Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-06-23
The Lynchbarg Democracy and Ex-
Gov. Floyd.


THE SAID DEMOCRACY A "PyRRHIc PHALAsx," But
THE Ex- GOVERNOR NOT BIO GUN.
The enthusiastic Democracy Of this city as
sembled at Dudley Hall on Friday evening for
the purpose Of hearing and witnessing the e1plo-
sion Of one of the big guns Of the party, lately
turned from the grand Sanhedrim at Cincinnati.
to-wit: Ex-Governor John b. Floyd, Of the
county Of Washington. The countenances Of
the Democracy, then and there assembled, do
noted the high expectations formed Of the trium-
plant display their champion wond make-bat
they we're doomed to experience In most nn-
nistakeabe manner that
aThis world is all feeting show,
For mans illusion given"
The orator was introduced by our respected
townsnsn. Judge Wilson, in eloquent terms and
was received with applause. He appeared upon
the stand made his bow. and commenced by tell
ing his hearers that he had mingled with the Dc.
mocracy of nearly the whole State heretofore. but
that it had never been bis good fortune until
this occasion to appear before the Democracy OF
Lynchburg--ibat it was nothing to DO Demo
Graf in the Tenth Legion--fo there was sort Of
malstrom over there tina, swallowed up every.
thng--it was no great shakesto be Democrat
in Little Tennessee, for the Democrats were al
ways successful there still less was IL to be a
Democrat in Richnond, for the Democracy was
always triumphant in the State. aud the Spartan
Band invariably got the lions share Of the spoils
but it some pumpkins to be a Democrat in
Lynchburg. and il the Democrats here were not
entitled to be called Spartan Band they were
at least entitled to the appellntion Of "Pyrrhic
Phaanx." Here there was uprorious applause
from all the inspectors in esse as we'll as in posse.
So far. go good, but after thus exalting the Dom.
ocra,s Of this city in their own estimation. by
this eloquent tribute to their dsinterestedns IS,
maugre the city post Office and the various luc
tive orshps here at the disposal of the par
iy-ihe orator proceeded to infict upon the afore-
said gallant and patriotic "Pyrrhic Phalanx'' the
most excsucia,ing agony tha,we recolect to have
read Of outside Of Fox's book Of martyrs. Since
the days Of Mr.. Jack Bragg we have puzzled our
brains to realize thoroughly the idea OF the term
wet blanket as elegantly aud metaphorioally
used by that gentleman ard we confess that No
have not heretofore appreciated fully the idea OF
cruel and unusual pants hments as prohibited by
the Constitution. But now we know what wet
unusual punishment. If ever there was u wet
blanket upon the face of the earth Ex Governor
Floyd's speech on Friday evening last was one
to the enthusiastic Democracy of this city, and
il ever tharc was cruel and unusual punishment,
the same individual inflicted one on tho "Pyr-hio
Phalanx" on that occasion. How long he spoke,
God only knows; it may have been all night, or
a week. or il may have been longer, but this We
do. know that several of our Democratic friends
whom we had an opportunity TO observe, endured
ages Of misery during the performance. The
'.noration," however, did come to close in tho
course Of time. and the perpetrator Of it endeav-
ored in the conclusion to apologize for its ndispu-
table stupidity ON the plea Of illness. We can
sure him that however badly he may have felt, no
did not feel worse than most Of his hearers who
we're left in the house at tho close. We saw
some of the leaders ofthe "Pyrrhc Phalanx,'
W HON the most unparalleled triumph in Noyem.
Der next cannot compensate for all they endured
on the occasion--but we must say that we never
witnessed more heroic frmness than that with
which they grinned and endured tho infection
Oar friend of the Wing has given us an account of
an orator who gathered one idea on his trip TO
Cincinnati. Verify we think that Ex-Gov. Floyd
not only did not gather one idea, but must have
lost several on his trip--that is il he had any be.
fore. After racking our brain, we can recollect
only two points or ideas. whatever they were,
in the whole course of his remarks One was to
the effect that General Taylor had come into
power, in lo4S, II not by fraud certainly by de-
ception, that he came before the country profes.
sing to DO no-party man. and thus gained the
confidence of the people, but no sooner was no
installed than no threw off the mask he had worn
and showed himself the most INSCRIPTIONS head
of proscriptive party tho country had ever
seen. This--as to tho honest, patriotic old hero
vas too bad, especially coming from him who
had been elected Governor mostly by wing votes,
in opposition to the regular democratic nominee.
upon his professions of liberality at the time, and
who turned out to be the most inscriptions par
tizan that has ever filled the office of Chief Mag
istrate of this State. The other was that the
wing platform of 1852 was NOW the democratic
platform of 1885, and therefore old line whies
ought to 60 for it. This may appear strange,
but Governor Floyd certainly did say that the
whig platform Of 1852 is the Democratic platform
of 1856. What he meant by it we don't know, and
we doubt If he knows. All we have to say in ro.
ply thereto is the expression that inyoluntarily
arose to ourlps on the ooeazion--"Je hosaphat ~
We opine thst the "Pyrrhic Pholanx'' viii have
no use for Gov. Floyd as a champion Of their
cause. any more forever and ever. Gov. FLOYD
has acquired some reputation as public speaker
heretofore, with how much justice we are unable
to say, but he certainly made US lamentable a
failure here has been our fato TO witness
It may have been owing to the badness of the
bos aallad - L..