Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-02-29
A PLAIN MESSAGE TO a COR
RUPT FEDERAL ADMIN
TSTRA TON

a PLAIN MI ECOd0 u " n WV
RUPT FEDERAL ADMIN
ISTRATIO
The Virginia Senate. to its lasting honor
be it said, on last Friday cut through the
fiimsy technicalitles behind which the
Federal Administration hides its corrupt
devices in influencing State elections, and
announced to the world the American
platform that where the Washington gov
eminent uses its powers to dictate who
shall be members of State legisla-
ture. the benefciaries of the fraud shall
not be allowed to aid in making the laws
of that State. The history of the Callahan
Rue case, reaches far enough back to make
it worth giving sketch OF
In the year 1881 Malone made an as
sault on the Republican party in Vir-
ginia to capture its votes for use against
the Democracy. His capture, however, was
not complete one. and considerable ele-
ment, with some leaders Of energy and
activity, refused to surrender. Among
them was Hon. John F. Dezendorf. An
other was an active employee of the navy
ward named Callahan, an intelligent Re-
publican who spurned Malone and his
methods. Callahan was removed to the
navy yard at Philadelphia, but he was not
to be gotten rid of that way. He return
ed to Portsmouth and was an active sup
porter of Dezendorf who was candidate
for congress in the fall of '82. The history
of that campaign developed the most cor
rupt and disgraceful use of the Federal
power at the navy yard to elect Dozen
DORIS Coalition opponent. 1t was SO
glaring that Dezendorf attempted to pro-
cure an official investigation. but was
evaded with an affrontery that the most
expert ballot-box suffer might envy. H.
asked for an investigation of one depart
ment where the corrupt work had been
done, and Secretary Chandler coolly APP
pointed Board of inquiry to investigate
another department. in which it was not
charged that any wrong had been perpe-
trated. The report was a complete white
wash and those who had hoped that tht
exposure of the Arthur Malone use OF
the navy yard to control a State and con
gressional election would put stop to it
hereafter, were IN despair. It was shown
that men were spec tally employed in tht
navy yard to elecJioneer for the Coalition
candidate for congress, and though
drawing their pay on the pay roll did not
spend day at work. These men were
chiefly influential negroes. That cleo
tioD disclosed the fact that the navy yard
could and did control the election for a
certain portion of the State OF Virginia.
and that that control was exercised with
the aid and protection of the Washington
administration and in defiance of the laws
of Virginia. 1t looked then as if there
was no way of rebuking these frauds, but
to patient and resolute people all thing
are possible.
The State Senator from that district.
an active Coalition participant aud mana
ger in that disgraceful campaign, was M.
2. Rue. He was "hold over" Senator;
that is Senator whose term would not
expire until 1885. He had been appoin-
ted postmaster but still held on to his
Senatorshlp with the Intention of sitting
as Virginia Senator. though the consti-
tuition of Virginia forbade it. Gov. Cam
eron s. attention was called to this before
the election of last November, but he re-
piled that he had received no official init
nation that there was vacancy from
Rue's Senatorial district. He stated the
truth, for Rue did not intend there should
be any vacancy, if Malone Senate was
elected. Nevertheless the fact Of there
being a vacancy was brought to the Gov
ernor's mind by gigantic disaster to The
Malone cause; the Democrats carried tht
Senate. Then, Rue attempted to resign a
seat, which he was not the rightful owner
Of. into the hands of the Governor. HI
was too late. The Governor undertook
to back him in it and order an election t.
fill the vacancy, but he was also too late,
Rue had forfeited his seat and there was
vacancy when the Senate met and it was
the exclusive privilege of the Senate t.
order the election. The Senate in its
own time ordered one. At that elec-
who logically ought to have been candi.
dates-Rus who had been engaged in the
use of the Federal power to defeat DeZen-
dorf and who on his own account had at
tempted to hold by fraud seat in the
Senate to which he had no right, and Cal.
lahan, an incorporating Republican.
who had early arrayed himself in
favor of the National Republican party
as against Coalition and who had sacri-
feed place and profit in maintaining his
convictions. Directly the nominations
were made the Administration promptly
through its navy yard SET to work to cor
rupt the popular vote and elect Rue. Here
is a sample of the Administration work
contained in an extract from tho official
report Of the minority of the Senate Elec-
tion Committee:
1.-THE evidence shows that Miles Foreman, Her.
bert Smalls, and Others all negroes, who are con-
fessedly men of great influence with their race,
volunteered their services to Callahan. A COM
mittee Of twelve negroes was formed consisting OF
three from each ward, who were to have charge oil
Callahan's canvass among and with the negro ele
ment. The names Of this committee were publish
ed in the city papers, and as soon as the fact of
their appointment became known, one John W
CAST, Federal oflce-holder in the navy yard in
said city. and Chairman of the Coalition Executive
Committee. approached some, if not al, of the
members of that committee, and offered them posi-
lions in the navy yard provided they would come
ont in published card renouncing their allegiance
to and promised support of Mr.. Callahan. The
cards s1ere published. positions In the nary gard
qpere fhereunor 0iieD them and Mr. Rue receiDed