The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-06-03
VIRGINIA READJUSTERS.
The Platform Adopted by the
Party.
MALONE NOMINATED FOR GOV
ERN OR.


convention was called to order at 1886 by
General Boiling i'll the absence OF General Ma
hone, chairman of tho State central commit
tee, and upon his motion John Paul was ap-
pointed temporary chairman. Committees on
credentials and permanent organization were
appointed.
By II o'clock the Richmond Theatre was
filed by delegates. The elaborate decorations
put up for the recent reception of the Knights
Templar remain and give the hall a lively and
pleasing appearance. The convention is COM
posed of 75S delegates, mostly with fans. They
are respectable body of men Of all ages, but
young and middle age predominant. There
is sprinkling of coored delegates, who set
among their white associates on terms of aifa-
BILE equality. Not few delegates show marks
of service in the Confederate cause. The pro-
ceedingS were opened by spirited speech by
Congressman-elect John Paul, who claimed
that the Readjuster party was the only honest
deht-payirg party in tn Stste,- csad tho
OF progress. He is a graceful and fluent speak
err and his remarks called forth vocif-
erous applause.
The formalities of organization took place
without further incident than the inevitable
men in the galleries, who wished to introduce
irregular notions instruct the chair and COM
plain that they could not hear. The first
symptoms of disturbance appeared after the
committee on organization had gone to work,
by complaints from delegates that the wishes
of their districts had been overridden in their
constitution. The convention was rapidly de-
generating into good-natured mob when the
chairman extricated it from the danger by en-
tertaining motion for recess till $50, which
was carried.
AT the Readjusters' convention, to-day, Ma
hone. who was present, was received with vo-
ciferous applause. He made brief speech,
explaining his position in the Senate and de-
claring aginst the Bourbon Democracy. He
said to the convention:
You are here to free these people from Bour-
bon domination and to lift the blight of Bour-
bon Democracy which has set in upon us. You
are to restore to the old State and her people
the most cordial relations with all people of
our common country and put an end to Sec
tional contest and obliterate race distinctions.
On reassembling, the convention proceeded
to vote for Governor
Riddleberger's name was presented to the
convention and was received with great APP
plause. Riddleberger came to the front and
stated that while not candidate before the
convention he thought the office should seek
the man. Malone was next nominated amid
widest enthusiasm and the convention then
at LILO adjourned until 10 a. N. tomorrow.
The following is the platform of the Read
justers:
We recognize our obligation to support the insti-
tuition for the deaf, dumb and blind, the lunatic
asylum. the public free schools and other govern
ment institutions out of the revenues of the State
end we deprecate and denounce that policy of ring
rule and subordinate sovereignty which for years
borrowed money ont of the banks at high rates of
interest for the discharge of thsee paramount trusts
while our revenues were left the prey of commercial
exchanges, available to the State only at the option
of spectators and syndcates.
q We reassert our purpose to settle and adjust
our State Obligations on the principles of the bill
to re-estabsh public credit known as the Grid
dleberger bil passed by the last General Assembly
and vetoed by the Governor.
3. We reassert adherence to the Constitution
al requirement for the "equal and uniform taxa
tion'of property exempting none except that spec
flied by the constitution and used exclusively for
religious, charitable and educational PURPOSES
4. We reassert that the paramount obligations of
the various works of internal improvement is to the
people of the State by whose authority they were
created by whose money they were constructed,
and by whose grace they live;. and itis enoned up
our Representatives and executive officers to
force the discharge of that Duty to ensure to our
people such rates, facilities and connections will
protect every industry and interest against dscrim
nation. tend to the development of their agrcultu
raj and mineral resources, encourage the invest
ment of active capital in manufactures and the
profitable employment of labor in industrial enter
prises, grasp forl city and for whole State
those advantages to which by their geographical
position they entitled and fulfill all the great
public ends for which they were designed.
8. The Readjusters hold the right to q free ballot
to be the right preservatve of all rights and that it
should be maintained in every State OF the Union.
We believe the captation tax restriction upon the
suffrage in Virginia to be in conflict with the four
teenth amendment OF the constitution of the United
States. We believe that it is violation of that con-
dtion of reconstruction wherein the pledge Civ
not to SO amend our State constitution as to de-
prive any citizen class of citizens of the right
VOTE except as punishment for such crimes as are
felony at common law. We believe such pre-
requisite to voting to be contrary to the genius of
our institutions, the very foundation of which is
representation as antecedent to taxation. We
know it has been failure measure for the col
lection of revenue, the pretended for its in
novation In 1876, and we know the base democrat
Zing and dangerous to which it has been .pros
titUted. We know it contributes the increase of
monopoly power and to corrupting the voter. For
these and other reasons we adhere to the purpose
hitherto expressed to provide more effectual legis-
laton for the collection of this tax, dedicated by
the constitution to the public free schools, and to
abolish it as qualification for and restriction upon
suffrage.
5. The Readjusters congratulate the whole people
of Virginia the progress of the last few years in
developing mineral resources and promoting manu-
featuring enterprises in HESITATE and they declare
their purpose to aid these great and growing indus
tries by all proper and essential legislation State
and Federal. To this end they will continue their
efforts in behalf Of more cordial and fraterna rela
lions between the sections and States and especial
ly for that concord and harmony which will make
the country to know how earnestly and sincerely
Virginia invites all men into her borders visitors
or to become citizens, without fear of social or po
ltical ostracism; that every man, from whatever
section of country, shall enjoy the fullest freedom
of thought, speech, politics and religion, and that
the State which first formulated these funda-
mental in free government is yet the the citadel for