Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-02-07
Putting Himself Right.

\ u u Il n III A
Putting Himself Right.
TEN BY AUDITOR MASSEY AND AID.
DRESSED TO THE READJUsTERs OF
VIRGINIA.
Mr.. Massey Thursday issued in pam
phet form an address ITO the Readjust
ers of Virginia" stating his case. A
large portion of it is devoted to replies
| to the Wings articles. With most Of
the facts the readers Of this paper are
| already we'll acquainted, but the follow.
he defends himself, and In what style
he writes: ..,s-.ss t.,5...l-.
| When it was determined to nominate
candidate for Auditor was Informed
that my name could not be placed be-
fore the caucus unless / would sign. q
written pledge to submit to its rules
These "rules" allow ed me to appoint
but one of my clerks. There are ten
clerks and messenger in the Auditors
Office. Every dollar OF State revenue,
no matter from what source it comes,
passes through their hands. land my
sureties are responsible for all their off,
cial acts. The Law declares expressly that
the Auditor shall appoint the clerks in
his Office. The rules of the caucus allow
ed him to appOin out one of these clerks
his agents-ani allowed him no voice
or choice in the selection of the other
ten. The caucus, which was in no way
responsible for their official acts, was to
appoint whomsoever it pleased. and the
Auditor was to be pledged to take them.
This rule was 81, unreasonable, SO ar
bitrary, SO SUBMISSIVE of business prin-
ciples, and contrary to the opposition to
''ring rule" '.caucus dictatiOn," and
"bossism," which we had proclaimed
through our publications, and in all our
discussions during our canvasses, that l
could not believe the CAUCUS would in
sist upon 1t If its character and conse-
quences were fully understood. there
fore asked the privilege of going before
it and explaining the business of my
office and the respective duties of my
clerks, and showiug the damage that
might result to tie party and the State
by the policy WI ich this rule inaugu-
rated. This privilege was denied me.
A resolution was adopted which gave
GEN. MALONE AND COL. BRADY
the privilege of attending the meetings
of the caucus at their pleasure; but I
a0os never permitted to enter its doors !
then wrote the letters, which give
below. to the caucus. In them l ex-
planned, as best l could in brief letters,
the peculiar duties and responsibilities
of my Office, anG The qualifications NEG
essary for its clerks, aud appealed toit
to so modify its rules as to except the
Auditors Office |ss,m it. l assured it
that l would have none but Readjusters
in my Office, there a0ere no Others there
then, and that they should be selected
from different portions Of the State E
distributed as widely as they could be
consistently witli public interest.
The caucus ref.sad to modify its rule
or to nominate ne unless would pledge
unconditional submission to it.
This could not do without abandon
ing principle, sacrificing my self respect,
,iisregarding the law, and endaDgeriDg
my reputation ard The public interest
No man who knows me expects me to
do these things. Il were to do tn EN-
should forfeit ell claim to their RESPECT
and confidence. This / a0iU never do.
much as may wish the office. or nfed
it, it its hunOrs as:d emOlufnents Were
tenfold greater tl,ao they are.
When
GEN. MALONE REFUSED TO SUBMIT TO
CAUCUS DICTATION
in the United States Senate applauded
his independence. | believe l wrote
the first resOlutit IL, and made the first
speech endorsing .,l.. for It. / did not
knx
the role of misunderstanding both to
the caucus and to me and others through
the caucus.
But it is charged that submitted my
claims to the caucus and then refused to
be governed by its action.
A proper understanding of the rules
of the caucus will show the absurdity
of this statement Under these rules
no mania name copid be placed before
the caucus for snpinatiQn until he
signed written pledge to submit to its
rules, which took the appointment of
his clerks out of his hands and placed it
in the hands of the CAUCUS. I refused
to sign such q pledge If had signed
it no one outside. OF my congressional
district had the right, under 1.-THE rules"
to place NY name before the caucus.
Some of my friends voted for me in def
ance of these most remarkable and arbi-
traIy rules; but that in nOwise COM
hi tied me to its action, and made it
proper that or they should yield to its
dictatiOns. ., 1s,d 8r.-, Us
No well-informed man who has prop
er respect for truth will deny that the
Readjuster party, with but few excep>
lions, wished anG expected me to con
tinue to be Auditor for the next two
years. Such, also, was the wish of
nearly all their senators aud represen
tatives Why, then, did they not NOM
mate me? ~ hsgsa-s -
Because rules had been framed for the
government of the caucus before the
Legislative session commenced. Most of
the members com united themselves to
these without understanding their true
import or design They were ingeni-
onsiy framed, cra fsliy and PLEASANTLY
presented, and sFt!Yisy and smoothly
explained. A large lumber OF the msm-
beers were new Ones, and, without sus
pecting that they were lettering them
selves with CALLING chains, OF, like the
silkwOrm, s. l-. 4tt
WEAVING THEIR OWN WINDING SHEET
they consented to heir adoption. Many
Of tbess member; HOW bitterly regret
that they ever colIse,;tea to such rules.
and would not hsye dene it II they had
fully understood them.
But back behind all this there is q
page OF history WHICH was kept secret
from me and many others until it vaa
too late to arrange 1t and save its per
petrators from contempt and its unsus :
pecting subjects from humiliation.
The Wing of tie Both instant came
well nigh divulg;ng its own secret.
When speaking Of the Readjuster eau
Gus it said; 1.-Two thirds of them ii not
all Of them, came here pledged to abide
by the action of this capcus.n
wish to assure you, my fellow citi-
zens. that while this statement is pain
fully true of naany, it is not true Of all
the Readjuster Hembers of the Legis
lature. There are niany of them who
would have scOrn.d to come here under
tile preteuce of representing their hon.
est constituents as free and Independent
representatives, while they had placed
one end of halter around their necks
and the other end Of it in the hands OF
q boss" There were many who in
dignantly refused to sign the pledge"
aud Others whose manly Undergraduates
was TOO we'll known for any one to dare
j. 1. = -