The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-09-12
Mahoneism is not Republicanism.

/ RNI'oSiiAoCi 49,"
Mahoneism is not Republicanism.
Some of the Malone apologists affect
to fear that the VIRGINIAN is about to
abandon the Republican party and be-
come identified with the Democratic
party. They may rest their souls in
peace as to that. The VIRGINIAN is a
Republican paper-its editor believes in
Republican principles, and that the pol
icies which legitimately grow out of
them will promote the interests and aug
ment the political and material power
OF the State 1t does not believe that
Mahoneism has any honest purpose in
that direction When it's followers talk
OF principle, they are simply repeating
the parrot refrain of their master, who
would like to obscure the true issue be-
fore the people by masking behind an af
fected concern for tariff, and other ques-
lions relating to national administration.
There is nothing Republican in the plan
under which Malone operates-there was
which the primary meetings to appoint
delegates to Norfolk were held-there
was nothing Republican in the packed
caucus which nominated Malone, and
there is nothing Republican either in his
methods or his objects He came into
the Republican party as a buccaneer.
His course since he has professed to be
Republican has been that of a politi-
cal pirate. His motive was to destroy
the Republican, and build upon it's ruins
Malone party. His first movement
was at Mozart Hall in 1877, when he pro-
fessed to adopt the various issues which
the Republicans had pressed upon the
people in the election of that year. He
was supreme in shaping Democratic pol
icy and framing Democratic platforms
and tickets when the funding bill of
1871 was adopted when the capitation
tax and whipping post laws were enact
ed and when the public schools were
robbed of their support and the entire
system threatened with disaster. He was
II accord with his party until it refused
to nominate him for Governor, without
any modification of or protest against
its record on these interests. 1t was not
until he could not control the nomina
ton for his own selfish purposes that he
discovered that wrongs had been perpe-
trated and that the Republicans had a
grievance, which appealed to the fair
ness, the honor and the interests of the
State. 1t was then, when he had been
repudiated by the party which had
owned his mastery, that he conceived
the plan and purpose of antagonizing it.
1t was then that his piratical career
commenced. He left his party; organ
lied another declared for the reforms
which the Republicans demanded the
repeal Of the legislation which he had
been instrumental in having enacted, in
that he was the supreme dictator OF the
Democratic party at the time I; invaded
the Republican Convention held in
Staunton in 1880, with the purpose of
disruptiug it, and preventing the APP
pointment of delegates to the National
Convention plotted to have his bogus
Hancock ticket in 1880, supported by Re-
publicans by false pretense, influenced
the Republican National Committee and
Northern Republicans to furnish him
funds which were raised and designed
for the Republican organization ; and
thus assisted in defeating the Republi-
can electoral ticket in Virginia. He en-
gineered to disrupt the Republican par
ty at Lynchburg in 1881, and so ilnpll-
Gated Republican issues with his move
ment, as to make it the lesser evil to
support it, as viewed from surrounding
conditions, than to submit to the Of
fensive and cruel laws that had been
framed and fastened upon the State. He
was all this time scheming and contriv-
ing to break up the Republican party
and build up Malone party. In 1884
he threw off all disguise, when he
thought the time was ripe for him to
declare himself Republican and take
command Of the party. From that time
to the present he has been in command
and led it to successive defeats whenever
he actively engaged in its direction. His
plan of organization was designed to
perpetuate his power-to make him the
supreme dictator of all interests and all
influences related to the party. When
it suited his selfish purpose he would re-
move county chairmen whom the Re
publican voters wanted-he would OPP
pose the nominees of the party when he
was convinced he could not use them.
Fidelity to him; slavish obedience to
his behests and purposes were the tests
he imposed of Republicaniam. He de-
fed the law of the National Republican
party. when it confiicted with his de-
signs He traduced and slandered the
greatest man in the party, when he
thought it would cont ribute to his self
ish ends to do so. He conspired to de-
moralize and disrupt le party, that he
might more easily con rol it to further
his ambition; and by his tyranny and
persecution he drove t,om active coop
GRAFTON lifelong Republicans in order
the more securely to entrench himself in
authority and fortify himself in supreme
command.
By his despotic methods he engi-
neered the appointment of delegates to
the Norfolk Convention, and the nomi-
nation by that packed caucus of the
ticket at the head of which he was
placed. 1t is this ticket thus brought
forward, that is to be made the test of
Republicanism and fidelity to Republi-
can PRINCIPLES and of Republican ortho-
doxy. 1t is simply to declare that the
Republican party of Virginia is absorbed
in Mahone-that he is the embodiment
of it's faith, it's principles, it's policy and
it's purposes, and not to bow to his
authority and proclaim him the high
priest of the party is treason.
The VIRGINIAN does not propose to do
this. 1t does not believe in such Repub-
licanism. 1t will kick against all such
slavish submission to a petty dictator
and appeal to the people for justitica
ton in the name and for the cause of
true Republicanism in the State and Ma
ton.
Their Business Booming,