The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-20

A SORRY SENATORIAL RECORD.
MAHONE's UNsCRUPULOUs METHODS
MADE MANIFEST.
His Sudden Conversion and March Into the
Camp OF Sfalwart Republicans,
Where lie Combats Every
Measure OF Import.
nncc TO Virginia.
THE PARTYSOLD FOR FEDERALPATRONiGE

General Mahone's residence in Richmon'
last winter. and his superintendent OF TN
Legislature, did not accomplish, by goo'
deal. all that his efforts show him TO hav
expected. OF the Readiustcr measure
proper, the debt bill, which in several re
spects did not come upto the edges giyel
i'm regard TO it, and which was properly
Mr.. Massey's measure, was passed with
out trouble; and the rest, except thu
railroad reform, were pretty much
matters Of course. But OF the caucus
brood, except the scheme for controlling
the patronage Of the Capitol clerkships
none other passed so far as | can now re-
collect. General Malone was foiled in hi'
attack on the judiciary he failed to pass
his ommissioner-of-sales bill, with its hun
dred offices; or his bill TO vacate the Offices
OF the seven. or eight hundred nota'
ries public. who had all paid for theiI
commissions and licenses, and fill then
places with as many appointees OF
his own: or his unconstitutional bill to
remove the hundred superintendent OF
schools and fill their places with as many
of his own men; or to pass his substitute
for the railroad commissioner bill, putting
at his feet the railroads Of the State with
their thirty millions OF wealth and theil
twenty thousand mcn-in word, he failed
in his attempts to bind and rule the state
bv patronage and caucus dictation.
one other and only resource was left
him-to
"TURN OVER THE STATE TO PRESIDENT AR
THUR"
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 oil like
herd of live stock In q Texas ranch fol-
offices in Virginia and influence at Wash.
ington, and who refuse to be transferred
bodily to Mr.. Arthur, the man who, as
some Readjustcrs have not forgotten, in
his letter accepting the nomination for the
Vice-Presidency. sneered at the southern
States " as having " repudiated obligations
quite as sacred as those TO which the nation
now stands pledged.
OF all that General Malone has attempt
ed, his order to the Democratic Readiust-
ers 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-hcre at
home, ] mcan-which can Justify this
assumption In 1880 the whole Democratic
vote was $4,000: the Republican $4,000.
On the 2Sth OF October, five days before
the presidential election, with the figures
before HIM. he told us all to "rely" upon
his assurance thai "our electoral ticket,
headed by Cameron and Riddlcberger and
pledged to Hancock, will carry the State
by plurality OF 2j,000." But at the polls
Of al ~. of fIa
Democracy $4,000; and General Malone
was 10000 votes ont Of his reckoning.
Does that look as if his orders would be
obeyed now? Then we had ISSUES to rally
upOn. which are now settled. Then we
had Mr.. Massey to rouse our people, whom
it is now attempted to eXpel rs traitor.
Then we had harmony, which is now
turned to diScord. Then he wanted Us
now he orders us to be Re-
publican. Does General Malone suppose
that
HIS SUDDEN CONVERSION
TO Stawartsm has so increased his inllu-
ence over these same men rs TO balance the
loss from these causes? Can he convince
mon two ways almost in one breath: 1t
would insult the commOnest Intelligence to
90 about to explain and prove in detail that
Reimbursement (Which made General Ma
honc-he did not make it, claimed to be
nothing but m aggregation Of issues purely
domestic in their character, and 50 wholly
with Federal politics that 4
man might be either national Democrat OF
national Republican without impairing his
Rcadjuster orthodoxy. 1t is true there
were some OF uS-of the :" old ISSUE" they
- nathan fop,nttat W l.,
given the conduct Of the northern
Democracy Just before and during
the war, who resented bitterly thoil
backsliding from the ancient faith. and
had our memory Of wrong quickencd
into fresh resentment by the taunts flung
at Readjusters. But led by General Ma.
hone we voted "our electoral ticket =
along with the rest, and 10 show our
friends that whatever we might he we had
10 thought OF becoming national Republic
cans, we quoted the remark OF General
Malone in the Senate OF the United States
that he was ga better Democrat" than
some of that party who were badgering him
for his apostacy. We might indeed have
declined to affiliate with either party, and
so hold the balance OF power, as General
Malone had promised to do; but we never
meant to be incorporated into the national
Republican party, in whose last COnveu-
ton Mr.. Conkling and other friends Of
Mr.. Arthur voted to subvcrt the Govern.
ment by the election OF Grant to a third
term. We never dreamed of detection
to those people. What, then, must have
been the feelings Of every man OF cOnvic.
tons, of consistency, of stability, when ht
saw the Readiusters in the Legislature
BLINDLY FOLLOWING GENERAL MAHONE's
LEAD,
upon the degrading plea that the Republic
cans would do more for lis than the Demo.
Gratis, and willing TO commit a great fraud
upon the representative rights OF Nirgini.
in earnest Of their apOstaSyy For to dis
trict the State a General Malone proposed
would give only two representatives tC
$4,000 Democratic voters, mostly white
and eight representatives to $4,000 Repub.
lican voters, mostly colored. 1t is strange
that only "the Big Four" dared to resist
expose, and defeat this great fraud and
outrage upon the state; strange indeed.
and only TO be accounted for on the SUD
position that some honest men must have
lelt themselves fatally bound by their sea
and signature to that secret pledge, some
| tlinld men bound as flies are in the spiders
web.
But where is the proof Of this alleged
superior
FuENDLINEsS OF THE REPUBLICANS.
They never can have better opportunity
than they had at the last session of Con-
gress; for they had about $50, 200, 900 sur
plus in the treasury. Nor can we: for
General Malone was necessary to them.
Having the casting vote in the Senate he
was man to be conciliated; he held what
whlst-players call the thirteener. 1t was a
great power; ii gave him a great oppor-
tunity; one that does not often occur
And he had been elected to catch such on.
portunities, regardless OF party, pledged
against party entanglements, elected solely
In the interests OF his State. We eyDecfed
him To Lac a necuIinr .onnto,. ...4I.l..--s