National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-08

| elect, of both the Republican and the Conserya-
tive parties were strongly opposed to the MeCul-
| loch bill. These, cooperating as Readjusters,
elected all the capitol officers and county judges,
| myself being
| CHOSEN UNITED STATES SENATOR
over Colonel Withers bya joint Conservative white
majority, exclusive of all colored and Republican
votes, of seven, of which three were in the House
and four in the Senate-my total joint Readjuster
vote being 3d. to 60 cast for Colonel Withers and all
others.
And here beg to say that this reference TO my
self seems necessary; for, while never candi-
date of my own motion for the Senate of the United
States, no sooner was the separate and independ-
ent action of the Readjusters entered upon than
the movement was denounced by the Bourbon
Funder Democracy as one aimed to carry me
to the Senate. III point of fact Bourbon
ism and its twin, Funderism had forced the move
ment, not only as necessary TO compel final set
Element of the debt, but to save the free schools
defend the right of suffrage, rid the State from the
reign of Bourbon-Funderisn, and free the people
all the people-from the domination of pOEt-
zeal clique, prejudiced and illiberal in its opn
ions il insolent and oYerbearing in its acts
But in hope to discredit, injure, and defeat the
movement and its objects by ascribing to it mere
motive of personal ambition, was selected as the
sacrifice and all the walls of Bourbon wrath and
aspersion were poured out upon ME. Thus my
nomination, in the first instance, was the work of
the Bourbons. The people accepted the nomina-
ton, made ii one of the issues, and Legislature
| was chosen which triumphantly elected me. The
Bourbon cry during the canvass was, Anything
and anybody to beat Mahone." and. had the Re-
adjusters been defeated, several gentlemen would
have seriously contested Senator Withers' claim
to denomination and reelection; but, it was,
they gracefully deferred to him, and allowed him
the honor of certain defeat.
The developments that at once ensled demon
strated how egregiously in error the Funders had
been in their calculations. They had promised
not only suffciency of revenue to carry their bill
and all expenses of government, including support
of the schools, but large surplus On the LIST of
January, $780, when the ReadjuSter State officers
came into power instead of the surplus of S5256
SO confidently promised, after defraytng the cur
rent expenses of the government, including the
proper charge for schools and the payment of in
terest, it was actually discovered that plate had
been prepared with proof impression in the audit
ors Office for the issue of tax certificates TO be sold
at seventy five cents the dollar, to pay the first
interest demand ofthis new funding scheme. Inthe
treasury there was only So 1911; and against this
was alarming and pressing floating debt amount
ing to total of s. consisting of 81 504 2i5
of Intercepted and diverted school taxes, $604S2
due colleges Si0,520 of misappropriated funds due
the literary fund.- Sl6S S9I in warrants outstanding
against the treasury and S7S3 81 in tax-receivable
coupons overdue and unpaid. Among the first
acts of the ReadjuSter Legislature one to au-
thorize the borrowing of 100000 for the relief and
maintenance of the lunatic asyluns, which for
months past had been poorly served as best the
officials could obtain supplies upon credit. In this
signal manner had the estimates of the Funders
miscarried, while the better founded calculations
of the ReadIISterS were amply verified.
With only the first inStalment of 100000
funded under it, the McCulloch bill had been so
severely condemned by the people that the syndi-
cate abandoned it, having already, however,
profted largely by the gross appliances of extOr-
ton provided for them in that measure. They
held the contract to refund our debt at their own
option, the State and her creditors being rigidly
bound to the syndicates as long as they chose but
the syndicates were bound only at their own sweet
will and pleasure.
In taking possession 50 far of the government of
Virginia, which had so long been administered by
the Flinders OF so-called Debt-payeTS, the Read
justers not only found an empty treasury, be-
leagured by immediate claims amounting to two
and a half millions of dollars all eIamorous for
payment-not only surprised the auditors oaice in
the very of issuing tax certificates to be sold at
seventy-fiye cents in the dollar to raise money at
G6I per cent year to pay per cent on the McCul-
locn DlII-noI only found that elghtyears of debt
paying talk and Funder control had not only failed
to pay the debt of 1871 but had actually allowed
rearage to accumulate to about 100000, when
you include interest due the sinking fund and the
| S1Sl6,000 with which they began to run
! the government, not only found our asy-
! lums and colleges embarrassed for lack of
| due support from the State, and our whole free
school system paralyzed by an unfriendly and
illegal conversion of its funds to the sum of over
| one millions and half to other uses but chaos
and Encouragement, not to say fraud and corrup-
| tion were discovered to have reigned throughout
! almost every department of the Administration.
In the accounts of the penitentiary 1t was at once
| developed that the Agent and StOrekeeper had de-
falcated to about $50 OOO in the office of the Audi
tor of Accounts the public business was all behind
hand, county treasurers and other collectors in
arrears for an aggregate running through several
years of over 100000; illegal and extortionste
| charges on criminal account had been improperly
paid in large sums to city sergeants and others,
and by indulgence, fayoritism, prOcrastination,
and negligence our revenues had fallen into
wretched disorder. In the Second Auditors Office
bonds refunded, that had never been legally is
sued, were missing and coupons that had been re-
ceiYed for taxes some of them uncanCeledl were
gone and legislative committee of investigation,
with long search still before it, has already found
that bonds and coupons have disappeared to q sum
exceeding 100000, and on almost every hand in
| efficiency, if not peculation, was exposed. The
party of reform and of the people the Readusters,
at once set about the State affairs
The frauds on the Treasury were stopped and legal
process appealed to for reimbursement from
former offenders, for their criminal punishment;
defaulting and delinquent collectors of the rev
enue were no longer INDUCED, and the necessary
steps were taken to compel prompt settlement for
the future, and to recover the unpaid deficiencies
| of I1a a vion nd q Oila
brought into every division of the public service
the voter and the ltgant as far as the Readjusters
| were responsible for the execution of the laws,
found fairness and impartialiy at the polls and in
the courts; the schools were revived, for not only
were their current dues awarded them, but large
| payments were made on the arrears Improperly
kept from them; the penitentiary, which, under
| Funder rule, had cost the State annually sum
scarcely ever less than 5000 has now already be-
come practically selfsupportng, and, under Read
juster management, will soon yield handsome in,
| come to the Commonwealth; and in every depart
| ment where the Readjusters have gained control
our affairs even in this brief interval exhibiting
| marked improvement. Yet il is not alone in the
important details of practical government that the
Readjusters have wrought great and beneficial
changes. Public sentiment itself has been enlight
ened and liberalized by the movement. Bourbon
ism has lost its grip on politics. Our people,
wEARIED AND EXHAUSTED
by the hard service exacted of them under the IN
remunerative despotism of prejudice and pas
sion, are opening their eyes and discarding the
| blind leaders that have lead them into so many
bitches of disappointment and disaster, and are
anxious to end the strife of sections by every proper
and reasonable concession that may contribute to
the full restoration of national harmony and good
will, and that may afford them opportunities OF
fairly sharing in the material prosperity of the
country. But it was with the debt that the Read
justers were chiefly expected to deal, and they at
once showed that they were equal to the occasion.
Taught by the long series of failures made by the
Funders the Readjusters had learned that what
ever spirit of reputation existed in this State had