New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-21
THE THO SIDES or 4 PIRTY.

Senator Malone does not lack mental power
or practical shrewdness. Hence it was to be
expected that he would place the conduct of his
party before the country in as favorable light
as possible. His address contains much that
will commend itself to the people of the North
em States, and especially TO those who care for
Republican principles. 1t embraces but little
that is calculated TO excite their criticism
those features in the conduct of his party which
Northern citizens and especially Republicans
most censurc are naturally passed over lightly.
The object for which the party was formed, the
establishment" of the State debt is spoken of
as "a local issue, and to some extent unpOpu-
lar" but the course of the party in that matter
is declared to have been governed by equity, as
was TO have been expected. The fact stands,
nevertheless, that Northern people, and cspc-
cially Republicans, do not feel that the conduct
of Virginia toward its creditors has been up
right or honorable to them that conduct seems
djsgraceful to the State, and in Il measure Ia the
United States. Men who sympatlzc warmly
with Senator Malone in other respects do not
wish to have any such utilization with his party
that they can by anybody be regarded as coun-
tcnancing or cxcusng the so-calcd "rcadiust
mCnI OF lnc AtDl 81 vi Sili't' h' 't''ll'7' W
Senator Malone does not enter into any mgu-
mcnt on that subject. however and 1t Is prob
ably as well that it does not.
Naturally, too, the address scarcely refers to
the methods by which the success of the Read
iustcr party has been sought. The use of pat
ronage and the unbushing demands for the en-
pl0ymcnt of official power TO favor and foster
that party, in many respects so hostile to the
Civil Service policy Of the Administration and
of the Republican party, are not mentioned.
Nothing is said Of the offensive demand that the
notorious Gorham should be made Secretary of
the Senate, notwithstanding his participation in
political movements most rcpugnant to all who
believe in honest money. Nor Is the position
Of the Rcadjuster party itself so far cleared up
that one knows whether it still has lcanings
toward the Grecnback faction. The Rcpubi
cans Of this country believe in honest money, in
honest payment Of public debts, and in abO
lition of the spoils system in politics. and they
General Malone has seemed to agree more
nearly with the Democratic than with the Re
publican party.
On the other hand, he has done much that de-
serves warm approval This part Of the record
of his party the address sets forth with yigOr
and effectiveness. The rights of citizens have
been protected to an extent not known
under Bourbon rule anywhere. A free vote and
an honest count for colOrcd as well as for white
citizens, for the poor as well as for the rich
have been given to 4 State in which elections
were formerly a farce For a time a strong
body of white citizens of Virginia, acting with
General Malone, did succeed in defending col
Orcd voters in the exercise of their rights, and
they have been defeated this year, it seems, by
a sudden resort to violence and terrorism on the
heels of an election, when there was not time,
even if there was an adequate resolution of pui-
pose, to resist. The address states in strong
words the reasons for believing that the Dan
vile massacre was deliberately planned and in
tended to produce precisely that general alarm
among cOlored voters which did keep many of
them from the polls, and it cannot be denied
that the conduct of the Democrats deserves the
of every citizen who cares for the
of free government.
General Malone submits one fact which will
strongly impress Northern opinion. When the
Readiusters came into power in the State, they
found only 50 cOlOred schools, and there are
now $50; there were only 2,491 public schools,
and there are now 5,5S7. A party that thus
promotes the education of all classes has some
merits. 1t is stated, too, that the BOurbons
found Sl,S16,000 in the Treasury in 1870,
and no floating debt they left in the Treasury
in 1850 only $4,000, and floating debt of
So -0OO-1O0. of which 81 .5o0.000 was due the