Volume 18 , Issue 31

1884, The Virginia Bourbonism, Readjusters & Mahone Mahoneites

In The Morning News, out of Wilmington, Delaware, date 30 January 1884, Wednesday, page 2, we found this news article concerning Virginia Democratic party of Virginia which promised to do so much for the credit and honor of the State.

They were the men who saved the State from Gen.Wm. Mahone and his Mahoneites. The Virginia Democratic party only ambition was to get and to hold the offices. They constituted, according to their own professions, the only responsible, respectable and competent party in Virginia, claiming to be nothing if not high-toned and honorable at all times. Their only purpose in public life was office, and not office for its honors so much as for its emoluments and patronage. They served one good end, and only one. They showed in advance just what the Democratic party would do if in possession of the National Government.

Malone's influence at Washington was bad enough; but surely no one wanted to see him supplanted by the Bourbons of Virginia or of Delaware, of Ohio or of New York.

In 1884, this was a time of the Virginia Bourbons were trying to make themselves independent of Governor Cameron's veto by turning out enough Readjuster Representatives to secure a two-thirds vote in the Legislature. In one representative district they began mandamus proceedings to compel the Governor to issue a writ for a special election, and were defeated. Afterward the Governor issued the writ, the election was held and a Readjuster returned as before. The newly elected Representative was refused admission to the Legislature, and another election was ordered. This resulted as before, when an objection was raised as to the form of the election; and another election had been ordered for February 22, 1884, which was about ten days before the legislature adjourned. Thus this one district would be practically without any representative, because the voters in it insisted on electing a Readjuster (Mahoneite).
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