Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-23
4 PnrnIIeI and a PrnnhecY.

To he Tlaor ofHe Dtspa'ct:
The struggle for mastery between Ma
hone and "the kickers,' or autl-Mahone-
ties. l. assuming an interest Of national
importance. and the approaching Eepuh-
lican convention. to be held at Norfolk on
the 22d of August. VIII be looked 10 - pro-
badly the decisive conflict between these OPP
posing forces. especially If the little Briga-
der" is nominated and accepts the nominal
ton for Governor. The Democrats have
deep aud lively interest in the result, and
must prepare themselves to meet the COM
mon enemy in the coming contest tor GOV
crnor. and also for the Legislature. MS
can only be done successfully by the most
complete and thorough organization, for
under the most favorable circumstances
THIS is 10 he hard fight, and every Demo
crat should be prepared 10 stand by ms
cOlors and fight manfully. In which case l
venture TO predict "a splendid victory. not
withstanding all the boasttul efforts of our
willy and inscriptions foe. IN one re-
spect the tactics of NiahOne have been
somewhat peculiar during the last elght
OF ten years. he being always most boastiul
when most likely to bee overwhelmed with
defeat Witness his vain boasts as to the
success of his Readluster Hancock ticket
in 1880. and again in the presidential cam
paign If 1858, when be was going 10 carry
Virginia for the Republicans 10y majority
of twenty thousand. lie IS thus constant,
" reminding me of Mokanna, the velled
prophet Of khOraSsan, of whom the Poet
Moore draws such vivid picture IN L0Ud
R0Olh, one of hislongest and best-sustalned
poems. The parallel between the two
characters IS very striking, as Will be seen
bv the following passage describing various
fierce and desperate conflicts between the
Caliph and Mokanna, the yelled prophet;
In one of these. and after Mokanna had
lost the day
:" Yet morning hears him with uublushing crest
still vauut Of thrones and victory 10 the lasti
And then bsiisre hun : on, the lover may
Distrust the look that steals his soul away;
The babe may cease 10 think thai IL can play
with Heavens rainbow: alche may dOuDt
The shining gold their cruclhles give out;
But faith, fanatic fai;h. o,c welded fast
10 some dear falseEood. mugs II - the ia5L"
In another battle, and at the critical mo
ment when defeat seemed inevitable, Mo-
kama is heard to shout:
"Warriors. rejoice, the victory is our own "
And SO it goes on to the end, the more
desperate ms cause the more ne seeks 10
encourage hisfollowers by boasts of future
success. Thus far the parallel between
Mokanna and Malone is complete. But
the dav comes when the yelled prophet,
after all his boastinGs, had lost his last
battle: and when the magic spell III which
his followers had been held SO long WAS To
hc broken, wien the lal~t lIolitN was b'
be uumasked. his hIdeOus features eX-
posed To public view, and he himself To
public eXccration; but in the act of
plunging himself into boiling caldron
aud with his expiring breath we hear him
uttering this bitter curse upon his de
luded followers:
Then. yo wise saints, beholdyour light, your
star;
Ye would bo dupes and yictims-dnd pc are"
Is it too much to expect and hope that
the day is drawing near when Malone,
who may said TO be the relied prophet, as
he is the raise prophet, OF the Republican
party of Virginia, may be heard TO utter
the same bitter cry against his deluded
followers? Sooner or later it will come.
II may not be at once-that j., not after
the convention at Norfolk-for appear
ances seem TO be in favor of his having the
inside track of the "kickers." But If the
Democrats do their whole duty in the fall
campaign for Governor and the Legislature
we shall surely hear it, and all good men
will rejoice at the downfall Of the false
prophet. /. >.
SALEM, VA, July 18th.