National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-07
Democratic Humbuggery.

Mr.. Bayard angrily declares that his
party is entitled to the votes of thirty
nine of the members of the United States
Senate. Heknows better; but suppose it
was his way? Then, if General Malone
would vote with Bayard and the other
Bourbons he would be a good Democrat,
despite his views on the Virginia debt
question. Then Readjusterism is all the
same with Democracy, according to Mr..
Bayard. Then Democracy is reputation,
or else Readiusterism is not reputation.
Which is ii, Mr.. Bayard? Is the Re-
adjuster party of Virginia a good enough
Democratic party to suit the Bourbon
Senators? 1t is the party which elected
General Malone to the Senate. This
summer it will struggle again, as in
1879, for a Legislature, which is to
choose a United States Senator. As
before, the Bourbons willr their candi-
dates for the Legislature, and will say
that none are Democrats unless they vote
for those candidates. AS In 1873, the
Readjuster candidates viii have the votes
of the Readjuster Democrats who will not
vote the regular ticket, and they will also
have the votes of the colored and most
of the white Republicans, as in 1879.
Does Mr.. Bayard mean to say that if his
party shall be beaten this summer, just
as it was in 1879, it nevertheless wins?
Does he mean that, if the Readjusters
carry the State and III. II. Riddleberger
is chosen United States Senator to
succeed Senator Johnston, Riddle
berger viii be bound to have the
Bourbon brsnding-iron put on him,
as they claim the right to do with Gen
eral Malone? If the victory of the Re-
adjusters in 1881, and the choice of Re
adjuster Senator, is not going to reinforce
Mr. Bayard's side of the Senate, who does
hesuppose will believe him when he pre-
tends that he thought General Malone
was going to be on his side? Everybody
is laughing at you, Mr.. Bayard. You
founder awfully. You denounce General
Malone as repudiator and claim him
as a Democrat. You say it is a dis
grace to the Republican party to act
with man of his views On State policy,
and then you say it is disgrace to him
not to act with the Democrats, as you
claim that he ought to do. This confesses
you to be of easy virtue. You want the
people to believe General Malone to be
horribly bad man on the debt question of
Virginia, and yet only yesterday you
claimed him as Democrat, and wanted
him to go over to your side as the
price of allowing the Senate's business to
go on.
No man, woman, or child is deceived
by this outcry. General Malone came to
the Senate over the PROSTATE form of the
regular Democratic party Of Virginia.
There has been no misunderstanding.
Senator Mcpherson stood up yesterday
and loudly demanded to know whether
General Mahone's interview was pub
lished before or after his election. This
was in order to create an impression that
it contained some views not announced
by him before his election. Senator Nc
Pherson is bound to know that in the Vir-
ginia Legislature at the time of his election
Colonel Riddleberger, then, as now,
senator, declared that General Malone
belonged to the party of the future, " and
that none of his friends pretended that
he would ever act with the Bourbons,
while all his opponents on the spot de-
clared that he would not, and all voted
against him for that reason.
Has Mr.. Mcpherson ever pretended to
agree with General Malone? Did he
ever address him letter expressive of
such agreement?
Has the frank, open, ingenious, and un-
sophisticated Joseph Brown, of Georgia,
ever made protestations of undying de-
votion to General Mahone's views?
Did the Democrats beg and plead with
the Virginia Senator to vote with them?
Were they anxious to do whatever he
wanted? Did they want to trade-to
make bargain?
The Democrats are awfully afraid that
it will hurt the Republican party to CO.
operate with the Virginia Readjuster
Senator and his followers. If they really
believe this, what fools they would be to
try and prevent us from hurting ourselves!
And they are not foolsl