The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-09-20
The Republican Purchase.

Right in the face of the fact that the
Republicans will need the services of
Malone in the organization Of the
United States Senate, the Republican,
journals are discovering that he is q
very poor Republican, and that his utter
and final defeat will not be very much
of a misfortune to the party. This
should be taken in the nature of hu-
morous effort to be honest upon the part
of the Republican journals. We can't
see why Malone is not just as good 8
Republican as he ever was. Garfield
considered him such good Republican
that he placed the entire Federal patron
age of Virginia in his hands and gave
him the unlimited authority to dispose
of it at his own pleasure. Ma
hone is just rs good n Repub-
lican now as he was then, and
this change of tune upon the part of
the Republican organs has q sweet
suggestiveneSs which can not be over
looked 1t is too late in the day for the
Republicans to find fanlt with their
purchase. 1t was square out, open
trade, and if there is anything about it.
it is that Malone has only too well car
ried out his part of the contract. The
Republicans bought him without any
defalcation or discount. They knew
exactly what they were getting and
were glad to get it. Such highly moral
organs as the New York Tribune re-
joiced greatly over the Infamous tran
sactiOn. Malone was a prodigal son
returning to his fathers house, and q
dozen fatted calves were none too many
g.. @bO .lal, IS H., 50,
union. These prophets said Mahone'S eX-
ample would be initiated in every South
ern State, and in a few years a prominent
and influential Southern Democrat could
not be found without a search warrant.
There has been fearfal disappOint-
ment, and the St. Louis Republican says
that the fact is-and this is what gals
and disgusts the Republicanpurchasers--
Malone has done the party far more
harm than good. 1t was odiOus enough
in the South before. but he has managed
to make it more odious. Not only this,
but his methods in Virginia have not
merely demoralized and disorganized
the Republicans in that State, but sick
ened the better class in the North. At
the very time this class were trying to
get rid of the curse of ''bOSSiSm " in
New York and Pennsylvania, the spec
tacle of the meanest "bOsseS " i'll Nir-
ginia, supported by Republican Adj
ministration, was not pleasant to look
upon. Conkling and Cameron were
angels of light compared with Malone.
They had some decency and dignity
even in their worst acts; he had none,
and did not pretend to any. From
first to last he has been ION the
make" and the fraud, corruption and
rascality which Northern Republican
''bOsses" tried to conceal, this South
ern Republican boss Haunted in the
face of the world. To ''assume vir-
tue if you have it not was foreign to
his nature, for virtue was not in his
line of business, and the semblance of
it might embarrass him. So he has
gone on in his own way, and very
pretty way it is when studied from the
standpoint of human depravity and
impudence. The Republicans have got
Malone; now let us see them get rid
of him. He is for them, veritable
''Old Man of the Sea- firmly seated
on the shoulders of the party, and re-
solved to ride as long as legs and lungs
hold out. The party has made itself
responsible for him and his, and that
responsibility is an uncOmmOnly heavy
burden, as Republicans are now ascer-
tanning to their sorrow and shame. 1t
is safe to say that the next Malone in
the market will not be snapped up as
quickly as was the present one. " A
burnt child breads the fire. '-COtunl6uS