The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-02
SEATTLE. WEDNESDAY. OCT. Q
EX-SENATOR MALONE.

The Illness OF ex-senator William Ma
hone. OF Virginia. recalls the quite con-
spicuous pare which that gentleman
played in state and national politics dur
ing the decade from 1877 10 1857 When
the question of the Virginia state debt be-
came an absorbing one Malone came out
prominently on the scene and started the
revolt against what he styled the Bour-
bon rule I'm Virginia. lie was energetic.
shrewd. aggressive and remarkably fer
tile In oxpedients. and. after the election
OF Gilbert C. walker as governor OF his
state. no became n power In Virginia
politics.
After falling to secure for himself the
nomination of governor In 1873 he formed
his supporters into a rather strong. CO.
hes.ve organization, which for some years
was known as the Readjusters. The Vlr-
glnia debt became burning question, and
the split In the Virginia Democracy be-
came so wide that many believed Il would
never be healed Mahone's enemies
charged that he openly favored absolute
population. He denied this, claiming
that his opponents were the real rcpudi-
atoFs in that they made no provision for
paying the deb; by levylng taxes or max
ing appropriations.
The criticisms against his financial pol-
Icy were So severe that there is no doubt
he modified them considerably. and final
~ ne and his followers advocated suu pay
merit OF the debt less the proportion
which they thought should be assigned 10
West Virginia as It's share % the burden
IL bore prior 70 separating from the pa
rent state during the war. Although the
Republicans in Virginia were IN a hope
less minority. Malone invited them into
an alliance by passing a platform which
advocated free schools for the colored peo-
Ie and a rigid enforcement Of ;hoso Fed
ecal LAWS which gave them their civil
rights. TIE legislature was carried. aud
IN fsSo Malone vas elected % the United
states senate.
Prior 70 The national convention az 1850.
the Readiuslers had announced tina, they
would support Gen. Grant tn case ne was
nominated. That not being done. they
rnt an electoral ticket in the neld. dis
sinci from that OF the regular Democracy.
bat which In advance announced ;nat Il
Was Tor Hancock. The regular Demo
craue electors were chosen. bur the Read
3uster character Of the state legislature
was not changed.
Gen. Malone became national eha~.c-
Ter Immediately uron entering the senate
when be Mas sworn IN az It's extra session
IN March. ISL. lie voted With ,he Repuh
leans in organizing the body. and Was
soun6iy abused the excitement reaching
the highest pitch 81 the sensational de-
hate between himself ana Senator IAN ~
Georgia on March n lil Was very say
Rwe in Ms denunciaticn. charging Malone
with accepting a comm sssou from one
party and then representing another Ma
hone replied With a good deal = sr.-i,
ard the episode VAS productive ~ an ex-
ui,ement and disorder which recalled 70
some 81 the elder senators the Lively se~-
sians before the war.
The ReadJuster movement IN VirEiola
was az first DO more than local issue
but the movement on the part or 80 Re
puhiseaus of the North - break ~,
SOLID south" was then active. and CO.
anton WAS alFAasAs A~tNF*N 4At-eHs 8
followers ard the Rspuhlicsns. IN ~
great Virginia campaign of ISl Mahone
no dous: received considerable financial
help from the Republicans % the Nor.h
BY which e lsrse number 81 his followers
were enabled 70 pay ;heir taxes and vote.
The result was the election Of the Malone
candidate for governor with the other
sfflces distributed between the 3eadj0st-
FRS and Republicans.
AFTER the a-si tempests which had
arisen ar his entrance into the senate
nahone became less noticeable. lie voted
sften with the Republicans. but rssiy
constituted sort OF third party hy him
,elf. He id rot become prominent in de-
bate, and sra 3aaily became less siFik-