The Portland daily press., 1883-11-09
Virginia.

The election in Virginia destroys any hope
that the electoral vote of that State will be
cast for the Republicans next year; and yet
as Republicans we can feel no great regret
that Malone is overthrown in Virginia, lie
is another INSCRIPTIONS, dictatorial, self
seeking politician Of the Butler stripe, and
like the latter an open advocate of dishonor-
able reputation. We do not believe the
Republican party can or ought to succeed
under such leadership. The Democratic
party should be allowed to have a monopo-
iy of it. 1t cannot long succeed anywhere
unless the people are unfit for free institu-
lions and self-government. If compassion
were to be instituted between Malone and
General Butler he would appear to be much
the worthier man. Whatever false and danger
GUS doctrine he has advocated, General But
Ter has advocated ii in worse form. What
ever vicious methods in politics he has
countenanced, General Butler has done
worse in the same direction. For Demo-
Gratis who have adopted Butler to condemn
Malone, either as repudiator or as boss, is
brazen inconsistency.
But the fact is that their objection to him
on these grounds is pretentious not real.
What they objected to was that he
favored equal rights for all and in
sisted that the negroes of Virginia
should be treated fairly. Mahone's
difference with the Democrats of Virginia
on the debt question was sentimental rather
than practical. The Democratic party rec
ognized the validity of the debt in theory.
In practice theJ repudiated it, refused to
levy taxes to pay the interest, and in effect
cheated the creditors of the State as badly as
the Malone readjusters. 1t is quite probable
that the States creditors will get as much
money under the readjustment as they ever
would If the rule of the bourbon Democracy
had been uninterrupted. Until we see the
democratic press, and hear the democratic
orators, condemning the democratic adjust
ments of State debts in the Carolinas, and in
Louisiana, in Georgia and in Tennessee,
we shall not put much faith in their virtn-
GUS indignation on account of the action of
Mahone's party in Virginia.
The way in which the Democrats have
achieved their triumph in Virginia is instruc-
tive. In the first place they adopted and
made their own the pernicious part of his
platform, that relating to reputation, for
their last State convention accepted the re-
adjustment which the Malone govern
ment had effected as final. By this
they cut the ground from under his feet
and abolished any difference or distinc-
ton between funders and readjusters.
Those who had been flinders became read
justers in principle and practice. But while
they thus surrendered to Mahone's immoral
ity IN politics, suppressiDg all their scruples,
they were still opposed to him. Why? On
account of the things which were honorable
in his career, his assertion of the principle
OF equal political rights, and fidelity to the
interests of the freedmen. For this must be
said of Malone. That he kept his promises,
and he has relieved the colored race of many
oppressive exactions, and given them better
opportunities for educational and industrial
advancement than they ever had before.
This was his objectionable sin in the esti-
nation of the Democratic party which could
forgive him for being a repudiator, and for
give him for being demagogue and boss;
but never could forgive him for taking the.
part of the laboring men of Virginia against
those who esteem themselves the privileged
classes.
When the whole Democratic party became
readjusters on the debt question large part
of those who had left it on that issue
went back. Having made this concession
and obtained this reinforcement, the party
appealed to the old race prejudice, to induce
the whites to abandon an organization
which recognized the manhood and equal
citizenship of the negroes, and resorted to
the barbarous means of intimidation and
murder to brighten the negroes from voting.
In this aspect the Democratic victory in
Virginia is reaction from honor and prog.
ress, retreat into darkness, hindrance to
the States development. 1t is not alone
Malone who is defeated, that could be en-
dured; but Darrowness, bigotry, intolerance
and Reputation have triumphed. The re-
coming of the Democrats to power means
nothing more honorable in financial legisa-
ton, but it means check to the improved
school system, reimposition of heavy bur-
dens on the poor, establishment of class
domination, setback to liberty, enlighten-
ment and prosperity in old Virginia. 1t
means what the triumph of the Democratic
party anywhere means-the rule of the few
and the oppression of the many, step back
ward not forward, an oligarchy not repub-
lie