The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-11-12
sENAToR,ELEcT MALONE.
Who Seems to Have the Power e
Decide the Politics of the
United States Senaae
From the CINCINNATI Commercial.

Who seems to Have the Power to
Decide the Politics of the
United States Senaae.
From the Cincinnati Commercial.
Every newspaper reader has heard of
of Virginia. He is the leader
Of the Readjusters and the biggest man
in the state. It is doubtful if there is
any one man in the Democratic party to-
day who is the cause of more anxiety
than he.
While Malone is big man in in
tiuence he is a small man in stature,
smaller even than Alexander III. Steph-
ems, and weighs less then 100 pounds.
He has the frame of q woman, but the
will of giant, OF, at least such as a
giant ought to have in proportion to his
size. In his movements he is quick and
nervous He is about five feet three
inches high, has a large finely-shaped
head, iron-gray hair and beard, gray
eyes, and heauy eyebrows, dresses plain
ly, and is about SO years old.
Malone is selfmade man. He was
born in Virginia, and for that reason ex-
erts an influence that one occupying his
position, but born outside of the state,
never could. His education was largely
obtained at the Virginia military insti-
tute, a scholarship in which he won in
q SLdstC0
in the business of life as chain carrier
in a railaoad engineer corps. From
that humble position he gradually rose
to the presidency of railroad company,
and at one time controlled a system of
railroads from Norfolk to the Missis-
sippi. He was general in the confed-
crate army, and Gen. Robert E. Lee is re-
ported to have said of him that II would
rather have him, his judgment, sagacity,
and executive ability, than any general
/ have. If should retire from the
command of the army l should recon-
mend Malone for my place" Malone
was the author and executor of the plan to
blow up Grants Notifications around
Petersburg, of which city he is now a
resident.
Mahone's prominence as a political
leader dates back nearly q decade. In
1869 the regular old school Democrats of
Virginia, in convention assembled, de-
nounced the war amendments and the
reconstruction measures, and, it is said,
by every means in their power sought to
array the anti-union and conservative
elements of the state against the national
government. A large element in the
state rebelled at this action, saying that
| il would prevent Virginia, rich in every
natural resource, from ever being as full
ly developed, as there was every reason
to believe it might be, and declared that
they were decidedly opposed to an I'M
progressive political force.
For the want of a leader this rebellious
element moved slowly. OF necessity il
must be composed of carpet baggers and
negroes, and as the ruling class were
sure to be against it, it required
man of rare nerve to under
| take to lead. The man for the posi-
| ton in the course OF time appeared. He
was William Malone, then president OF
the Virginia and Tennessee railroad,
| and he, with few others, issued call
| for a convention of 1.-The liberal minded
men of the state" a phrase that was per-
fectly understood by all those who were
| likely TO actively support or antagonize
Malone. The convention nominated a
! full state ticket, with Gilbert c. Walker
a northern man, for governor. Among
its other important actions, the conVen.
ton accepted the results of the war, the
constitutional amendments, and the re-
| construction measures.
The new party adopted the name OF
| True and Liberal Republicans of Vir
| ginia." Men of every grade of political
| opinih were invited to become adhe
rents, and assist in the announced eff
fort to elevate Virginia above any other
southern state in its political liberality
The negroes were especially solicited to
join, and were solemnly promised that
their educational interests should be
looked after, and that in all other re.
| spects they should be properly cared for
The audacity of this action dumb
| founded the regular Democrats, and af.
ter Intellectual efforts to stem the tide,
they withdrew their ticket, and apparently
united with Malone and his party. Ma
hone is said to have been without politi.
cal ambition, and after the election OF
his candidates, and it appeared that his
plans would certainly be carried out in
the future, he returned to raIiroading,
and in so doing put the power again IN
the hands OF his former antagonists
When they obtained complete control
they repudiated the promises Malone
had made. They were especially severe
on the colored men, among other things
enacting a capitation tax law. the object
of which was to virtually disfranchise
the blacks. They also made war on Ma.
hone and his leaders, and when the
panic came in 1878 they succeeded il
displacing him In the railroad business
Malone, out of business, turned hi
attention to the reorganization of his in
dependent party. Under his direction
the movement rapidly grew, until las
year they defeated the regulars by ma
jority of not less than 1900 votes
They carried both branches of the legs
lature, and in due time elected then
leader, Malone, to the United State
senate.
The nominal issue upon which tn
battle year ago was fought was the pay
ment of the state debt. The regular
called themselves Funders or Debtpay
ers; the independents adopted the nam
of Readjusters: the Readjusters are II
pudiatlonists. But it is claimed that tn
Funders do not really believe in the pay
ment of the debt $4,000, 900, nor at pre-
ent all the interest. Malone and hi
friends won by boldly appealing to Tia
colored people for their votes, promisin
that, if victorious, the capitation Ia
should be abolished; their right to vot
as they pleased, and have their vol
counted, should be protected. and this
they should share in the offices. TIL
Funders, it is said. had no. idea G
the strength of the Readjusters until to
late to affect reaction. In their wrat
at their defeat, they read Malone out G
the party in May last, and endangered
make the position of his followers mos
unpleasant. A correspondent of tn
Boston Herald says that society, th
press, and even the pulpit, is against tn
Malone men and TO be a Readjuste
was and is to be denied accommodated
at the bank, credit at the store, and al
most the privilege of worshiping at &C
customed places.
The quarrel between the Funders an
Readjusters, both professediy Democrat
ic, was SO bitter that they would no
I