Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-02-07

Democratic Meeting.


The first public meeting of the Staunion De
mocracy since the nomination of their candidates,
was held at The Cuurl-huuse on Saturday night
last. The house was well filed, but not With
Democrats. The opponents Of the Wise ticket
were there in force, and it was shrewdly suspect
ed that the ubiquitous SAN" was in the crowd,
together with large number of his disciples.
The meeting was organized by the appointment
of Col, George Baylor, (of course) as temporary
Chairman, which deprived that gentleman OF the
glorious privilege of Speaking. A Committee
was appointed to '.draw up resolutions" and
nominate permanent officers, which Committee
retired in true business style TO the upper story,
and while absent. COL lIarman was called on for
speech. The Colonel Immediately "pulled OH
his (over) coat and rolled up his sleeves" as
Jordan was a hard road 10 travel--oce believe"
lie mounted the rosirum, and did the best he
could for the Wise ticket and consuming large
part of his time in horiatory appeals to the De-
mocracy. He professed to know the Democracy
of Augusta better than SAM" aud predicted
that Wise would pail fifteen hundred Democratic
votes in this county. The Colonel slso enter
tanned the opinion tina, Wise would carry the
State by larger majority than any Democratic
candidate has ever yet done. These sage pre-
dici2ns seemed to tickle large portion Of the
audience amazingly, and ii was whispered about
that the Colonel certainly had not seen "Sam."
The speaker Of course attempted 10 identify The
Know Nothing party Of The North with The Alb
clifton party.
the Committee reported string OF resolutions a
gaESt secret societies, religious Intolerance, &c,
in which. we are satisfied, the Resolutions of '9S
and 80 were not once mentioned. b. Crawford,
FL was nominated as permanent President Of
the Club, and Immediately relieved Col. Baylor
of his arduous duties.
Mr. Skinner was next called TO the stand, and
proceeded to deliver himself Of speech, evident
ly prepared for the occasion. lie opened rlch,
embellishing his PREDATORY remarks with appro-
pirate quotations from Chateaubriand, &C. In
common with all Democrats, he was burdened
with ''hGgr, great grief" at the course pursued
by the Wings in this canvass, and entertained
the very mistaken notion that the Wing party Of
the South had been forced into disarmament by
the abolition tendencies of the Northern Wings.
He then undertook to establish the Abolionism
Of the Know Nothing party, and adrolily beckon-
ed the Wings towards the Democracy, as the
only sound, conservative slavery party OF The
country. He admitted that the Democracy OF the
North was srotten''-but then ii was not so rot
ten as other parties. The speaker alluded 10 the
election Of Wilson by the Know Nolhlngs OF
Massachusetts, but forget to tell his audience who
elected Sumner.
Mr. Skinner took UP the platform Of the Amer
lean party, and endeovored to crush it beneath
the irright Of sundry quotations from the Bill oi
Rights and other documents He complained
bitterly Of the noerant and bigoted doctrines OF
the Know. Nothing party-doclrnes which he
did not seem To understand. No one proposes by
legal enactmenis 10 impuse civil disabilities either
upon foreigners or Catholics. All they ask is the
privilege Of roiing for whom they please.
Mr.. S. concluded by an appeal in behalf OF MIR.
Wise, who, he took occasion 10 say had amore eX
ensive reputation than Mr.. Leake. Heaicmpted
to clear up Mr. Wise'S record, and warned the De-
mocracy that his defeat would be emnently peri
ous to The South. Not half 50 perilous thought
We, as his election.
The young orators were occasionally greeted
with feeble appause-by no means indicative OF
..great enthusiasm" The whole affair appeared
to US decidedly .Aat On msiion of Maj. John
B. Watts, it was ordered that the pro-
ceedinqs be published in the indicator, and the
Richmond Enquirer and Examiner, after which
the meeting adjourned 10 meet on next Saturday
night week.