Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-04-28

Malone came in. Had he made the re-
verses Of the politicians we have named as
much of q study as he has made their
methods matter of imitation, he would
not find that the four months which have
elapsed had put such q wide distance
between the estimate put on his power last
December and his standing now. 1t is
not inaccurate to say that even at the be :
ginning Of that period his skill in politics
was much ovsrrated. especially as far a. it
had bsen evincsd in the ca pture of the Re-
publican party of the State. 1t was ,
rotten and effsts organizat ion officsred by
q few Office holders and with band OF pri-
Yates who had been scrupulously kept out
of all participation in the perquisites OF
the party. There was nothing to DO done
by such dashlng raider 5 Malone but to
promise the privates MOI rations to in
cite desertion, and threata n the commlssa
ry of the officers to compel speedy sarrend
er.. He did both and ascom llshed that,
which enabled him to come out with color
flying in field where, twelve months he
fore, he had trailed them in defeat 60
crushing as to bA ridiculous. To vas
majority of his party this feat gave hn
the prestige of nvincibllity.
When the legislature assembled, how
ever, no had different material to Geal
with, but flushed with victory he failed to
recognise it, and rushed into the commits
sion of a series of grave mistakes. HIS
first was to surround himself with An al
most exclusively personal following, q
course which inevitably led to antagonis-
ing the me of Individuality in his OWE
party. The FIRST result was open war with
one Of the shrewdest men in it. Most men
would have bsen wise enough after the
first deadlock with Auditor Massey =
friends to haul OF and repair damages,
and take Massey and his friends aboard,
but blinded by his temporary victory in
that engagement, the General declared
opsn war, and has since been engaged in
pounding and grinding his ship away
against the granSts Five, who sympathiz-
ed with the ex-Auditor, until at last he
has had to haul off amid tho victorious
jeering of his foes. He carries to Wash
ington tho 6rst news Of his own defeat
He left Washington with the reputation
of man who was about to bring back
with him six more congressman to the sup
port of Arthur's administration he re-
turns with nothing saved but his own
scalp, and certainty that in thu next
House of Representatives there will be
but one supporter of Arthur whom he can
claim to have furnished.
Gen. Malone as political leader has
many valuable qualities which any man
in public life might copy TO advantage,
but Gen. Malone as political boss is in
tolerable. Delirious, with power he treats
his own friends as if they themselves were
his captives, and on the slightest assertion
Of Independence. orders them out for exc
cutien.
He has in four months Great ed &c.
rieus detection in his party, and in the time
between now and the November election
our readers may ba prepared to hear some
rebellious responses to his dictation from
some Of the congressional districts. Moth
ing so encourages men to disobey a politi-
cal boss as to know that be has already
been successfully defied by others.