The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-05-12
Outraged Democratic Virtue.

The Democrats are disposed to as
sumo virtue though they have it not.
Ihey are terribly wrought up just now
'wer what they call an courageous
political bargainn between the Repub-
ican Senators and Malone, of Virginia.
They justify their present obstructive
tactics in the Senate on the ground that
Is q high moral duty they owe the
country to resist the consummation of
this - bargain" Their virtuous indig-
nation arises from two causes-first.
because the Senator from Virginia
should refuse obedience to the Bourbon
caucus and act with the Republicans;
and, secondly, because the Republicans
fhould consent to avail themselves of
the cooperation of one whom the
Democrats please to call a. repudi-
ator." The Democratic managers see
no contradiction in this state OF things.
The Democratic caucus might avail it
tS6n of the vote of "repudiator," and
the transaction would be all right; but
II the Republicans entertain such per-
son the spectacle is disreputable!
How the Democratic politicians can
get up even the appearance of resent
ment at the suggestion of q bargain"
10 difficult to understand. There is no
kind of political trade which the Demo-
Gratis have not tried within the past few
years in their unceasing effort to grab
the spoils of Office. They took up
Horace Greeley and agreed to make
him President II he could draw
enough votes from the Repub-
leans to constitute major
| iy with the Democratic votes. That
was certainly more serious bargain
than the effort to make friend of
Mahone's Sergeant-at-Arms in the
Senate. The Democrats have also bar
| gained with the.Greenbackers and pam
dsred to the Communists wherever they
thought they could gain party advant-
| are by such course. Why is Mahone's
association with the Republicans any
more of o "bargain" than his associa-
ton with the Democrats would have
bsenp Why is it any more disreputa-
BIB than the association of David Davis
with the Democratsp Malone was
elected as an Independent. During
the canvass he bitterly opposed the
Bourbons, with whom, now he is
elected, he refuses to act. The major
ity Of those who sent him to the Senate
are Republicans. He claimed, however,
to be free of all obligation to either of
the existing parties in the United States
Senate. The Democrats endeavored to
persuade him to vote and act with them.
He refused. In voting and acting with
the Republicans he has furnished no
more evidence ofvenality than if he had
gone into the Democratic caucus, and
his attitude is more consistent now than
it would have been then.
| Affedation Of Democratic contempt
for 'reIudiator". is just as transpar-
II no ,al s,,As OF ko
| gain" II Malone is Objectionable to
the Democrats on this ground it is be-
cause he b not enough of repudiator.
He wants to pay two.thirds of the old
Virginia debt, and leave the other third
joyed its share of the benefits. The
Bourbons don't want to pay any part of
thfdebt. but merely 70 keep the ac-
| c6fnt open. On the Democratic side
there are repudiators of all shades and
| degrees. There are those representing
| constituencies who scaled their State
and local debts, and there are also those
VIII, proposed to repudiate the entire
National debt, and made Presidential
campaign upon that issue. An exhibi-
| tiol of Democratic resentment ut any
kind or degree of reputation is, there
fore, simply ridiculous. These same
Democrats would have gladly welcomed
and eagerly defended Malone if he had
consented to take his seat ON the Dem
o0atic side.
The Democrats will not be able to
conceal from the country that they are
olstrusting public business for the sole
aad selfish purpose of retaining Confed-
e,ates and Bourbons in a few subordi-
mite places in the Senate. II may be
that the Republican effort to gain pos.
session of these same places does not
warrant suspension Of executive busi-
ness, but even that theory does not ex-
c,se the Democratic policy of obstruc-
tim nor warrant the Democratic pre-
tmse Of superior virtue. Chicago Iri6-