The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-04
VIRGINIA POLITICS.
Special Correspondence to the Chicago Times
A COMPLICATED CONDITION.


A COMPLICATED CONDITION.
RICHMOND, Va, July 30.-The Malone
readjuster having placed an electoral
ticket in the field, the democrats of other
states very naturally are apprehensive
lest the state of Virginia may cast her
vote for Garfield. and Arthur, instead of
tho democratic nominees. Your CORE
spondeBt has just spent a month In Nlr~
ginia, and while there met q large num-
Der of the prominent public men. OF all
the parties, now represented in the Old
Dominion; and, on account of the compli~
Gated condition of politics in that state.
made it his especial business to inquire
carefully into the situation. which appears
&C present decidedly mixed and profile
NAUTICAL one, until analysed carefully.
First. it will be necessary 10 review the
origin, cause. and appafeut purposes of
the party styling themselves read iusters.
MIR Malone was the man who first brought
this party into notoriety, and helped it by
bis own personal influence to gain power.
His ambition was to become governor of
the state He tried the regular conserva-
tive democracy. but failing to secure the
much coveted prizs. Finding his ambi-
ton curbed, he was not the man to be
held back long, so he found a new issue,
and advocated readjustment of the state
debt. maintaining that Virginia was too
poor, ought not. could nor, and would not,
pay the whole of the state debt. At first
his argument was so plausible, so plain,
and seemed to be SO genuine and sincere.
that he gained a most respectable follow
ing, for then men believed that the hero
of the crater was faithful to the real inter
ests of Virginia as he had shown himself
brave and dauntless on the battlefield.
Indeed. his military fame was what
brought him e
PROMINENTLY BEfoRE THE PEOPLE
of his section. He had the support of such
men as DR.. 5. Il. Moffet and the Hon.
James Barbour, the latter the author OF
the Barbour bill With the aid of these
and others equally as prominent. the leg
lslature was carried by the readjus;eTs
1t was then the disgracotui proceedings
began. 1t IL useless to describe the man
ner in which the sDoils were divided, for
every intelligent reader OF daily papers
knows how eager the prominent readjus
tiers were for Office. and how com pletely
they turned out the true government.
Othce. office, was the burden of their
song. After that an almost direct at
tempt was made to repudiate the state
debt or at least pave the way for it. but
the prompt veto of a firm and patriotic
governor saved the state that disgrace.
Meanwhile. what is known as the MeOul
Tough settlement bill was being
prepared, and the general assemb-
ly before the last considered it.
and fortunately, it was well enough
received to draw away from the Malone
readjlsters some of their staunchest sup
porters. In the more recent elections the
regular Democrats have made some decid.
ed gains, and it must be remembered that
the Malone readjusters could never have
obtained power but for the almost united
support of
THE NEGRO REPUBLICANS,
who were eoaxed into line with the prom
Use that the law reqaring the payment of |
poll tax before voting should be abolished, |
as well az that which denied the right of
suffrage to any one who had ever been |
convicted OF petit larceny. This fall there
Is to be national contest, and the negroes
will vote almost as a unit for the Repub- |
lican electoral ticket. The question now
is, W hat is the real strength of the two
parties who. once formed the powerful
Democratic or conservative party of the |
state2
When the regular Democrats state |
convention was called to meet at Rich |
mond, Tor the purpose of sending delegates
10 the nationai convention at Cincinnati. |
ana invitation was extended the readjast- |
ers to again unite with the Democratic /
party. On account of Mr., Malone o |
attempts to curry favor with the Republi- |
cans at Stanton. and his doubtful political |!
stairs. Q large number Of readjusters