The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-10-03
VA.
Several Reasons.

III is at t1lS 1nlIldl point /
that we differ. 1t is true, Gen. Malone.
rs the chairman of self -perpetuating
called the Convention; but
the plan of organization, its manage
ment, and the appointment of delegates
under it, were all in conflict with the
primary object of party organization
is simply convenient
form through which the people may
voice their will. 1t was not designed to
suppress, but to invite and encourage
the expression of popular sentiment. 1t
was not intended to be the medium to
the will of one man; and that
will to become party law, regardless of
the wishes of the Republican masses. 1t
was not designed to clothe one man with
power to thwart and deny the
people the right of free choice in the Sc
lection of delegates and have all the
affairs of party conducted in obedience
to the orders and the aims of the chair
man, indifferent alike to party and the
public welfare.
The chairman assumes to be the par
ty Under the mischievous and vicious
plan which he concocted, he has prac-
tically the power to declare himself such,
and this he has done. The power is
vested in him to remove all county
chairmen who are not subservient to his
behests This power he relentlessly ex-
ercises. The precinct chairman is subject
to the county chairman, and to secure
unity of purpose and oneness of result,
generally the precinct chairman is as
malleable as the county chairman. 1t is
made the duty of these chairmen to GER
tify all delegates, and without this GER
tificate no delegate will be recognized,
although he may represent four-ffths of
the voting strength of the party at his
precinct. The county chairman is APP
pointed by the State chairman, because
of his known fidelity. under all circum-
stances and conditions, to the Boss. The
precinct chairlnen are appointed gener-
ally, because of similar subserviency.-
When an object is to be reached, such as
the nomination of the Boss himself for
Governor, the whole machinery thus en-
gineered, is drilled and trained for that
purpose. If the Republican voters of a
precinct should be hostile to the Boss.
the precinct chairmen, will bolt the
meeting, call a few of the faithful to-
in Alexandria, appoint and certify the
delegates and they are accepted. Not
only in Alexandria, but in Petersburg,
Lynchburg, Norfolk county. and other
places, this course was substantially pur-
sued. The purpose was to make the
Norfolk caucus as nearly unanimous for
the Boss as the nominee of the party as
possible, and this purpose was faithfully
carried into effect But in the Valley
counties where the whites prevail, this
policy is not carried to the excess that it
is in the eastern counties.
We can conceive nothing Republican
in all this. 1t was Mahoneism through
out. The primaries were his, the county
conventions were his the State Conven-
ton was his, and the nominations were
just as he ordered them. 1t is stated
that he offered the nomination to Col.
Lamb, but he knew that Col. Lamb
could not and would not accept it, and
it was merely affected Discrimination to
accept that himself for which he had
been plotting and scheming for six
months previous
1t is to protest against this autocratic
power and the result of it that we OPP
pose the nomination by Mahone's eau
Gus of Malone himself for Governor,
and it is to protest against the man, Call
ing himself a Republican, who would
deliberately so outrage every princip'e
of popular representation and every
thought of decent politics that we will
not support the candidacy of the Boss.
We would have willingly overlooked
the abuse of power and the disregard OF
the rights of the people as thus indi-
Gated, had the nominee been a true Re
publican. such as we believe Col. Lamb
Gen. Elliott, r. L. Hubbard, or hall
dozen others we could mention. to be,
or and responsibility with proper def
erence to the people, and with desire
to subserve the public interests. But
there is nothing of this kind in Malone.
He has no thought or plan outside Of his
own selfish ambition. He uses power but
to abuse it. Were he Governor, lie
would prostitute every function of gov
eminent to CRAFTY his malignant nature,
in prescribing all who were not his will
ing and obedient slaves. and to humil-
late the. free citizens of the Common
wealth by the most wicked prescription
that the ingenuity of his selfish heart
could suggest.
His Punic faith with the administra-
ton is working out its own results. The
compromise" which was paraded be-
fore the country as the basis of an hon
orable adjustment of the differences in
the party, is now known to have been
an insidious scheme of Malone to con-
troll Federal patronage in the interest OF
his servile followers. without thought OF
observing its terms. 1t was designed as
a deception and it has been used to &C.
ceive. There is not member OF the
Cabinet, nor an officer in the admins
tration. from the President down, who
does not know that Malone has abused
confidence reposed and violated an un-
Outstanding agreed upon. He has placed
the administration in such relation to
the Republicans OF this State and the
country, as to demand of it that Malone
shall be dropped, as the legitimate re-
suit of his treachery. When the people
of Virginia shall have spoken in No
vember next, his false assurances and
selfish purposes will be exposed, ard
nothing will be left for the President,
consistent with his high character, and
the welfare of the party here and
throughout the country, but to repu-
diate the little despot, and rebuke the
deception and treachery of which he has
been SO fagrantly guilty.
If there were no other reasons for OPP
posing Mahone's election, those we have
stated ought to be enough to justify
every Republican in not supporting him.
They are convincing to us and we would
oppose him if every man, woman and
child in the Commonwealth were for