Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1883-08-08
The Old Dominion.
baltimore News.l

A--N-N-N
1t is amusing to see the comments of
the Republican papers upon the plat
form and action oftbe Virginia con.
venlion. That body was composed of
the able.t men in the State, men repre-
senting the intelligence, property and
integrity of The Commonwealth, and
its conduct was dlguifed and its action
wise. Yet every Republican organ
calls 1t a body Of Bourbons and claims.
With evident trepidation and dlsappoint-
menL, that it was anything 10 beat
Mahone.' and that it 'blunderel IN
everything and evidently its mem bers
have learned nothing
The platform Of the Virginia Demo.
Gratis Is not only credtable to them and
puts the party in an advantageous posi-
ton: the selection OF leaders to organ
ize the party has not only been con-
splcuously wise and judicious, but the
convention itself showed the progress
the party has made aud the beginning
Of the end Of Mahonelsm IN the Old
Dominion. A number OF men, who
haYe been prominently in the Read
iuster movement and who have been
active and efficient lieutenants under
Malone, were members of this con-
venlion, and represented constituencies
that had largely composed the Read
iuster forces Of their neigh borhood.-
The provision for party organization
and the character Of men put in charge
Of that work promise that the Demo-
cracy of Virginia will be organized at
once upon a basis and il a spirit which
will make success absolutely certain.
The platform, despite the pretended
sneers of disappointed critics, is an ad-
mirable document. 1t eliminates the
debt question from the canvass by ac-
cepting the action of the Supreme
Court as a fnality; this was a sore dis.
appointment to the opposition. II
failed to draw the 'cOlor-line,' another
setback 10 the Nahoneites; bat, on the
contrary, takes q step which no Re-
publican convention OF authority has
yet ventured upoa4-lt comedies to the
colored people the charge of their own
schools. It's expression upon the
tariff Is repetition Of the sensible
Ohio platform. 1t opposes increase o.
taxation; pledges the party to The pub
lie school, system; genuine civil-seryice
reform is advocated; the corrupt bar
gain between Malone and the Repu5l-
can Administration is denounced, and
Bossism. represented and so disgust
tingly and dlsgracefully Illustrated by
the dominant and domlneering regime, is
held up to the indignant disapproyal Of
all honest aud intelligent people.
Evidently the platform and organza.
ton Of the convention are not pleasing
to the other side. The end of Mahone-
ism is drawing hear, and this fact is
obvious TO every observer. 1t was
hoped by the Boss and his satellites
that the meeting at Lynchburg would
make a record on the debt question
which would give him another chance
to appeal to the ba.eness and dis
honesty of their clans, and that
color line would be drawn which
would be absolutely offensive to the
civilization ofthe age. Andlt was this
hope which made them anticipate such
action and to write about Bourboaism
IN advance. 1t has been a serious DIS
appointment TO them, however, though
they cry 'BOurb0ns' with so much
ferver and ferOclty as if the convention
had fitted itself to the small mould
they had prepared for it.
The prospect in the Old Dominion is
more than hopeful, il ia actually conf
dent. The recent performances of Ma
hone have moro than ever disguised
the decent elements of the State and
have afronted the regular Republicans
to open revolt. Under the lead OF ex-
Congressman Dezeudorf, the straight
out Republ cans are organizing. They
have seen their own true and faithful
set pushed aside TO make room for
Mahone's fayorites or to crafty bis
revenge, aud they will no longer fol.
low tie dc alton OF an administration
which seems TO have barterod away it's
self-respect aud all sense of decency,
as we'll as the Federal patronage, 10
purchase the senatorial votes Of two
very unreliable Bosses. With such
defections of Readjuslers as well as
Republicans, and with the Democrats
well organized, the Malone doSntall
will be realized before the next presi-