Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-11-19
ron THE SPECTATORS.
To the People of Augusta.

The new Constitution, will, in short time, b
the law of The land, and by its provisions the PEG
Die of the County will be called upon 10 perforn
the responsible duty Of elccIng High Sheriff
The office of Sheriff is The most dlgnlied aud I'm
porlant IN The County. The highest duties belong
TO it and the hest interest, rights and feelings ol In
people are connected with It's proper adlnInls'a
ton. The Sheriff is the "keeper or governor o
the County," he is the conseryator of the peace
has authority to call out the power OF the County
to apprehend all offenders against the good-orde
of society, executes all writs, has custody Of al
jas, he's the summoning of all jures for The tina
Of mems lives, liberties, lands and goods--ln
word, he is to all nlens and purposes, the mos
powerful man for good or evil in the County
Then it is a matter of no small moment, that he
should be person ofhgh character, Of the, STREET
est integrity, of business capacity and hlbIs, OF a.
miable disposition, or in two words man OF head
and heart, Ii won't do to elevate To an office Of
such power and patronage one who will use these
tremendous levers, at the public sacrifice, for per-
sonal ACCOMPLISHMENT, or as the means OF grinding
in the dust any man or set of men, nor any man
who intends or is willing to use them for sgalns'
any citizen of the land for any other than egltl-
mate purpose. 1t will not do to place one in this
office, who will use il as the means OF electloneer-
inc to keen one citizen ont Of place and 20 Put IN
sore friend who is leagued with him in the emolu-
mepts Of the office, and wha will exert himself
to increase the Sherif's fees, that his own profits
NAV be greater Briefly it will not do to fost a
bove US, in this office any wan ofdOnbuuI honor or
suspected integrity but il becomes us IS men, as
lreemen, as citizens Of Virginia to elevate him only
who comes recommended by life Of public and
private ideliiy-of fidelity 10 the publicin all the
duties of citizenship and To society by his ildeilly
In all The private rela.ionsof life.
For tie sake of ourselves and our children let US,
al least in this single Office, look TO qualifications
and turn deaf ear 10 the senseless, horseleech cry
Of Reform! Reform Conservatism Conserya-
tism! WHAT does it sufice, if we gain man
whose only recommendation is that he was con-
servalve or a refonner, and lose faithful public
officer We lose the substance of things in an abb
surd and criminal grasp at 4 shadow. Let us be
done with such folly and delusion and le! US put
in this responsible, and all responsible offices, men
of real merit whatever their opinions may be about
questions now settled, and that can have in no con-
tingency any connection whatever with the duties
they are called to discharge. Let us pause for
moment in our career ofparty and personal excite
ment and consider that we not in condition 10
do Justice to ourselves, to our fellow citizens and to
our country, while in condition ofso much agita-
lion Let us bury our anmoslies and bracng our
selves for the contest strike while there is yet time
decisive blow for our dearest rights. Let US re-
buke by our voices at the polls those selfish aspl-
rants who have pursued this course or fol-
lowed that cause for themselves and not the
people. Then will we vindcate our intelligence,
preserve our self respect, assert and maintain pop
ular sovereignty. In view then of the magnitude
and importance of this office and the proprley and
necessity of our filling it with first-rate man,
we take the liberty TO present to you, our fellow
citizens, the name Of LYTTLEToN WADDELL Sem,
Esq. Mr.. Waddell is gentleman of fine talents,
of finished education, Of excellent business capacl-
ty and ripe experience, Of incorruptlble integrity,
OF cultivated feeling and affections, of mild respect
full and conciliatory department and deservedy one
of the most popular men in the county.
Firm and decided in all Of his opinions, without
being violent-a lover, supporter and defender OF
this oul happy Union, he is most essentially the
maa of the people and most emphatcally the man
for The station.
He comes before his peers fresh from the masses
and untanted by the corruption of office. lie has
never filled of profit and has not his pockets,
with the good peoples money well lined. By hon
est INDUSTRY anu q iiiO ITO 100 S"i"""
an honorable competency tor his old age after rails
ing and educating large family; and while his is
but competency This upright man, was the first to
step forth the friend and advocate Of popular su-
advocate of the Convention and the
new Constitution, though under the old ne was
the next High Sheriff, whose salary would have
been about $780, 70 some, such disnerested-
ness may seem strange. but it is not strange to or
with Mr.. Waddell. He is man with whom Of
flee and money, are as dross, when they stand BE-
tween him and his ideas Of what he owes 10 his
country.
If then fellow-citzens Of Augusta, this be the
age of new men, we present Mr.. Waddell as new
man, for to him office is new thing. If this be
the age of rotation and one man is not to en-
Joy life estate IN the "fesh potts." we present
MIR. Waddel, as one who has never rotated from
one fat office 10 another. On the contrary he has Ia
bored asa Magistrate of The County for thirty years,
without receiving single cent for the important
service thus rendered to The public. II This be the
age when eminent merit and qualifications are ap-
at their true value, we still confidently
present to yon for your high sheriff, LYrTLEToN
WAppE1r and we do so with firm and abiding
faith, that just reward will be rendered by
'' THE PEOPLE.