The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-04-06
Mahone:s Attempted SinslicA-
ton.
In Which he Would Fain Appear as the Hoses
of the Virginians.

vindication of his action and III *
planation of the principles Of the Re-
adjusters' party in Virgiuia, i'a& t5c
effect of drawing to The Capitol :: ia:=e
audience.
The Journal of Saturday having
been read the Vice. President laid be-
fore the Senate the resolution for the
appointment of Senate officers, stating
that the senator from Virginia i.a;
the floor.
Senator Malone promised isspecc|'
by expressing his regret that he
should be compelled again to utter
rupt the deliberations Of the Seuate.
I trust, he said, that senators aid ;hc
country will concede that to this
seeming forwardneSs I al, provoked.
If I may fail to challenge the gene
erous consideration of those Si;o
would appear to have found pI>a;o:a
without justification in their y@:i'a
and ungencrous assaults, | 60 net
doubt that | shall command the re.
spect of brave and independent spirits
here as l know | shall among ny own
people. l shall not complain Of that
iudirection which has characterized
the manner and method Of senators in
their allusious to PIE. [ must acccnt
that they comport entirely with their
own sense Of manly department and
senatorial dignity. however little they
do with my OVID. Virginia is a@cus-
toned to meet occasions where th" IN
dependent spirit of the Anglo Saxon
is required to assert itself. ElTgina
has met with fortitude and hccon:ing
dignity every duty which destiny has
imposed, always, however. with uuch
contempt for small party lines "hci Il
principle was involved in which aeC
faith and honor were committed.
With absolute confidence 10 MY 10y.
atty to her aud my devotion tc every
! interest of her people, I will moi relax
my purpose here to rcpel every IN.
peachn;ent of the constituents vino
sent NE to this chamber with clearly
defined duties, which they and l CON.
prehend. | was elected to the United
States Senate to do their will, not 10 :
caucus to do its bidding. Virginia
earned her title Of "Old Dominion
by the broad and independent acton
of her own people, by the loyalty ot
her sons, by the instinct Of lnd"reu-
dence, without help at the hands "t
those who would now interfere with
her affairs. However fccbly / 'aay
express that spirit against gratulrcus
care and concern for her at the hands
of strangers, strangers to her trials, ID
her sacrifices and to her will. [ feel
that the spirit of her people inspires
me when I scornfully repcl for them
and for myself tho ungcHero3& at
tesopts to instruct Virginia senator
as to his duty to them aGd himself
Senators should be willing to deal With
their own constituents. | answer foI
mine. To him that would insi"uatc
that my action in regard to tic or
gapization OF the committees 0. thiS
body and the proposed election ot
officers has been controlled b. Impure
considerations, (and | all i2th t. be-
lieYe that any senator has 50 lntcnIvd
iu the language CT another l Svy;
"If thou SayeSt am not peer
To any lord Of Scotland here,
Highland or lowland, far 10 near.
Lord Angus thou hast lied
Now permit ME to say that Senators
can no more realize my regret than
they can measure my amazemc':t that
my colleague (senator Johnston
should have felt it incumbent OF
himself to join the assaulting co;au.n
in this chamber. lie first introduces
the question of My consistency, "v il
he prefers, Inconsistency, and "ext
he would introduce ne to this bon,
orablc body, not as his colieoaun. tu;
a. a repudiator Of public obligations.
The sense Ct justice Of NY f"llow So
ators renders it necessary for E!e to
apologize for noticing Ny colleagues 5
criticisms on the one hand, and his
pcrversious on the other. !:o%c:cr
much lie aud his cohorts may G.. le&Yy:
by the cheap logic Of the attora1y 10
demonstrate what ought to be, ;.:i,
oy my convictions and nay scaS2 of
honor what l am. In this particular
| have largely the advantage Of '.y
colleague, for, il I take him 5v lis
record, dimiuutive as it is, he neither
knows what he is nor what duty lie
came here 10 perform.
He declared that the Readj4>ters
had never repealed any Of the iua,::u.
contracts made by Virginia, Oat as
serted that the bill passed in 1871 by
the Virginia Legislature, aud kD"wl
as the brokers' bill, which lai been
advocated by bis colleague, repud!aIcd
and forcibly repudiated ons-t"iri of
the debt of Virginia. The Rcadju>s.
ers held that two-thirds of the :::"acy
which Virginia had borrowed shoa'd
be paid. the other third belonging to
West Virginia according to every
principle Of law aod equity. Since
1871 the Readjusting party had ;:e-
MED to ,he debtor the war interest,
aud proposed to pay the rest io full.
Its adversaries had funded that war
interest, and proposed to repudiate