Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-05-02
STAUNTON

s.Therefore, we, the representatives of
t he people comprising the Coalition party
of Virginia, in convention assembled, do
declare
LIST. That from and after this day our
party shall be known as the Republican
party of Virginia that in National af-
fairs we shall follow the banner of the ,e
National Republican party, and shall
support with zeal and fidelity its nominees
for President and Vice President. ZEE
tract from the Malone platform.
And SO the Readjuster party dies out
of sight and is replaced by the Republican
party. And with it comes the absolute
and unconditional release of every Demo-
crat who temporarily used that organiza-
tion for a settlement of the State debt.
Hereafter The voters in Virginia will be
Democrats or Republicans. The consoli-
dation will give the Republican administra-
tion larger number of voters demanding
recognition; otherwise it will not much
affect the status of Virginia as politi-
Cal factor. That is to say, whenever the
Democrats elect to come out in their
strength, they can carry the State by any
where from $1,000 to $4,000; when they
neglect to do so they can lose the State by
anywhere from 5000 to 1000.
The disbanded party presented many
phases of life which are interesting to the
political student. 1t has been a move
ment that has yielded more personal
profit to it's leaders in short time than
any organization we can recall. 1t has also
been party of persistent denials. Its af-
fdavits as to its purity and high motives
when looked back to, arouse the sense of
the ludicrous. Appearing on the stage in
1877, it was looked upon coldly by both
parties then in the field indeed it seemed
to have been strangled in its birth I'M
til the cunning and clever Malone took it
in charge. From that moment it COM
menced denying its purposes, its parent
age and its friends. Indignantly disown-
ing that Malone was the issue in its cam
paign, it elected him to the Senate the mo-
ment it got the power. Furiously dis
claiming any interest in the colored vote,
it made it's first coalition with that ele
ment of the Republican party, and shaped
its first legislation to hold it. Abusing the
Republican party in the State as the grip
sack funder party, it in 1881 made thor
ough coalition with it. 1t has been party
so prolific of denials and contradictions,
that but for the one-man rule to which
it was subjected, and for the fact that it
was governed for personal ends rather than
for public achievements, the voters would
have been puzzled to know for what they
were banded together.
In closing by leaping the technical bar
rier which separated it from the Republi
can party, the Coalition organization has
done well. While the act will drive from
it all who are not in favor of national
administration adverse to the interests of
Virginia. it will in compensation give it
name and home in the two great parties,
something it has sadly stood in need of.
AS to its future under it's new name, it will
not be materially affected. The 18th of
November saw the downfall and rout of
the strongest and best organized party
that ever opposed the Democracy of Vir
GINA. With every advantage in the cam
paign it was not only defeated but over
whelmed. 1t will not make better
showing next November. John S. Bar
bour will be in front of it again, at the
head of the Democracy. The name and
the freshly remembered tyranny of Will
liam Malone will be enough of itself to
defeat those led by him. ItWould be use
less for any political party. however ex-
cellent it's principles, to appear in Virgin
ia led by Malone. Were he at the head
of the victorious State Democracy to-
morrow, and with its willing assent, that
Democracy would be turned down at the
polls. The history of his brief reign in
Virginia is read by every lover Of liberty
and republican government, here and
abroad, with mingled establishment and
aversion No true freeman is ready to
aid in returning Malone to power by as
ssting to put 10 another Arthur admins
tration. There are thousands of able Re-
publicans in Virginia who know that with
Malone to the front, their opportunities
for advancing the Republican party will
be strictly limited to depositing their
ballots in the box. They know, and like
them the people of Virginia know, that
with Malone the party in Virginia will
be governed as a conquered province by
a pro consul, and that the old style of
personal favoritism, autocratic rule and
decapitation for personal opposition will
be in full force again. There is not
enough difference between the principles
in the platforms of the two N National par
ties to induce an Intelligent Republican
to surrender his personal liberty to Ma
hone in order to be in accord with his
National party. In short, for Malone to
mend his hold on the future Federal pa
trouage and occupy the post of head of the
Republican party, means blight on the
patriotic aspirations of all individual Re-
publicans and relegation to the condi-
ton of personal servtude which the Boss
has so rigidly enforced for some time past
in his party management. We very much
qleston if Malone will have hereafter
party at his back which will command
the serious apprehension, still less the
fear, of the Democratic people of Virginia.
Nor, as matter of fact, does the boss
or his followers feel any very deep inter
est in this matter. Their idea is to be
safely aligned with the National Republi-
can party and in case Of it's success to
enjoy the spoils of the national govern
ment, no matter how the State government
goes. The large and enthusiastic con-
vention of Mahoneites at Richmond last
week, was animated by the hope of
SUCCESS founded on the differences among
the Democracy. Had the tariff been let
alone in this Democratic congress by
IL alx