The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-08-04
Cool Impudence.

Ohio, in reference to Virginia
politics. Its simple publication here in
Virginia is sufficient to expose its impu-
lence, without any comment from us. Ii IL
known that of all the Bourbons in Virginia,
lp to the time of the defeat of Gen. Ma
hone for the Gubernatorial nomination in
1877, he was one of the chiefest. He did
more to shape the policy OF the ConserYa-
tive party the real Bourbon party-than
any member of it. His influence was pO-
tential with every Legislature and party
Convention which met, from the cheat and
swindle which thrust Walker and the Fund
ing Bill of 1871 upon the people to the NOM
ination of Holiday in 1877. 1t was only
when he could not control, to his liking,
the Conservative party that he discovered
it was impregnated with Bourbonism, and
that he was liberal, and this discovery was
not made until his own nomination for
Governor was defeated in the Convention
of 1877. SO long as the Republican party
kept its organization intact in State cleo
tiOns, Gen. Malone was one OF the most IN
fluential leaders in the Conservative party.
encouraged the clamor about NEGRO, scala
wag and carpet-bagger, and 1t was nCI
until the Republicans forced the debt ques-
ton into politics by declining to enter. as
an organization, into the contest of 1877
that any change in his relations to his party
was intimated. In 1873 the Republican
candidate for Governor was defeated by the
foulest frauds that ever married the history
of any people, and in 1876, the same meth
DDS were repeated in order to augment the
Democratic majority for Presidential cleo
tors. No public protest ever came from
him against the agencies that were then en-
ployed to defraud Republicans out of their
legal and constitutional rights. nor was any
intimation yer given to the public that he
was not in sympathy with the agencies
which were employed to effect such ends.
In 1873 the Republicans recognized the
fact that it would be futile for them TO
make a canvass against the machinery
which had been invented to practically dis
franchise them. They further recognized
| the fact that the condition of the State, by
reason of increasing debt, by default in in
terest. annually to the amount of 500, 900
or $500, 600, required sacrifices on .heir part
and heroic treatment all around, to save
the State from utter ruin and the creditors
from the inevitable reputation of their ev-
licences of debt. They knew that there
| i - 81 20 90
long as they, as an organized force, gave
the pretext for appeals to passion and pref
udices, and the denunciation Of negroes,
carpet-b aggers and scalawags." Their fail
ure to organize in 1877 was predetermined,
for they knew that the election machinery
then in successful operation would render a
contest farce, and for the further reason,
that it was only by their retiring from the
field as a party, that the debt question
could be brought to the popular comprehen-
sion. 1t was to force a settlement OF the
debt question upon equitable terms that the
Republicans did not appear with ticket in
1877, and from no change as to Republican
principles or convictions. This policy
was carried into the legislative contest
of 1877, and the formulation of the debt
in both its principal and interest, sup
ported by Republicans, was successful.
| The Legislature elected that year was
committed to the basis of the McCul-
| loch bill and Gen. Malone and every
Re-adjuster in the Common wealth com.
mitted with it, with the exception of one OF
two prominent gentlemen in that organiza.
ton at this time The only pretext they
had for not accepting it was because of the
coupon and non-taxabIe feature of the
bonds provided for in that bill, and the
fur her fact that settlement then woul c
not have left Gen. Malone in the control O.
the party tn 1t effected it.
II was here where this new liberalism
dated, but did not manifest Itself until thu
Legislature of 1879 was elected, and The
that body. Liberal prof LESSONS were always
followed by practical considerations for thu
| Re-adiusters who made them. Professions
of liberalism gave to the Re- adjusters {
Democratic Re-adjuster United States Sen
ator, the basement officers and the county
| judges, nineteen out of every twenty O.
whom were Democratic Re-adjusters. L
was profession of liberalism that paid tt
those who newly professed it, Republi
cans welding the power and Re-adjusters
receiving the consideration. But no prac
teal liberalism to Republicans has ever YET
been realized through Re-adjuster agen
| cies. Liberalism was declared in thu
United States Senate and liberal considera
tions demanded for ia kind of liberalism
that claimed for the Re- adjusters all thu
consideration in the State when the Re
publicans held the balance of power. ant
all the consideration for the Re-adiuster
when the Re-adiusters held the balance O.
power in the United States Senate. The
balance of power, whether Republican o.
| Re-adjuster, has had to be followed
by consideration for Re-adjusters almos
exclusively. y
In the face of the record it is a very coo
piece of impudence for Gen. Malone to ar
raign Republicans as simply ambitious TO
office, and for nothing else The scene il
Washington last Spring. when the Virgins
Senator so ably and eloquently defended
himself from the assaults of 1.-THE errati
Georgian was very significant. When it wa
thought the organization of the Senate
would be effected by the vote of Gen. Ma
hone, there was scarcely prominent Re
adjuster left in Virginia. Every one wit
could purchase railroad ticket hied him
self off to the national capital, ready to pu
in his claims for an Office. They huns
around the Arlington, crowded about tn
Senate Chamber. and sentinelled every av
enue of approach to the Departments. ]
was office with all of them, and that to,
from Republican administration tina
they had done their best to defeat but few
months before. X
1t may answer the purpose of Gen. Ma
hone to malign and denounce the Republi
cans of Virginia for effect in Northern
States. His gratuitous ISLANDERS at home
will be taken for what they are WORTH
| Certainly the Republicans of Virginia rep