Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-27
SATURDAY. -. NOVEMBER 81, 1886
Who Are the Regulators ?

The Valley Vrginian, which we may,
we suppose, call the leading Republican pa
per m virginia. takes the Dispatch and The
State 10 task for having said that the I'M
no,iic course Of the bondhoiders might
lead 10 reputation. We shall not concern
ourselves, however. with what that paper
saws on the general subject; but we must
lei our readers see the following:
"sRepudistion Is term for which the
Republicans Of Virginia and the nation
have no use except TO condemn It,"
When we recolect that the Republican
party Of Virginia Is principally made up OF
negroes. especially IN all the counties east
OF the Blue Ridge, that sentence Is well
calculated to excite our mirth. Can 1t be
possible that the leading Republican or
gan In Virginia really supposes that the ne
groes are opposed to reputation? We
admit that they are not particularly in favor
of reputation; for they know nothing and
care nothing about It. But We do say that IL
MALONE were 10 come out next year for
downright reputation, there would not be
found five thousand negro voters out OF the
one hundred and thirty THOUSAND In Viz
ginia who would not support his candidates
for the Legislature on that platform. II
was the white taxpayers Of Virginia who
stood I'D In 1879, 1881, and 1882 for MAN.
taininipg the McCuLLOCH settlement; and it
was not until the MahOneites, the solid
negro vote and the Valley Virginiaa
supporting their candidates, had again and
again defeated the Democrats, that these
latter acquieseed in the RIDDLEBERGER SET
tlcment. And now when the Democrats,
determined TO keep that pledge, warn the
bondbolders OF the danger OF repudation
that would follow failure TO stand BY that
settlement, the Valley Virg'nian makes
virtuous protest, and processes to be IN
earnest In saying that "repudiatiou is
term for which the Republicans OF Virginia
and the nation have no use except to con-
denim it"!
Remember, reader, that the Republican
voters, headed by MALONE, FIST repudiated
the settlement of 1870, though it provided
for an average interest OF only per cent.
Remember that the same Republican voters
elected the Legislature which "repudiated"
one third Of the State debt os ascertained
by the MCCULLocH bill. Remember that the
Republican Administration at Washington
became the ally OF MALONE in this work Of
reputation" your OVID word and gave
TO him, who was elected 10 the United States
Senate, as be himself declared in that body,
neither as Democrat nor as Republican
but as an advocate OF that policy of READ
justment which originated the RiDDLEDER.
GER bill, the control of all the Federal
officers in Virginia, Except perhaps a
dozen,) and now we are gravely told by
this Republican organ that the Republican
party has no use for the term "repudia-
ton" except TO condemn It'll Very well
said. Ii is 10 the word, not TO the thing
itself, that nine tenths Of the Republicans
OF Virginia object, II we may judge them
by their actions.
Let us hope that The people OF Virginia
may never he forced 70 consider seriously
the question Of reputation. But II the
worst comes to the worst, they will be sure
TO inquire what party was In possession OF
the national Government when Virginia
was despoiled Of one third OF her territory,
and robbed OF more than one hundred mil
lions Of dollars worth OF slaves in violation
OF the Constitution OF the United States.