The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-09-05
THE STATE CANVASS.
A StOng Statement from C. A. Heermans.
MAHoNE's RECORD EXPOsED-wHY HE
SHOULD NOT BE ELECTED
GOVERNOR
Ton. Z. B. Claiborne, Roanoke, Va

Hon. Z. B. Claiborne, Roanoke, Va:
DEAR JUDGE.-In answer to your question as to
what Republicans should do and what position
/ shall occupy in the present campaign, l shall
answer quickly and frankly. shall not support
Malone, nor his ticket, nor his party. My reason
for this is because AM A REPUBLICAN:
The so-called convention held in Norfolk on
the 22d was not a free, fair and open convention
composed of representative Republicans Of the
Mahone's followers called to ratify cut and
dried policy of oppression, mapped out weeks
ago at conference" held at his home in Pc
terSburg. | would be reOr6ant to every prlncl-
pie of my life should tamely submit and bow
my neck to yoke more calling than Bourbon
ism in its palnlieSt days.
The foundation principle upon which this gov
eminent rests is freedom of thought freedom
of speech and freedom of action-Iiberty Our
Bill of Rights declares that s'all power is vested
in and consequently derived from the people,"
The right of self-government is as old as the
Declaration of Independence and whoever in
vades these sacred precincts sapS the foundation
upon which our glorious Union rests. Whenev-
er these foundation principles are in issue all
other questions sink into utter inSigni1cance.
1t has been the glory of the Republican party
to maintain this freedom and liberty and he who
would divert it from this pure and holy channel
is it's greatest enemy.
In the absence OF a Moses, Gen. Malone has
camped in wilderness, has offered incense to
strange gods, has erected a golden calf and COM
manded phe faithful to bow down and worship.
Shall we do it and be destroyed? For one will
not.
u.s. Mahoneism or Republicanisnl-which :? tsAs
for me and my house we will serve the Lord p
When one has been so closely identified with
Gen. Malone politically as | have sewers his con-
nection with him, decent respect for the good
will of his political associates, as well as 1.-THE
rest of mankind demand that he should set
forth the causes thai impelled his action. have
been student OF the political history OF VIZ
ginia since the war. At its close retained natu-
rally all the bitterness that conquered rebel had
for the Northern people and looked upon Repub-
icanS and Northern people generally as enemies
of the South. Therefore, was quick to join III
the most deceiving and yet the most potent
platform the Virginia Democrats ever adopted
-"Opposition to RadicaliSm." AS | grew older,
and With the animosities engendered by the
war mellowed with time, | learned that true
political parties represented certain principles
Of government that there We're certain theories
ucatipn, Of administration, that We're not to be
settled by appeals to section OF to the passions Or
and thoughtful consideration and by the accep-
lance or rejection of those principles from pa
tliotic motives of right and Justice My concu-
sion was that our interests lie with the Repub-
lican party. With me conclusion means action.
found the Republican party in the hands of
Gen, Malone. ] earnestly co-operated with him
to the success of the cause. In season and out
of season What little ability possessed was at
the call of the party and its officers. After years
of struggle and disaster find the party claim
ing to be Republican (and nobler, more self
sacrificing band of patriots never lived than the
great body of that parity in the hands of a per-
son who uses it's power, not to the advancement
of the true theories Of Republicansm, but to
satlate the ambition of one man, and to be made
an engine of oppression to all who refuse to bend
1.-THE sqppliant hinges OF the knee that thrift
may follow faWnlng.'
| Aglance at the political record as made up by
history since the war, will cause the thinking
man to wonder wherein Gen, Mahone's' power
full statesmanshin has been displayed, and TO
/ search in vain for those powers Of leadership
his followers have been wont to claim. Herein
/ they may learn the difference between fa0t0rtetA
and ability, audacity and Judgment, statesman
| ship and ambition.
In 1863 the Democrats of Virginia selected a
ticket, and that without the consent of Gen. Ma
hone. Withers, Walker, and Marye were the
standard bearers. The Republicans, then in the
majority in the State, called their convention al
PetersburgS--a dangerous place. The hand OF
William Malone was felt there, not as a states
man and FRIEND but in manipulating thai
body 50 as to put a negro on tine ticket and te
hold the marty to the DISTINGUISHING clauses u
the constitution. These two fatal errors might
have been avoided but for the 'malgn intiu
ence' of people who have no sympathy with the
party This Accomplished, then he set to W ,}r
to BRING out a compromise ticket-d middle
fieket-a balance Of power ticket..a true Re
publican" ticket By conference" "a favorlt'
DEVICE at his house, Gilbert G. Walker wa
ag 'eed upon and Withers was driven from tn
feld. Thus with the power i'll his own hand, Tn
Walker Malone combination succeeded VIII
funding b1ll' and 'consolidation;" the Peep
W,re stlfed with railroad bulldozing ana tlsst
9 .llots Malone and Democracy, fundmS Oil