The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-06
The VIRGINIA Victory.

The Democratic Victory In virginia
is, when properly considered, an event
of National interest and importance;
not because of its possible influence
upon the coming Presidential cam
paign-as practically settling the ques-
ton of the Democratic solidity of the
South-but because it is q triumphant
vindication of honesty and honor in
politics. and a crushing rebuke to the
meanest form of political treachery
and the most scandalous abuse of Fed
eral patronage. 1t is neither personal
prejudice nor partisan feeling which
/ compels US TO say that the public career
| of " illiam Malone, since he entered
| the Senate of the United States has
been exceptionally infamous. Other
Democrats have turned Republicans,
and many Republicans have turned
Democrats without laying themselves
open to any such charge. A mans
opinions on all subjeccs are his own,
and he has an absolute and indisput-
able right to change them when and as
he chooses. provided that this change,
and the action resulting therefrom, do
not violate any trust or repudiate any
duty he has voluntarily assumed and
solemnly pledged himself to recognize
and respect. If Malone, at any
time previous to his election to the
Senate. had left the Democratic party
and Joined heart and hand with
the Republicans. he could not have been
Justly condemned by those who value
manly independence in such matters and
appreciate Its obligations. Bnt when.
protesting to be Democrat, he OBJ
I l. 4. i HI no
and then openly and without shadow
of apology or excuse sold himself to the
Republicans and became their active
and INSCRIPTIONS servant, he touched
the very depth of political infamy. and
no condemnation language can frame Is
too severe for him, no contempt the
mind can conceive too strong. The
matchleSS treachery has been followed
by work entirely worthy of it. The
traitor was not one of those who "take
the first false STEP" and then. smitten
by shame or stung by conscience, "dO
not to hel's perdition 60" He pro-
ceeded at once not only to earn the
wages of his sin by voting steadily with
the men who bought him, but to assail
in every possible way the party he had
betrayed. and to haraSs and humiliate
the State he had bargained to mis-.
represent. Directly and indirectly
he has done more harm to Virgins
than was done by the armies that made
her historic soil the great battle-ground
o. the civil war. He has stabbed her
credit, he has stained her reputation, Lie
has checked her prosperity, he has dis
tIIrbed her peace, he has kindled ami
moSities among her people which will
live and burn long after the grass has
grown upon his grave. Intentionally or
unintentionally, he has been an unmit-
igated curse to the State that bore
him; the State that trusted and hOnored
him until he proved himself an I'M
grateful and faithless son. There have
been bosses and "bosSiSm" else.
where, but no "boss" like him, nc
"bossjsm" like his, ever before dis
graced the American name and Nation.
Compared in this respect with Malone,
COnkling and Cameron are angels oil
light. They, occasionally at least, tried
to give their tyranny color of decen-
cy, assuming virtue if they had il
mott but he has seemed to take pride
in making his tyranny utterly indecent
as well as utterly hateful, and no sem.
blance of virtue has marred the long
catalogue of his misdeeds.
But the responsibility of what is now
known IN our political vocabulary as
''Mahoneism' does not rest exclusively
upon the man who fathers it. From the
day he pocketed the price of his treach-
cry until now he has had the hearty
support and cooperation of the Repub
| lican party and all the aid and comfort
a Republican Administration could give.
Republican organs and orators have
/ sounded his praises and applauded his
/ efforts, and Federal offices have been
/ placed at his disposal to reward his
friends and punish his enemies. If the
| Republican party outside of Virgins
/ had simply let Malone severely alone,
/ and if a Republican Administration had
refused to lend him its patronage OF
/ grant him its Endorsement, he would
! have been extinguished long ago, in
/ spite of his desperate energy and splen-
did ability for political intrigue and in.
/ timidatiOn. When we think of the
moral strength an immoral cause can
receive from the appreciation and en-
enlargement Of great party, ssld the
almost omnipOtent influence of 1.-THE
spoils SYSTEM" the wonder is,
not that Malone has escaped de-
feat so long. but that he did not
escape it altogether and continue his
rule of ruin indefinitely. He has beer
beaten now--and we believe helplessly
and hOpelessly beaten-nOt by luck OF
combination of fortunate circhmstan.
ces, but by the wisdom, courage, in
dOmitable zeal and Incompatible work
of the Virginia Democracy. Never be-
fore in the eventful history of the grand
old Commonwealth has Virginia been
the scene of such political struggle as
the one now so happily and gloriously
ended; and she owes to her Democratic
children the browning victory which,
won against overwhelming odds, is
worth more to her than all the bright
laurels her sword has gained. The most
shameless and insolent of bosses has
been knocked down and out, leaving a
record and lesson well calculated 10
discourage future imitation of his
treachery and tyranny; the Republican
party has been taught that the purchase
of a Democratic Senator does not insure
the Republicanizing of a Democratic
State, much less the breaking of solid
Democratic South; and a Republican
Administration ought to be convinced
that it has been partner in a very dirty
business, without even the poor con-
ISOLATION of seeing the profits balance
the lOsses.--6. Louis Republican,
A RI n -