Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-24
The Virginia Readjuster Middle.

The recent revolt of the Readiuster
Auditor of Virginia. D.. Massey, against
the rulings Of the caucus of his party
has excited much interest throughout the
country as well as considerable conster-
nation in Readjuster ranks in that State.
DR.. Massey is one of the ablest leaders
of his party, and so fraught with
peril to that organization is his bolt
regarded that even the great mOgul OF
reputation, Malone Virginia" felt
called upon to rush instanter to
Richmond to endeavor, If possible, to
readjust his Resdjusters. Latest advices
from the seat of war, however, do not
bring information of the settlement Of
the difficulty. Dr. Massey, who bolted
because the caucus refused to renominate
him as his own successor, has still his
war paint on, while his fellow boilers
declare they will stand by him to the
iast, and positively refuse their support
to the caucus nominee, causing, in con
sequence, q deadlock in the Legislature,
and furnishing a wedge to split the re-
pudiators in twain.
This condition of affairs is only what
was to have been expected. A party
like the Virginia Readjusters-and in
deed like independent" parties gen
erally-which is entirely without politi-
cal principle, but is held together merely
BY the desire for Office and love of the
spOils, must sooner or later fall to pieces
of its own weight When the offices
are all parcelled out. and the spoils
are all given away, then there Is
nothing more to be hoped for, and mas
much as there are not enough offices to
90 around, and as the spoils if scattered
broadcast among too many would be of
little value, some must necessarily be
left out in the cold" Therefore, so
soon as the neglected ones find there IS
no hope for them their first impulse,
naturally, is to break off from the party
and start separate organization of their
own.
This is the cause of what has occurred
in Virginia DR.. Massey, while in posses.
sion Of the Authorship of the
State, felt comfortably provided for,
and, as he had accomplished
his designs in joining the Malone
movement, was perfectly willing to stick
by the party so long as the party stuck
by him. When his fellow spoil hunters,
however, desired that the offices should
be enjoyed by as many as possible, and
to that end requested DR.. Massey to retire
from the position he had filled for about
two years so as to give some one else a
chance, herevolted, and, having managed
to secure the adhesion of half a dozen or
more malcOntents, succeeded in placing
the party in its present embarrassed stu
alton.
Whether the differences will be healed
and the danger threatened to Mr. Ma
homes mongrel coalition will be averted
at this time remains to be seen. But,
even if such is the case, it will only be a
matter of time, and very short time too,
before similar dissatisfaction will arise.
and similar schisms occur to disintegrate
the party, which, after having enjoyed o
mushroom existence, will disappear alto
gether from public view. This must be
the inevitable fate of any party which
has not some sound political base upon
which to stand. Like a house erected
upon sand, when the rains descend and
the floods come upon it, it must fall with
a crash.
What is now being witnessed in Vir-
GINA will be also witnessed in Georgia
should the present Independent mOngrel
coalition recently effected in this State
ever gain the political ascendancy.
Founded upon the same corner stone as
the Mahoneite faction of Virginia
love of Office and nothing mOre-at first
there would be witnessed a disgraceful
scramble for the spoils and revolution
Of the entire State government. Soon,
however, it would be found that the
cohesive power of plumber was
not sufficiently strong to bind the
coalition together for any length
OF time, and so very speedily some disap
pointed Office seeker would revolt, form
his own combination and bitter war be
tween the ms and the outs would be
waged until, like the cats of Kilkenny,
they mutually destroy each other.
This, we say, is what would result were
the Feltonites to succeed. 1t is needless
to remark, however, that it is state of
affairs that will not be witnessed. The
people of the Empire State of the South
are welded too thoroughly to Demo
cratic principles ever to be willing to
permit these principles to be destroyed,
and Georgia restored to Radical rule
through any Radical Independent Goa
lition which can be formed A solid
Georgia Democracy next fall will make
sholt work of Feltonism.