The New York herald., 1879-10-22
The Fight Between the Debt Payers
and Readjusters.
UNCERTAINTY OF THE RESULT,
Importance of the Negro and
Republican Vote.
THE CANVASS IN THE SOUTHWEST.

political observers to the result in this State
the 4th Of November. glance at the situation
makes it next to impossible believe that the
adjusters succeed the face OF the determined
stand taken by fhe debt payers supporters OF the
McCuloch settlement. They have at their
mand and in active service all the party machinery
almost unanimous press and all the old party
leaders of influence and social standing. and are
backed besides by every commercial community in
the State The readjusters have only General
William Mahone the Richmond Wing and half
dozen able stump speakers. around whom u party of
considerable magnitude has formed. which opposes
tho debt settlement and is gradually incul-
eating settlement in favor of repudiation. Both
the parties factions democrats of the stricest
type. and each the other of being boilers.
the fact of having boted being decidedly III favor OF
the readjusters, who minus the party organiza-
ton and machinery. Notwithstanding all these
drawbacks the readjusters have made most alarming
strides in every portion of the State and contest
ing every inch of ground with terrible earnest
ness. On the part of the debt payers the campaign
seems to be go-as-y please among the party
leaders for the United States Senatorship when Sen
ator Withers' term expires. The fight. although
they hold their own lines, is hardly as vigorous
the debt payers side US it two weeksago even
in the opening of the campaign. Most Of the lead
ers and speakers are aspirants either for the Sena
torship or for Congress. and it frequently occurs
that advocating the debt settlement with some or
them is merely secondary consideration to their
own interests in the future. Hence 1t is that OBJ
servers who two weeks ago were confident Of the
overwhelming success of the debt payers now shake
their heads and admit the gravity OF the situation
THE RESULT A coNUNDRUM
Everybody including the leaders of both factions,
completely at to the probable result in the
IN hei factiO wi
elect majority Of the members of the next
Legislature, and of them both sides
go far to say they will have two-thrds
on joint ballot; but these. are haphazard
statements without any substantial basis whatever.
The contest is unprecedented one. 1t is the first
time in the history Of the conservative party in
Virginia that it has been divided on any special
issue. The issue is to pay not pay. and it has
developed some extraordinary elements hitherto
known in the politics OF the State. Consequently
there is no canvass nor election heretofore upon
which any sort OF q probable estimate can be based.
II full vote can be brought out is almost certain
the debt payers will carry the Legislature, but al
ready there are indications that large numbers Of
them. who believe i'll the ''irrepealable contract
theory will refuse to turn out, and, satisfied that
they will have the debt to pay anyhow. in
losing time voting. On the other hand. many read
votes for party which threatens reputation and
will stay away from the polls
NEGRO VOTE.
It is curious to observe the Importance the negro
vote has assumed in the eyes OF the now disrupted
democratic party in Virginia. Democratic legisla-
ton, by imposing the pay nient of capiation
requirement to vote, designed to disfranchise
the negro. 1t destroyed the power OF the
party. but the vote was only crippled. All told, the
negro vote now amounts about sixty tho usaud
q formidable factor, and which is the balance
OF power in the present contest. The way that this
vote is cast may decide the fate OF Virginia for
better or for the very worst. Neither the debt
payers nor the readjusters can lay any claim
to this vote The negro owes the democratic
party in Virginia debt of gratitude. Both
factions were unanimous in the endeavor to deprive
him of any power in either the State national leg
isature. AS the matter stands the democratic party
is the political enemy of the 1t Is enable,
then. to suppose that the negro Will his vote on
the side which promises most e1ectually to destroy
that organization To the negro, then. it seems the
readjusters are most zeaousy engaged i'll that auda
BILE undertaking. Therefore, as u natural conse
quence, to the standard or the readusters and re-
pudiators the negroes will necessarily flock ON
the 4th OF November next. But. to their credit be
1t said, the debt payers putting forth the most
strenuous efforts to avert such q calamity. They
calling upon the republican leaders to aid them
They sending speakers to deliver addresses and
distributing documents among the negroes by
the cartload In strong negro localities debt PAYERS
clubs have been formed wit reverend coored leaders
at their heads and sable political wirepulers at
their tails. Fred Douglass has been indnced to
write letter urging the negroes TO support the
debt payers. and effort Is now being made to get
General Grant to send them proclamation in the
shape of friendly advice to the same effect. This
would exert q most powerful influence among the
negroes. who regard Grant as the particular Moses
who led them out of the wilderness OF slavery into
the haven OF freedom and political liberty.
On the other hand. the readjusters are working
and successfully too. with the negroes. They use
specious arguments, which the negroes eagerly
listen to and invariably believe. the strongest of
which is that, the debt having been contracted when
they were slaves they should not now. when free,
be taxed to pay it. Both parties promise the negro
to support the public schools and give them in
will never fulnl. The public schools in the State
reduced to about half their original number.
and it is always matter OF great difficulty to OBJ
tain tho funds appropriated even for the half that is
left
THE CAMPAIGN IN THE SOUTHWEST.
The canvass tor members of the next General
Assembly in the Southwest has become tho most
bitter and desperate that has occurred for years.
There has notg been since the surrender of the Con-
fedcrac armies an election III which the candidates
were so late coming into the field This feature is
due 20 the fact that the reductions in the rate of in
terest on the public debt secured by the McCulloch
bill were great that the people had generally
become settled in the opinion that 1t best to
cept the terms offered. This belief was rapidly
crystallizing into conviction when the campaign of
the rcpcalers was suddenly opened with fury that
caused some astonishment. Massey aud Blair and
Patterson trcadjusters) mounted the stump, and
assaulted the McCulloch settlement with vehe-
mencc that challenged attention. asserting that 1T
was lar more odious and oppressive than the Fund
ing bill of 1871. They alleged that it destroyed tho
free school system and necessitatcd increase of
taxation. Public opinion had been massed in defence
OF these two points. aud it with distinct un-
dcrstanding that the FREQ school system and the
rate of taxaton were to be LET alone that the p.ople
had been favorably impressed with the McCulloch
BILL The first result was doubt IN the public mind
This has now degencrated into disposition to make
who have heretofore had more or ess ot the public
confidence so Chat there is quite tendency to the
old alignment between 'rcadJustors and funders."
The exception is that among the independent and
thinking classes the gains have been in behalf of the
McCuloch bill and the losses to the rel callers.
REPUBLICANS.
The question then resolves Itself into one as to
the probable course of the republican, voters, who
may be said TO hold the balance OF power between
the repealcrs and the debt payers This vote IL per-
haps lighter in the southwest than in any other por-
ton of the State: but it will be- nevertheless, sufi-
cient determine the result IL 1t be controlled
to any large extent Thercsis no doubt that II the
republican leaders wish they can throw the bulk OF
IL to the debt payers and thus give the deathblow
further growth the reputation idea in this por-
ton of the State where roadustmcnt had its origin
and its leadership as much In the person of State
Senator Falkerson as any other man the State. 1t
may be very well to state, insomuch as IL has
come TO be largely question of veracity between
leaders, that those who now declare the McCulloch
bill to be outrageous scheme for increasing the