The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-11-17
RESULT OF vInoiNIA's ELECTION.

The result OF the election in Virginia,
on the 8th instant, has probably not sur
prised many persons who watched the
progress of the campaign at all closely
From the first the Malone party has had
the decided advantage, from the fact that
the assurance uf the Administration in
huencc has rendered tho Republican
vote of the State IL certain basis to start
with, and the only thing necessary to
ensure the victory was to get together
enough discordant elements to constitute
balance of power between the Dem
ocrats and the Republicans. This all
along promised to be very easy task
with u State ms badly split up as Virginia
has been for the past three or four years
over the settlement of her State debt.
In addition to the strong influence of
Federal patronage and the debt quarrel,
Malone was fortunate enough to COM
mand very large sum of money fnr
campaign purposes, and at the same
time to possess the best talent for organ
ization and effective business work. The
Democracy had these difficulties to con-
tend with, and went into the fight with
out any organization, with very little
money, no Federal patronage, and 10
live, aggressive policy. In such con.
tast there could be very little doubt rs to
where victory would achieved. The
result, however, is none the less import.
ant in its effect upon the State of Vir-
ginia and Federal politics in consequence
of the unequal character Of the contest.
The Readjuster party obtain control OF
all the State offices and of both branches
of the Legislature, which gives them the
selection Of United States Senator to
succeed Senator Johnston, and also sew
erai members of the Supreme Court of
the State. This victory will render Ma.
hone still more promi;- ent and potent
balance of power in the Senate, for it will
practically give him two votes instead of
one as heretofore.
The success Of the Independent move
ment in Virginia is to be followed up by
a similar fight in other Southern States,
and they are not few who think it
means q general breaking up of the
solid South. This fort, however, may
be weakened in OF .er States by dissen-
sions likely to result from q division of
the spoils in Virginia. There. are nu.
merous applicants for tie Offices to be
distributed by the new victors, and the
disappointed applicants may produce
trouble in the Readjuster camps. We
do not, however, expect this. Malone
has been shrewd enough 10 carry the
State, and he will be more than likely to
find means of compensating the inlu-
entail leaders for their services in the
cause Of readjustment. We may there
fore expect some such movement as Ma.
homes Y;rgir:: canvass 10 be attempted
in thv various Southern States, and un-
less prudence, patriotism and fair dealing
marks the course of the Democratic
party in their selection Of candidates for
public Office and in the management of
future campaigns. we may expect some
five or six Southern States to be turned
over to the Republican party through
the agency of the Independent move
ment The voters Of the South cannot
be controlled by dictation. Their judg-
ment and reason M pprove the
course of any political patty which re-
tains power for any length of time.
Without this approval there are thou
sands all through the South who will
either actively or passively oppose the
continuance of such q party in power.
While this break up in the South may |
lose us some votes in Congress and for
President from this section, it will prob
ably be more than compensated by Dem
ooffatic gains in tho North A solid
South has been an abnormal feature in
our politics, and its persistent mainte-
nance has from time to time added to
he solidity of the North, until III the