Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-03-15
lancastcr fs1tell:gerlrer.
uEsDAY EVENING. MARCH Is. 1881.
Ambition O'erieap ing Itself.


We have never doubted
that Malone would be found acting with
the Republican party. We have often
declared that there was no doubt at all
of his contemplated treachery to the
Democratic party, his position in which |
he has been using in Virginia in an ef- |
fort to build up party of his own.
There has been contest between him |
self and the regular Democratic organi
zation in the state, in which he had
called to his aid every fragment of Op-
position to the Democracy, while yet
proclaiming himself Democrat and so
holding control of faction of the Dem
ocratic party which hugged to its soul
an insane longing to repudiate the state
debt. There has absolutely been moth
ing at the foundation of Mahone's Dem
ocratic support in Virginia but the re-
pudiation, or as it is called there the
&" readjusting," sentiment; ard yet to
this basis for a party he has hooked on
the Republican party in the state, and
has now made his alliance with it in the
nation; albeit, that party loudly pro-
claims its horror of reputation.
In the last campaign the Malone party
had the audacity to run Hancock elec-
toral ticket in Virginia. 1t was mani
fest that in SO doing they endangered
Democratic success; and it was very
clear that they cared nothing at all for
it. Malone desired to carry the cleo
toral vote OF Virginia in his pocket,
ready for use after the election where it
would be Of the most value to him.. 1t
would have been very stupid not to
recognize this fact, and therefore
it was that the Democratic national
committee urged the Virginia Democ-
racy to vote for the electoral ticket nomi-
mated by the regular organization. Every
effort had previously been exhausted to
persuade Malone to agree to some ar
rangement by which one ticket could re-
ceive the support Of every Virginia
Democrat. But he would consent to
nothing and insisted that if there was to
he unity it should be had by supporting
the ticket he had caused to he nOmi-
mated, which he proclaimed was the
true Democratic ticket and the one
which would bear to General Hancock
the vote of the state. Only very guile
less men could be deceived 10y
this declaration from such man.
It was made without any truth
or sincerity, rs those who knew
Malone could not doubt and as the pres
ent exhibition of the nature of his devo-
tion to Democracy shows. If his ticket
had carried Virginia, Hancock would
have received the vote of the state prob
ably, but not certainly. If MahOne had
controlled the vote he would have been
power in the Democratic party and
might have forced his leadership upon it
and obtained national recognition 10y
bearing its vote 70 Hancock. The Re-
publicans would have had to bid high
for him 10 offset so important attrac-
tiOnS to the Democratic side. If the re-
suit Of the election had depended upon
Virginia they might have offered enough
to have bought it.
In any event Malone would then have
been a big man. But the election showed
that he was not power in Virginia.
He fell between two stools, nOtwith-
standing his agility. The decen: Re-
publicans, as well as the decent Demo
Gratis, repudiated him. He had the
riff-raff with him and {: handful of re-
spectacle gentlemen whom his activity
and impudence imposed upon. lie was
reduced to his senatorial seat, which lie
had secured by union of the mongrel
clements in the Legislature against the
regular Democratic candidate, as the sole
basis OF his political power. He was
bound tosutilize it: and it was manifest
that he could only do so by trading with
the party that controlled the national
patronage.
1t was therefore very clear where Ma
hone would land in the Senate. lie has
been wriggiing and masquerading before
the public eye since the elect ion and at
tracing great deal of attention from
those who did not know him and SO
wondered what he would do. The Dem
Ocratic senators, in organizing the COM
mittees, put him on four of them as a
Democrat: not, however, believing in
his Democracy. as we imagine, but so us
not to give him the excuse of saying that
the party refused to recognize him. AS
he had, up to date, proclaimed himself a
Democrat, it was right to take him at
him word and put him or the commit
tees as Democrat.
1t would, nevertheless, have been a
great surprise if he had sided with
the party. He could not afford it with
out surrendering his ambition. Honor
and ambition pointed different ways,
and man of his constitution could not
hesitate. Buying the Virginia patron
age with his senatorial vote, he hopes to
be able to hold party together in his
state. With the Democratic party there
his goose was cooked" There is this
excuse, such as it is, for his treach-
cry and dishonor. That he is dis
honored cannot he denied. Though it is
true that he was elected to the Senate
in opposition to the regular Democratic
nominee, yet he was elected proclaiming
himself Democrat, with Democratic
votes. And he supported in November
last an electoral ticket which he pro-