National Republican., 1883-08-25


sent to pay what Virginia owes. The annex
to the state debt, for which there never was
consideration, and which was more gratuity
TO volunteer leeches and blood suckers,
will no longer be urged upon the
people. But we are assured that this
apparent good behavior results from no con-
viction, but only because any further at
tempt to take. steal and carry away the
substance of the people to the cracksmen on
the outside would not only fail, but would, as
hitherto, deprive the party engaging in it
Of any chance to enjoy official honors aud
emoluments. The organ says the Virginia
democracy twill fight no more over that
settled question "-ot the Virginia debt.
They will never again vote to pay what they
have all along asserted to be an honest debt
of the state. They find that great major
ity of tho people are in accord
with the readjusters. They want to have n
majority on their side at elections. Accord
ingly they say: "You are repudiators and have
done wrong. You are cheats and swindlers.
We are against you as much as we ever were,
but II enough of you will join our ranks to
make us q majority, SO that we can get the
offices and beat Malone, we solemnly swear
that we too will become cheats and swindlers.
We will stand by your reputation of what
we said was q portion of the debt. We
have not changed our opinions, but we
would rather hold Office than stand
by what we have said was right,
If we can only do one Of these, and therefore
If we had the legislature and the state gov
ernment we would not vote to pay what we
still say is an honest debt of the state" And
this is the proclamation of the great Zebra
Conservative Massey Wickham Bourbon -
Debt-paying Readjuster-S Straight Republican
back action fast and -loose-scrap- bag party
which proposes to redeem Virginia from the
control of the white majorties in the Shen-
andoah valley and the southwest, combined
as they are with the best of the whites and
the great majority Of the blacks on the south
Slue. Anu prHy Wuab uO bue ncpEdS iaCh VI
having endorsed" " all that tho read
have dono in settlement of the state debt
when they pledge themselves to make hence
forward their own policy If they gain power !?
Perhaps the organ has some inside informa-
ton that they only say this to catch votes
and that if they can get the legislature they
will repeal the Riddleberger law. 1t may be
that the zebras are as insincere in pretending
to be in love with that law as they are in
their professions of love for the negroes with
whom some of them drink whisky in some
localities, or in their zeal for a white line
where no negroes can hear them.
They may be as full of venom toward
the debt settlement when Massey and Full
kerson cannot hear them as they arc toward
carpet baggers and scalawsgs when Dezen-
dorf and WiclSham are off in the field digging
for straightout bulbs which grow SO few in a
hill this year. The national zebra organ will
please enlighten us as to how policy can be
adopted and not thereby be indorsed. If the
adoption is under protest, that implies res
ervation of right to change when the offices
have been captured. The people will not get
near enough to the zebras heels to get kicked.
If the Riddleberger law is to stand, its friends
only will be trusted to execute IT, 1t will
stand. !