Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-07-21
Judge Mann Explains the
Malone Letters

years ago. Judge Mann, after
dealing with political history in
Virginia, declared that he was
never ashamed of his friendship
for Malone, and that he had sup
ported him as long as he was q
Democrat, his continuous support
being based upon the assumption
that General Malone would con.
tinue, as he then was, Democrat
Among other thugs he said:
Three letters, purportlng to have
been written by me to General Ma
hone about thirty years ago, were
reproduced in the Richmond pa
pers.
For the proper understanding OF
these letters it is necessary to con-
slider the time and circumstances
under which they were written.
Were it only the older men in the
State, familiar with the history Of
political events since 1869, would
not deem it necessary to say one
word; but in the past thirty years
a new generation has grown up.
In December, 1879, General Ma
hone was elected United States
Senator by the Legislature, and l
was elected county judge of Not.
toway county. a position l had
held by virtue Of the two elections
by the Democratic party, since
1870. and to which was again
re elected by the Democratic Leg
lslature in 1886.
WHY LETTERS WERE WRITTEN
Under the circumstances sur
rounding this re election by the
Legislature of 1S79-'80, these let.
tiers were written. General Ma
hone was elected at that time as a
Readjuster Democrat, as is fully
proven by the fact stated in Sena-
tor Ben Hills famous speech In
March, 1881, when General Ma
hone voted with the Republicans
in the organization of the Senate,
In which speech Senator Hill said:
IL understand that there are in
Virginia what l call ReadJuster
Democrats and Debt Paying DEM
ocrats, or something of that kind,
but, as l understand, oil are DEM
ocrats." This was more than u
year after my reelection as judge.
In the election of 1881 the quest
ion of the readJustment of the
State debt was agein decided in
favor of the Readjuster Democrat
ic party. The result of the elect
ion of 1881 was accepted by the
Funder Democrats and the records
written up, and in 1888, at the
convention in Lynchburg, Read
ulster Democrats and Funder Dem
ocrats came together, and the 's'
cue was made up between the Unit
ed Democracy of Virginia, led by
John S. Barbour, and-the Republi-
can party, led by Ge$fal Malone
who had then joined that party.
The history of politics in Virginia
since 1888 is we'll known to all
men.
NOT Ashamed OF FRIENDSHIP
Therefore, I ask only that these
letters be read in connection with
all the surrounding circumstances.
have no apology to make for my
personal friendship for General
Malone. In this regard | stand
with distinguished company OF
VireinIane-among Others GOode,
Kemper, Holiday and Robert +.
(. Lee, were his friends during
these stormy days from 1859 to
1881.
| have never denied that so long
as General Malone was Demo
crat gave him my personal sup
port.
In this connection it is to be
noted that in 1879, when my name
was considered In caucus for Dom-
ination for judgeship, every Re-
publican and negro in that caucus
voted against me. The next day
after the election l wrote General
Malone a letter of appreciation OF
his personal friendship. said;
"Witb no political claims to the
position, i could only rely upon
your personal friendship. y l
shall rememb Der that 10 pledge was
asked of me. " Ithall respond
to the wishes of my people, who.
without regard to their position
on the debt question, have, with
gratifying unanimity, stood by me
ia the contest for Judge"
My reference to having support
ed General Malone related to ny
Of his candidacy for nom
nation for Governor before the
convention in 1877,
when Holiday was nominated.
My continued support was, OF
course, based on the assumption
that General Malone would con-
tinue as he then was-a Democrat
as no ono dreamed that he would
later cooperate with the Republi-
cans in the Senate. General Ma.
hone was not again candidate
for any office until 1889, when he
was the Republican candidate for
Governor, and at that time had |