Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-04-05
Augusta Triumphant.


Who will deny that We are prophets after the
very signal ful6llment of our prediction, made
when the question Of Convention was trst
moosed, that il one was held, Rockingham and
Shenandoah with all their force of numbers
would be compelled to succumb to the superior
scientific skill of Old Augusta. Just so it has
turned out Whenever voting is to be done the
Democracy look to Rockingham and Shensndo-
ah imploringly, nor have they ever looked In
vain but whenever it comes to the distribution OF
honors-pshaw get out of the way "Swabians'
and make room for the "elite." For heavy
drsught we don't pretend to compete with you,
but the Duschman's horse don't Lift his feet fast
enough tor the race.course.
The Convention met 10 Harris n-burg, on the
30th ult., and great many people went down
expecting TO see huge amount Of run. They
were sadly disappointed The Convention was
the tamest thing imaginable. Not q single drop
Of blood was shed, and nobody was seriously
hurt save Captain Martz and General Hartman.
Dr. Newman was slightly injured, but not to such
an extent rs to prevent the exercise of his pro
fessional skill upon his unfortunate companions
in misfortune. Skinner walked right over the
track, bounding lightly over the shoulders of the
General, skipping gracefully over the half,re-
clining Captain aud stepping gently over the al
ready PROSTATE form of the tired disciple of Ks-
culapius Huzza tor the gallant Democracy Of
Old Augusta when they go s'csttin they go
a'cattin."
The race is now made up. Go it Skinner =
Go it Harris We stake our money on the bob
tailed nag-will nobody bet on the bsyl
Our friend Skinner has q pretty considerable
Job before him. VI he comes in ahead of John
Harris he must strip himself to the waist and
cut his hair as short as John Letcher's; other
wise he will never be able to follow his compel.
itor through the laurel thiokets and bramble
bushes, through which he viii glide like ga
sslle. Harris will be fondling the children in
Brooks Gap to-day and visiting the sovereigus
of House Mountain tomorrow. When he gets
into a crowd of the people he pushes through at
an angle of forty-iye degrees, grasping one man
with bis right hand and another with his left,
repeating with as much volubility as the razor
strop" man, SPIN John 7. Harris, the candi-
date for Congress-how 3 your family" How
ever if Harris viii please the old folks and the
children, Skinner win take the eye of the maid
ems. 1t is our opinion that he could not handle
q baby as gracefully as his experienced eompeti
tor, but with the "far secs" he will prove ire
sistible.
As this is family quarrel among the Democ-
racy it would not become US to interfere and
spoil the sport. All we ask is that they may
do the thing up handsomely. Mr.. Skinner Ii
our personal friend, high toned, chiyalrouS
gentleman of more than ordinary talent, and
will make a crsditable representative. Mr..
Harris has been endorsed by his party in various
ways, and in 1856 was the Presidential Eisctor
for this Congressional District. He insists that
the people will endorse him again, and ayers
that the action of the Convention was by no
means fair expression of the voice of the peo-
pie. He claims to be backed by majority OF
the voters of Shenandoah and Rockingham, not
withstanding the entire vote of the former and a
majority of the latter were cast in the Conyen-
ton for Mr.. Skinner.
We cannot perceive that the Democracy have
effected any good by holding the Convention
They still have the fight between two of their
own men and the war will be wsged with ten
fold acrimony. The only thing achieved by the
operation is the political death of some of the
most efficient and prominent men in their ranks
Martz is dead, Newman is deader, and Hartman
is alphabetically no more. Peace to their ashes
If Skinner is elected he is in tor life. If Harris
is triumphant Skinner, too, will be consigned to
the "tomb of the Cspulets." The HsrrisoDbure
Convention will be remembered as the great ca
OF Juggernaut under whose ponderous wheels
several of the shining lights of Democracy have
been crashed, sacriiesl victims to the tyranny
of party discipline.