Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-09-01
COL. RUFFIN'S LETTER No. 3.

General MahOnes residence in Richmond last win
ter and his superintendent of the Legislature did
not accomplish by good deal, all that his efforts
show him to have expected. Of the Readjuster
measure proper, the debt bill; which in several re-
spects did not up to the pledges given in regard
to it, and which was properly Mr.. Masseys measure,
passed without trouble; and the rest except the
railroad REFORM pretty much matters of course
But OF the brood except the scheme for con-
trolling the patronage of the Capitol clerkshps none
other passed SO far as can recollect. General
Malone foiled in his attack the judiciary; he
failed to pass his commissioner sales bill, with its
hundred Offices his bill to vacate the Offices of the
seven eight hundred notaries public who had all
paid for their commissions and licenses. and fill their
places with as many appOintees of his own; or his
unconstitutional bill to the hundred supern
tendents of schools and fill their places with many
of his men to pass his substitute for the rail
road commissioners BILL putting at his feet the rail
roads of the State with hsir thirty millions of wealth
and their twenty thousand men-in a word he failed
in his attempts to bind and rule the State by patron
age and caucus dictation
One other and only was left hm-to
s'rURN OVER THE STATE TO PRESIDENT ARTHUR"
and the Stalwart Republicans; and the whole force
and fury of his followers has been turned upon those
who deny his right and defy his power to trade them
off like herd of live stock in Texas ranch for offices
in Virginia and influence at Washington, and who
refuse to be transferred bodily to Mr.. Arthur, the
man who, some Readjusters have not forgotten in
his letter accepting the nomination for the Vice
Presidency, sneered at the southern States hav
ing ''repudiated obligations quite sacred those
to which the nation now stands pledged"
Of all that General Malone has attempted his
order to the Democratic Readjusters to face to the
right-about and march into the Republican camp is
perhaps the most audacious. What influence has he
shown in any matter of Federal politics at
home, I mean-which can justify this assumption
In 1880, the whole Democratic vote was 1877 O0O the
Republican 81, 900. On the 2Sth of October, five
days before the presidential election with the figures
before him, he told us to rely" upon his
that our electoral ticket, headed by Cameron and
Riddleberger, and pledged to Hancock will carry
the State by a pleurality of 25, 000." But at the
polls got only 81 900; the other wing of the De-
mocracy 81 600; and General Malone was 80, 600
votes out of his reckoning. Does that look as if his
orders would be obeyed how? Then we had issues
to rally upon, which settled Then we had
Mr.. Massey to rouse our people, whom it is now at
tempted to expel as traitor. Then We had harmony
which is turned to discord Then he wanted
us Democratic; now he orders us to be Republican
Does Genaral Malone suppose that
SUDDEN CONVERSION
to Stalwartism has increased his influence over
these to balance the loss from these
causes? Can he convince two ways almost in
one breath? 1t would insult the commonest intelli
gence to about to explain and prove in detail that
REIMBURSEMENT (Which made General Mahone-he did
not make it, claimed to be roshing but aggrega-
ton of issues purely domestic in their character and
wholly unconnected with Federal politics that a
might be either national Democrat national
Republican without impairing his Readjuster ortho-
doxy. 1t is true there of us-of the e'old
issue, they saidwho had neither forgotten for
given the conduct of the northern Democracy just
before and during the war, who resented bitterly
their backsding from the ancient faith and had our
memory of wrong quickened into fresh resentment
by the taunts flung at Readjusters. But led by Gen
eral Malone voted our electoral ticket along
with the rest and to show friends that whatever
might be we had no thought of becoming national
Republican, we quoted the remark of General Ma
hone in the Senate of the United States that he was
"a better Democrat" than some of that party who
were badgering him for his apostacy. We might in
deed have declined to affiliate with either party and
hold the balance of power, as General Malone
had promised to do; but meant to be incor-
porated into the national Republican party in whose
last Convention Mr.. Conkling and other frieuds of
Mr.. Arthur voted to subvert the Government by the
election of Grant to a third term. We dream