Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-05-09
Malone and tho Page.


The debaslng effect ofparty spirit never be.
trays itselfso shamlessly Us in the vote of
General Malone with the Republican ma
Jorlty OF the Senate to refer the bill for re-
moving the disabilities of Dr. Tebbs to the
Judiciary Committee, which disposes of the
subject for the present session ut least. By
the vote of Malone the question was deci-
ded against the eS-page Of the Confederate
senate A newspaper correspondent in
Washington remarks that this vote was
odd" 1t was indescribably infamous.
Ibis ex-Mayor General of the Confedelacy
had raised troops and levied war against his
country. Under his orders thousands of
men were hcwn down in battle. 1t is true
enough that he has sought to enhance his
military glory at the expense of better men:
but what reputation he owns was acquired
in the war for the destruction ofthc Union.
He entered into this rebellion in the fulness
of his manhood and the ripeness of his judg-
ment. Elen the war was over he enriched
himself by entering into combinations of
spectators, who robbed the impoverished
State ofNirgina of its railroads.
Relieved of his disabilities, Malone ell
ters the Senate of the United States and
Government against which he had waged
war for four years. Yet this ex=Confeder-
ate Major General is seen giving his cast
ing vote in the Senate against removing the
disabilities of young man who desires TO
enter the army as surgeon, and whose
only crime against his country was his in
fantile service as page in the Confederate
Senate When Tebbs, the little page, was
carrying harmless messages In the Confed-
eratc Senate, Malone, the rebel Major Gen
cral, was sending deadly missives into the
ranks of his countrymen; yet the ex-Maior
General who sits in the Senate, the arbiter
between parties, with his offeuses partloned,
refuses to pardon tho offenses of the ex-pace
in the same cause What will the grizzly
veterans on both sides who faced each 9TH
er in battle say of such an act? What will
decent men everywhere think of it?
The conduct ofthe Republicans of the SEN
| ate in raising such a question was exceed
ingly puerile, but the vote of Malone with
them was unspeakably mean. The Repub-
icans had at least partisan motive, though
IN extremely small one, In making an issue
over such Il case of disability as that of Il
poor page. Senator Edmunds wanted to
erect Il monument" that there was right
and wrong side to the rebellion, and he
pOunced upon Tebbs for the purpose; but
Malone could have had no motive but his
innate baseness and servlity. Fealty to his
new party ties required no suchact of degra-
dation; but he performed it with keen salts
faction, because it was congenial to his
treacherous nature. By voting against re-
moving the disabilities of the ex-page
he was enabled to crafty in a small way his
hatred of those whose contempt he had al
ready earned. Malone in his toruous Ca
Citations but he has raised an issue which, il
successful, must cast al indelible stain of
reputation OH his State, and he has found
apologists and defenders. But for this last
act of petty meanness there can be no apol-
ogy or excuse. The partiality of friendship
must turn from its author with disgust