrasies. of
twenty years ago. The 'line'' still divides hetero
geneous North from peculiar South. and no North
ern stranger who crossed it today-startng. for in
stance. from New York Philadelphia at night and
stepping of at Richmond next noon-can fail to be
impressed by differences foreign in degree. II not
In kind as those that strike an Englishman at
Boulogne or Calais. Most travelling Americans
unwilling. 1t seems. to admit 80 much.
no matter how harshly the fact obtruaes
ITSELF But the fact stands. It is the
most palpable that rises up on the threshold of
the South. Go from New York into New England
and you md oddities. queer dialects. local preju
diccs The Western States this side Of the Missouri
are full Of bizarre characteristics and independent
and the Sierra Nevada range has life and prepos-
sessions Of its own. and the Pacific States arc in
many respects dissimilar from all the rest But be-
tween the East and the West everywhere from
to ocean. one discerns tremendous bond of Ameri-
can brotherhood and union-a sympathy Of enter
prise and wishes. disposition to pull together.
feeling Of common nationality and interest. New
York and San Francisco-the Oriental metropolis
and the Occidental etropolis-are linked to Chicago
and it's connections by chains that political animos-
tiles have failed to mar or rust
The contrast between this unbroken community
Of interest north Of Mason and Dixon's line and
the sense of isolation and difference south Of it is
something that no denial. protestation can make
any rational witness blind to. There is nothing
surprising In it. Nobody who reflects upon events
need wonder at it, What is the of trying. as do
most newspaper writer's who come down from the
North to conceal reject it, or sur II over2 For
my part prefer to take the bull by the horns at
once. and, admitting the estrangement more less
sad. unwilling. regretful. ferce impacable stead
FAST unprncipled sullen according to the temper
and intelligence and circumstances Of the people)
which is felt toward tho North by the mass
Of Southern whites. to start the basis
of this admission into study Of causes
and remedies From no locality in the North
could such task be approached confidently as
49,
to begin the diagnosis. Her ancient influence has
not all pershjd despite the shearing of her domain
(by the looping of the new State of Western vir-
ginia since the war; and her political condition
interesting and critical than that Of any other
Southern State
THE LEADER OF THE NEW PARTY.
The State debt question. still paramount. casts
Svery other political consideration into the shade;
yet its settlement may ultimately have important
bearing on the of Virginia and other South
States in national politics. At present old party
outlines erased by the friction between the dept
payers and the "readjusters." The man who is
eral William Malone.
During the war Major General Malone commanded
. lighting division in Lees army which greatly dis
tinguished itself in the nine months Of Grants sege
of Petersburg. 1t was nicknamed tho "Reserve Di-
vlsion." because 1t was the only movable division
Lee had to spare. 1t in every fight from Grants
crossing Of the James until the surrender at Appo-
mattox Court House. After the war General Malone
resumed his previous connection with railroads,
and. being man of marked executive energy.
appeared foremost in effort to consolidate the
lind between Norfolk and Bristol, the Tennessee
border. there to connect with lines to Knoxville,
Memphis. Chattanooga and Nashville. Already
president Of the Arst link in the proposed chain
fkf.>
cesded. after struggle of years. Arst. in
getting control Of tho two remaining lines
loading into Tennessee. next in securing act Of
consolidation from the Legislature against vehe-
mont opposition in that body and outside of It. The
opposition based on the ground that the State,
by the act of consolidation required to give up
to the consolidated road assets properly belonging
to State creditors To this General Malone and his
friends replied that Virginia did not owo all her
alleged debt and that her creditors were not entitled
to all her assets. II in the of that dis
cussion that sentiment in favor of ''rcadjusting"
the State debt was born. 1t quietly fostercd by
Malone during the next few years. Malone became
president of the consolidated railroad which event.
ualy went into the hands Of receiver. where it
still remains. Gradually taking stronger hand in
State politics Malone appeared in 1877 q candi-
date for Governor tho roadjustment idea. At the
last moment in the convention. however, he throw
his strength for Holiday. the present incumbent.
enabling the latter TO defeat Daniels by large
joriy of votes and obtain the nomination. 1t would
that Malone did this not that ho hated Holli-
day less, but Daniels more for Governor Holiday
was and is implacablo foe of the readjusting
scheme which General Malone has since been nurs-
ing.
MOVEMENT DEFINED.
Now. In order that readers of tho HERALD through
out the country. North and South. well credit
ors Of Virginia in Europe. may be fully informed OF
the merits or this whole matter. will hrst define it
from the standpoint of the debt payers explained
to mo by the best informed men in Virginia among
their number. Thcn will submit General Ma
homes vindication of his policy. as given to me
some time before the meeting of tho Legislature
the nrst statement he vouchsafod to . newspaper.
The debt payers roviow the history of tho debt as