Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-28
MALONE. VIRGINIA.
HIS Speech To-Day.
Explaining His Position.
Virginia Politics Reviewed.


to-day address the Senate in vindication OF his
action, and In explanation OF the principles of
the readjuster party in Virginia, had the effect
OF drawing to the Capitol large audience.
AS early as 10 O'Clock the doors leading to the
galleries weres u rounded by an impatient crowd
and thin 10 minutes after they were opened
at 1890 every available seat was taken, with
the exception OF those reserved for members or
the diplomatic corps. These were. however,
occupied before the hour OF the assembling OF
the Senate. On the floor, In the rear OF the
Senator's desks. were seated large number
OF persons, many OF them Representatives.
elect while In the various corridors those who
had the misfortune TO arrive late, congcegated,
and bewailed their Ill luck. Scores continued to
Arrive, and finally ali the doors were fastened
and secured. Hundreds who could not get
near the doors, turned back expressing their
disappointment In emphatic terms.
AT 10 minutes past II the pending business
was taken up. and the Chair announced that
Mr.. MahOne was entitled to the floor.
On Mr.. MahOne's desk was a large package,
apparently OF books for reference and a cut
len on: When he was gwen the floor he moved
down to Mr.. Anthony's desk in the 'front.' row,
amid Duz4 OF excitement. Republican Sona-
tors took Seats Close TO Mr.. Malone, and the
strietest attention was given him on both sides
and from the galleries
Mr. Malone Has THE Floor.
Mr.. Malone read his speech. beginning by
saying the profound respect he felt for his
seniors In the body compelled him to express
self upon the attention OF the Senate. He was
provoked 10 reply, and he hoped to receive
the consideration OF all brave people. as he
knew he would from the Virginia people, He
criticised the mode and manner In which some
Senators had assalle1 him. With absolute
confidence In his loyalty to Virginia and his
deyotion to her every interest, he would not
fail TO repel every insinuation against her. He
next spoke OF the instnuations or his having
acted from improper motives, prompted by
patronage. In reply, he quoted from the
Scotcn poem the verse ending
LORD ANGUS, THOU HAST LIEDr
Replying to Senator Johnston he said the
latter knew not what he was, what he is or
what he came here 10 perform: said Mr.. John
SION read only such portion OF the authorities
as suited his purpose. His colleague not bei0g
sworn avalled himself Of the privilege to tell
thanked his colleague for the meager praise
Johnston had accorded Malone for his past
services to the state politically. He read
LETTER WRITTEN BY SENATOR JOHNSTON
not long after the war expressing the hope that
Virginia would inaugurate some movement for
returning to the Union under the reconstruc-
tion acts and In favor OF according to the negro
every proper opportunity to improve himself
by giving him his full rights. &c. This letter
was written in 1869. Mr.. Malone then pro-
ceeded to review
VIRGINIA POLITICS SINCE THE WAR.
and his (Mahones) connection with and infiu.
ence in her affairs. He had read message
from Governor kemper during his term In 1873.
urging that the people of Virginia unite In be-
half OF peace and reconciliation. Malone said
the people OF Virginia were as ready now as In
1913 TO unite in support of peace and reconcllia-
ton. He next referred to his (MahOnes) candi-
dacy for governor Of Virginia in 1877. He ad
mitted that he was not nominated; that he
lacked forty votes In a convention numbering
l,iGo votes; five other candidates against him
bat still he came within forty votes of a nomi-
nation. In all his references Mr.. Malone WAS
following Mr.. Johnston's speech and the lat
ters allusions 10 his (MahOnes) political his
tory. Next the Mozart hall convention {re-
adHSterl was noticed. This. said Mr. Mahone
brought him TO period when he proposed to
do something more than follow his colleague S
Ttmarks. This brought him down to
TIE ORGANIZATION OF TIE REiJDUsTER PARTY
and as duty to himself and his people, Il
proposed to treat the debt OF Virginia as it ap
reared In that state. lie was satisfied the Sen
ate would listen to the repe,ling Of uHjus
attacks upon Virginia from those who ought O
be her defenders. lie spoke OF the McCull )ugn
fundirg bill as the brokers' BILL expre'sing
in voice and feature disgust and contempt a
the very name. lie said the readjusters never
repealed either OF the funding contracts. He
then gave In detail the steps taken in regard to
the debt, the divisions, passage OF acts, their
repeal, &C. He stated that one Of the repeal
bills or 1SIl-2 was declared unconstitutional Uy
the court OF appeals, but that under It five
millions Of interest accumulated On the debt
he LeXt came TO
IRE "BROKERs'" BILL,
ihcCullough's), which he said was aided and
abetted by his colleague. He asked the viz
tuous democracy in this Senate to read that
bill and say IL ever a more undenOcraic
measure was originated. He asserted that the
funding bill OF 1871 repudiated one-t third Of the
debt OF Virginia, and he suggested to his friends
on the democratic side to beware Of that con-
tamiDation they had warned the republicans
against, In connection with the readjusterS-
His colleague spoke OF the Richmond Wig as
his mouthpiece; he had no mouthpiece; he
spoke for himself. His colleague had asserted
that he {Mahone} supported hemper for gov
crnor. He could give DO better definition OF
what his colleague called Gebt-payer than to
read from Gov kemper's first message. This
message referred to the separation OF West
Virginia from Virginia. and saying the federal
government ought TO pay the deot. Mr.. Ma
Eone, continuing, said THIS proposition never
found favor with the reaG jusrcrs, who asserted
thai Virginia should pay two-thirds OF her
debt, With such rate OF interest as She coald
bear. He maintained that
GONEENCR KEMPER HAD AGREED WITH TaB RE-
ApJUSTkAS
in regard to the payment OF interest On the
deh'. MI Malone advised His colleague to
1amIiaIIZe himself with facts and history here.
after, before he undertakes to set before the
c0uLtry the history OF Hirglnia5 debt and her
pGhic men. Ec wanted hts colleague TO state
when ard where the Riddleberger bill was de-
claTed unconstitutional. He said the read
IrSterS Genled the justice or the war interest,
Willie bis colleague and his party wanted to re-
Dudidte portion OF the legal and honestly due
debt OF the state. Mr. Malone then defined the
provisions OF the Riddleberger bill. He wanted
TO know IL it was unconstitutional In liking )
per cent as the highest interest the state could
pay. Mt. Malone went On to contrast the views
Of
TEE RBADJUSTERS AND DEBT PAYERS.
The constitution OF Virginia provided that
WREN adjustment was reached with West VIZ
gina, which comprised one-third of Old Wiz
SlEia3 territory. and the proportion Of the lat.
ter fixed, then the debt OF old Virginia could be
determined. He wanted the Senators from
West Virginia who had joined In the hue and
cry against readjusters and repudationists, TO
say when their state had declare its deot and
It's readiness to pay.
READJCSTBRs NOT REPUDIATORS.
He next came, he said to an unpleasant duty
in one respect, a pleasant duty in another-to
Tepel the cnarge that he and his party were re-
pUdiators. He went back TO the canvass which
eliminated In his election; said that every man
who voted for him gave an unqualified vote for
the RiddleOerger bill. He hurled back the IN
situation OF reputation, no ma It er where II
came from His colleague came from south
west Virginia; fifteen white counties {Hhlte
people) made up his Congressional district. aud
only two members or the legislature from taat
district in 1879 were electea by the debt payers.
The people of Senator JohnStOnS district voted
Overwhelmingly for the Rlddieberger bill, and
now the Senator denOunces them as repudla-
tors.