Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-27
what Senator Riddieberger Thought
or yiyi, blaine, OF Maine. I'm 1881.


The following editorial Is taken from the
Woodstock Virg,nidn OF September 20.
1882:
ELAINE AND VIRGINIA.
The Fuuder press Is Just now full OF Joy
over the late declaration OF hostility to the
Resdiuster party by Jim Blaine, ex-sen-
stor from Maine and ex-Secretary OF State.
The playeG-out remnant OF the once great
Conservative party OF Virginia reioices in
ia desperation over the sympathy for itself
and for the so-called "Sfraigthout' Repub-
IIcsns. the allies Of Funderism, OF the worst
played-out Radical politician in all the
land.
Blaine hasa peculiar record OF hostility
10 The South, and Us a slandrer OF south
trn men and women he enjoys reputa-
ton among the Radicals OF the North Sc
cond TO n0body-nOt even second to poor
old Horace Greeley. whom the same BOur-
bon leaders that sre now coddllng Blaine
vsinly epdeayored TO persuade the southern
pcople TO vote for ten years ago. His speech
"a in the Senate and House OF Representa-
tiyes during his long term OF service Ia Con-
gre,s were the bittere,t and most SANDER
Gus indictments ever made in that body OF
the civilization and Christianity OF any por-
ticn OF the American people. Hi. persecU-
tions and SANDERS Of the southern people
lasted long after the slightest preteXt was
offered for them by even the most intO!e-
rant OF pariisans. and when decent Repub-
licsn politicians bad ceased to assai the
south and her leaders in the late war.
w bat fitting thing for the wretched
Pharisees of Funderism to do! How APP
prOpriste that they who arrogate 10 them
selves special guardianship OF the honor
and reputation and welfare Of the Virginia
PEOPLE should gladly waliow in the mire OF
defamation OF Readiusters with the Maine
Radical, Jim Blsinel What a dccadeuce
in a short year was the step from John Dan
iel TO poor old Massey How quick the pace
snd how short the journey from the iniamy
OF McssC yism TO th9 perdition Of Bsine-
ism! But Blaine has other grounds OF
sympathy with the frauds 81 FunderiSm.
How joyful the embrace with which these
..sweci nuts" Of politics seek each other.
Blaine has the worst reputation asa pOli.ic,l
coiruptionist known TO the annals OF Con
cress. Do the Funder, OF Virginia sup
rose that the people will permit them 10 in
ttoduce rs a faction in our politics the
brazcn hero Of the Mulligan letters !?
Are they 80 utterly reckless ~ TO suppose
that Nirginians will take counsel a to their
politics and their material interests from
the peculiar pet Of the mOnOp0llsts ana
LOBBYISTS Of Wall street and Washing.
ton? Yet such a man is the present
hope and admiration OF the FuDder leaders.
They cannot endure the spectacle OF the
goodwill OF Arthur for ReSdiusterS whom
he helps to make Old Virginia 4 powerful
and influential member Of the Union; but
they II iOice III the ISLANDERS Of ReadluSters
By Blaine, the most malignant Of the haters
nnd slandeIers OF Virginia and the South.
Eourlons and Funders can have no sym
Dathy with ian Adm i,tralion which. though
hardly year old, has become justly famous
for its prosecutions OF cOrrupiOnists, but
they usturaliy enough join hands in hos
Utility to Rcadiusters with the leader OF the
Washington lobby.
Let honest Funders, already weary Of
following unworthy LEADERSHIP. contem-
plate one inevitable and conspicuous fruit II
Mr. Blaine's assault upon Hoadiusters. No
statement could he stronger in vindicatiOn
Of The rartv now in power in Virginia than
Blaine's plea for the payment by the Fedc-
raj Government, Of our State debt because
OF the despoilment and ACKNOWLEDGMENT ~
Of Yirgini, by the war. OF cOulse he did
not intend to pay tribute to the integ-
rity OF our settlement OF the public
debt; but honest men will everywhere
SO read l.. 1t greatly strengthens the
Readjustor position for integrity and
equity IN the settlement OF the public debt
that their most conspicuous enemy at the
North declares that the Federal Govern
ment should assume the whole. Blaine 10
OF course insincere in that proposition. He
knows that the northern people would never
consent TO such s scheme. He knows also
that our debt ia already settled and hi, i'm
pertinent interference in Virginia politics
In the midst Of our canvass was designed
merely to divert enough strength from the
Resdluster ranks to throw the State into
The hands Of the BOurbon-Funders, and
thus create possibility Of the re0pening OF
the debt question.
We rejoice that Blaine has at last openly
Joined the Funders. For more than year
past Bourbon leaders have medtlted max
| ing their candidate for President the clndl'
date Of the Washington lobbyists. The
association between Blaine and the Funder
leaders will be at least congenial, but il
will not DE profitable 10 either Of the con-
| tiacting parties. Jim Blaine will lack forty
votes Of receiving the electoral vote OF Viz
gins in 1884 or In any other year.