The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-22
INDEPENDENTISM.
EDITORIAL REMARKS BY THE ABBEvILLE
MEDIUM,
The Lesson OfVirginia.

At this crisis in the political history
Of our State the fate of Virginia and
the rise and downfall Of Mahone is
full of instruction and of warning to
our people.
That shameful record negan just as
the Bolt in this State has been evolved.
Gen. Malone was a democrat OF Dem
ocrats," and no one stood hlghe ID
the party than he did or enjoyed more
fully the confidence of all Virginians
He aspired to the GovernorshIp, was,
Indeed, the leading candidate but was
defeated in the Convention. He then
claimed to be "straightout' and ap-
peal.d to the negro TO aveDge his
wrongs, claiming all the time that he
was within the lines of "pure democra-
cyn and that his object was to purify
the party. He succeeded in eIecting
Cameron Governor, himself United
States Senator, and afterwards Riddle
berger. not as Republicans but as
'Straightout Democrats" Even al
ter he was seated in the Senate, when
taunted with trearhery by Ben Hill he
repudiated the charge and declared
hat be was "better Democrat than
Hill"
What was the result? Malone and
his white allies, who had used the ne
groes TO defeat the regular democracy,
found the negroes stronger than them
selves, They could not maintain
their own supremacy except through
the machinery Of the Republican
nnrtU aud 10y the manipulation Of
the KepuOLican Federal pdtr0naDe:
80 they were forced against their a0stt
into the Republican party, from whlcn
the more decent nf them, such as cam
eron and Moseby, are now SEEKING 10
escape, besmirched and degraded oy
their humiliating association. Aud
at last the negro has become stronger
even than Malone himself for the last
month the negro LaDgston was seated
in Congress against his opposition and
nrotest. Speaking of the return OF
these misguided men to the Democrat
tic n.rtv the Richmond Dispatch .
last Friday, says;
"Thousauds of our white men some years
ago drifted into the Republican party before
tHev we're aware OF it. Often have they wish
ed io come back to their first love-back Into
the old family ci, Gle, back into the companion
ship of the fine fellows who we're their com
rades in battle and bivouac, in weary marches
and starving times, and in the ecstacy OF veto
ry. and the sorrow of defeat. Many OF these,
we rejoice to say, are now with us agaln. III
Richmond city not less than sixty nave renoun
ced Rspublicanism forever and taken tner 1or
ar u,acas iu the Democratic line.
What were the consequences to Vir'
piuia of that uuholy all lauce? Ten
wears of ofdegradatiou and shame! Maho
nized. RepublicuniZed, African'zed,
her debt wei. .-nigh repudiated, her
credit weakened, her deveIopement
re tarded, her people divided and her
proud name dragged through the
mud!
What must be the consequences 10
us ofa like coalitio. Can 1t be that
the independents expect 10 perm aheht
ly control the negro vote? having
one. invited them to the suffrage 90
thew expect to exclude them hereat-'
ter? E,
II is piece of monumental f'i''
ly. .,.+h..s
A child might see the issne but these
men yes nothing except their own
wounded and arrogant prlde-tnelf
own seuseless and reckless .ambltl"h.
| With them it is rule or rulu'-out
Caesar Qut nulluS.