Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-04-05
Gen. MahOne's Vote.

Gen. Mahone's Vote.
We publish In full the Norfolk
Ledger's biography of Senator Malone.
1t is careful summing up of facts, ex-
pressed with great clearness and force
and will do good service in bringing
back to people with short memories
many things in the career of the New
Republican that should not be forgot
ten:
1--WE confess we do not share the sur
prise manifested by some of our Demo
cratic contemporaries that Gen. Malone
should have cast his first vote with the
Republican party, nor do We regret that
the Democratic Conservatives of Vir-
ginia are freed from any doubt as to the
political preferences of Gen. Malone in
the future.
"Gen. Malone Is just now where he
would have been in 1869, If Col. With
ers had remained in the field as the
candidate for Governor of the white
people of Virginia. The withdrawal of
that gentleman and the substitution of
Col. Walker kept him in the traces for
the time being. and as long as Gen. M.
could use the Legislature and dictate
who should be rulers In our land, the
ambitious spirit of our now United
States Senator was held in subjugation,
and everything was lovely until, unfor-
tunately for him alone, the misman-
agement of the Consolidated railroad
wrecked his hopes and aspirations by
by coming in contact with Judge Bond,
of he United States Court.
AFTER this wreck of disappointed
hopes and blasted ambition really COM
mences the history of Gen. Malone az
q politician. Before this period he was
the unseen power behind the throne
Now his own boundless ambition had
been SO stimulated by his political lack.
les as to induce him to believe that
what he had been credited with doing
for others he might also do for himself
and he was boldly declared as candi-
date for the Office of Governor of Vir-
ginia. The articles used to strengthen
his candidacy /; the means resOrted to tt
capture the delegations of counties and
cities the inducements offered to al
who would go to Richmond to make
this modern Warwick Governor, are
too fresh in the minds of our people to
need recapitulatiOn here. Suffice it Il
say that when the State convention
met the political bladder blown up by
the Malone men of all sorts was prick
ed by the solid yoemanry of the State
and Gen. Malone at last learned the
lesson that the Intelligent people Of
Virginia were not then ready to initiate
Pennsylvania and inaugurate the Boss
system.
Cup to this time Gen. Malone haG
acquiesced 10 and to all intents and pur
poses heartily supported the admins.
tration of the Conservative party
Nothing was said by himself or follow
ers in reference to the corruption Of
that party; but defeat, in moment
wrought wonderful change, and from
that period down to the present time,
we challenge any of Gen. Mshone's
warmest admirers or most charitable
apologists to put their finger on single
act or adduce one declaration of himself
or followers which does not prove him
to be the biiterest and most unrelentinp
foe of the Conservative Democrats OF
Virginia The Mozart Hall convention;
the effort to defeat the regular Demo.
cratic candidates in 1879; repetition OF
the same policy, but with less success,
in 1880. by the running of third ticke
in the presidential contest, all evidence
determination to defeat by any and all
means the Democratic party.
''Since his election to the United
States Senate his line of action has been
Individual non communication to the
outside world. He has VIGOROUSLY as
ISOLATED with Logan and Cameron, two
of the most radical of the northern Re
publicans, while at home he has
through his local henchmen been &C
lively organizing the negroes for the
State contest in the fall, to defeat the
Democratic ticket.
eff we add to these facts Gen. Ma
homes declared hostility to Bayard,
Morgan, Vance and Hampton. Demo.
cratic senators who dared to ask the
people of Virginia to vote for the regu-
lar ticket for President, we think we
have said enough to show that no one
had right to expect Gen. Malone to
do otherwise than cast his lot with that
party tn which his faithful colored al
lies are attached.
"In this matter our skirts are clear
We have always endeavored when
speaking of Gen. Malone to deal Justly
and hence we have always been oppos-
ed to him. Let him 60 where he will,
or act with whites or blacks, he cannot
from 1877 to the present time point to a
single line in this paper which he can
use tc recommend him to the favor of
the intelligent whites of Virginia. or
prove that the editor of the Public Led
ger has not in all political matters fully
understood every move he has made to
wrest power from the people for his own
political aggrandizement.
Nov that he has definitely made his
choice, we may congratulate ourselves
at his departure, and rejoice to know
that he will do more to destroy the Re
publican party than any other person
of whom we have any knowledge"