The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-06-21
Interview with Malone.

Democrats of Virginia. In conversation
with him he said he would rejoice to have
the Readjusters meet with just such de-
feats as had been alleged at the recent cleo
tions i'll every county in the State. If the
Bourbons were satisfied then there was no
one to complain.
Senator Malone expressed this opinion
with the consciousness that the local cleo
lions had been far more favorable to the
ReadjuSter cause than the enemies Of the
party were willing to admit. | suggested
as much in requesting him to explain why
he was satisfied with the progress made,
for the result apparently had renewed his
vigor and zeal i'll the cause OF political re-
form in the Old Dominion. So the question
was asked
''Then the result must have been favor
able to the Readjuster party, Senator.
if you are content with the progress already
made ~
Senator Malone heSitated a moment,
as though his thoughts were wandering
over the Blue Ridge, but they were not,
for he replied in his nervous and emphatic
way:
Precisely SO. When man obtains
something he never possessed is he not
better off than before? Surprising he fails
to get what he wants and thinks he ought
tohaye, but never had before. Surely that
is not loss. Well, that illustrates to a
certain extent the result of the recent local
elections in Virginia. 1t is to be remem-
bered that the Readjuster party is COM
posed of 10000 colored and about $4,000
white voters. You will bear in mind that
our voting population is not as homoge-
neous as it is in your State of New Y ork
OF Pennsylvania. The colOred vote is To-
Called in that it is not equally scattered
over the State, predominating, on the con-
trary, in certain counties of Southside and
Underwater Virginia. Now, when yoI take
into consideration that the mass of the
cOlored voters are emancipated slaves, who
have had no opportunity to learn the rudi-
mentS of q common education, and take
their political line of conduct more from
habit than from an intelligent direction,
the failure to fill the county offices with
ReadjuSters in those counties where the
Readjusters have heretofore controlled. in
what the cOlored people understood and
now understand to be political elections.
the reason for the alleged failure is not diff
cult OF understanding. Until this last
election the colored men exercising the
right of suffrage have not regarded the con-
test forchoosing county officers as involving
party principle. There, were not colored
voters OF white Republicans in many of
these counties capable of filing the county
officers. Hence in the beginning Of re-
construction men of the Bourbon party
were elected to fill these offices and repeat
eddy reelected without contest
1T was not easy to have the colored man
understand now, when he had so many
times voted for those same people, that
there was any political significance at
f9Pha1 tn fbnCa n1Qotinnc Hha1.nforo If ic
that you find in certain of these counties
that where the Readjusters have hereto
fore in political elections enjoyed positive
majorities there were failures to elect the
Readjuster candidates. On the other
hand, we found in the white counties of
the State, where men of the party are as
well educated up to every sense of politi-
cal duty as those of the opposing party,
that we have not only swept the field in
every Readjuster county for these offices,
but have gained in counties hitherto Civ
ing Bourbon majorities in political cleo
lions. For Illustration, in one county,
where the Democrats always counted on
gaining a victory, the Readjusters elected
twenty-five of the twenty-eight county
officers. And the account, when it comes
to be cast, will fairly SO run throughout
the white section of the State, while in
eilC llltJUl VI bllt Ul6tCh COulUlGS Ullt ut
adjusters have elected the whole ticket in
many cases and acquired control of many
county offices heretofore filled by Bour-
bons. There is not county in the State
where the Readjusters have lost an office
heretofore held by member of that
party"
1T would be inferred, Senator, from
your statement, that the new party is
gradually becoming stronger and stronger
in Virginia. Do you think it is q perma-
nent increase of numbers 2"
''Our party las been largely reinforced
in power, influence and numbers by the
recent elections, and that, too, while there
was no formal effort made to conduct the
campaign from the central organization.
The result strongly treasures the success
of the party in the contest just ahead i'll
November for the election Of members of
the Legislature. There are no State Off
GERS to be elected until 1855. The county
elections were for q portion of the local
OF municipal officers, which, under our
State Constitution, hold for four years
The next general election will be held in
1884, for members of Congress and Presi-
Dental electors"
''There have been of late reports to the
effect that the Administration is with
drawing it's support from the ReadjusterS
in Virginia that you are no longer on
friendly terms with the President, and
that the encouragement which has here
tofore been extended to you and your
friends. in Virginia is to be withheld here
after. OF course you have read on heard
of the new order of things 7"
mo; | have not read or heard of any of
these suggestions which imply that there
has been a breach OF political GOODNESS be-
tba A nj 81 l,n
juster party in Virginia. If there is any
foundation for such statements, and have
no reason to believe there is, the knoWl-
edge of it has not come to me by any ac-
ton OF suggestion from any quarter what
soever. There has been no cause or occa-
sion, to my knowledge, for the SUPPOSE
ton. All suggestions spring from the evil
minds of those who would like to have
such result brought about. But these
busy people might as well know that the
Readjuster party cannot be provoked to
any such result OF relations by the circula-
ton of such reports. Its relations with
the Administration are reciprocal and of
open day. 1t could neither recognize nor
maintain any relations with any party OF
authority upon other terms, and has no
reason to believe that any other would be
desirable. 1t demands nothing, eXacts
HOtlllllS, dllu COlllu 1lOG Ue llluuCcu W IT.
ceive anything in the shape of countenance
and support that does not come cordially
and of the right. It's friendship for and
support of the Administration is open,
direct and resolute. 1t accepts the respon-
sibility and would scorn relation that
was not equally candid and manly"
what will be your position in the COM
ing Presidential campaign 20
'''The Readiuster party is q party of
progress. 1t has left the dead issues of
the Bourbon Democracy, and will be
found IN 1884, as how, in opposition to that
organization. 1t has no sympathy OF inter
est in common with that party either in
State OF National elections. The wish Of
the majority of the people of Virginia is
for good relations with all sections, and
their interests are bound up in the protec-
ton of American labor and American in
dustries. The day is gone by when that
people are willing any longer to compro-
mise the growth and development of the
State to crafty the political theories Of a
party which they hold to be hostile to such
relations and to such interests. The day
has gone by when it matters to them what
the political nomenclature of the party may
be which administers the government, so
that the administration is just, cordial, and
friendly in it's relations and represents a
public policy responsive to it's own inter-
ests."
I'm what condition are the finances of
Virginia ~
1.-The finances Of Virginia were never in
better condition than they are to-day. The
ReadjuSter party has retired the entire