Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-28

piled that General Malone knew where
mv rooms were and II ne wanted to sec
| me he must come there. he went OH
and soon came back and said General
. Malone wanted to know at what houi
he would find me at my rooms. 1 tnen
knew he was In earnest. / saio' lou
can 20 back and tell General Malone
will not have an interview with him un-
, less other persons are present to hear and
take down everything that passes between
u.s. General Malone declined an inter-
view on those terms.
IN IMPORTANT PAMPHLET.
"The next day Mr.. Cross. OF Nanse-
mond, who was then one of Mahone's
most ready supporters, moved Tor a maj
adjournment OF the Legislature.
IL deem 1t proper TO say that when i
formulated the principles upon which /
thought the State debt ought TO be set
tied. there was no newspaper In the
State that was willing to publish my
views. / had them published in pamphlet
form, at my own expense and circulated
them throughout the State. General
Malone, In the mean time. had lost his
position as president Of the railroad now
known as the Norfolk and Western. A
friend Of his and mine-Colonel Abe Full
kerson-wrote him that he must do some
1
that he had lost. and that he Fulkerson)
| was satisfied that the move / was making
| was bound TO succeed and the best thing
| he (Mahone) could do would be to CO.
| operate with me in IT, and sent him a
copy OF my pamphlet. Malone requested
Fulkerson to visit him, which he did,
and, as he stated afterwards, when he
| got there Malone met him on the porch
| with copy Of my pamphlet In his hand.
saying that he had never seen the subject
clearly presented before, and that he was
now willing to unite in the effort TO ac-
complish the object at which / was aim
ing.
my purpose, when 1 introduced in the
Legislature the measures to which /
have referred, was to have the debt set
tied in what was then known as the
Conservative party. 1 had no idea Of the
formation Of a third party, or of any
new party for its settlement But the
position taken by the State Executive
Committeeman no one could be re-
garded as In the party who opposed
what was known as the McCulloch set
tlement-was practically driving out of
the party all who advocated a different
settlement Of the State debt.
GENESIS OF READJUSTERISM.
This seemed necessarily 70 bring into |
existence third party, known as Re
adjusters," composed of both Democrats
and Republicans, who were in favor of |
a readjustment OF the State debt. Dur
ing this time / was thrown frequently
with General Malone, and had entire
confidence in his patriotism and in the
sincerity of his declarations when he
assured me that he could never be any
thing but a Democrat and could do
nothing that he did not believe to be for
the interests of Virginia But prior TO
the nomination of a candidate for Gov
ernor by the Readjuster party. he sent
for me and, introduced the subject by
saying: TO my utter surprise, Colonel
.- has aspirations for the Cover
rOrship What has he ever done to
entitle him to It? When you, sir, were
canvassing Virginia, and canvassed the
entire State almost alone, and at your
own expense, he couldn't be got TO can
yass a single county. It's time enough
for him to think of such thing sixteen
years hence, IL ever. And there's Johnny
-, too; he has such notions in his
head But Johnny is a good little fellow,
and we can very easily dispose of him.
Now, the sentiment is so universal, and
so thoroughly understood, that, IL the
people are let alone. there will be a solid
delegation sent here. There will be but
you will be nominated by acclamation.'
Then. pausing. leaning over towards me ]
and looking me earnestly In the eye, |
dropping his voice as though he was
going to tell me something very conf {
Dental. he said: But these men have {
pledged me their sacred honor that they !
will stand by me, they don't care what Q
do, and will go with me, they don't U
care where l 60 G
These remarks perfectly astounded '
ne. Up to that moment i had confidence a
n his assurances and purposes. l saw at ,
nee that he intended to do something j
improper or he would not want one TO c
hedge himself in advance to stand by | I
i'm In doing It; that he intended TO v
make some change in his position, or in y
he position he claimed to occupy. or he e
would not want one to promise to go L
With him wherever he went. Z
HE SUSPECTED MAHoNE
II looked at him as earnestly as he o
id at me- and said to him: General ! s
Iahone, / hope you are not going to do ii
nything that 1 can't approve; / hope (,
on are not going anywhere l can't go. |
tut that is a promise I make to no man. "
am going with you just as far as L a
hink you are right, and no further, and 81
shall always claim the right to think,
D speak, and to act for myself Our
suppose / may cadl IL con- =,
then, and we never q
ad another interview or conversation. "
lie had no use for me, and had no con-
dence in him. .
Finding that he could not use me, II L .,
ere elected Governor of Virginia, as he 7,
ssured me / could be, he went earnest T,
to work to defeat my nomination / was =,
formed by Judge Meade. of Alexandria, 7,
lat he had telegraphed General Groner =,
Norfolk, to come to him at Washing -
IN, and informed hinf that he must get r.
hundred delegates that had been in II
ructed to vote for my nomination, and
Jus defeat my nomination for Governor, a.
nd that Mahones plan was to have Rid ~
eberger nominated for Governor, Gro ~
sr for ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; Riddleber- III
II then to be elected to the United W
ates Senate, and Groner to become Gov III
nor. In this information, given by Judge u
eade, he stated that he was to use IN
-ery effort to get the 100 delegates at sh
hatcver cost, and that. when Cameron's pr
Importers and my supporters became te
tied against each other, then there was 81
be a move made for the nomination OF | re
ddleberger and Groner, thinking that
v friends would sooner go 10 Riddleber-
y than TO Cameron, and that Came
ms friends would sooner go to Riddle LII