Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-04-23

ton of any individual. unless this Congress /
sional District be fully represented in said I
Convention
WHEREAS, a Convention was held at New
Market, for the purpose Of nominating a
candidate to represent this Congressional
District in the next Congress Of the United
States And whereas, in that Convention,
only two counties, and part Of another, of
the seven composing this Compression Dis
trict, were represented
Therefore, 1st, RESOLVED, That we dis
approve the conduct of our delegates, in
consenting, under the circumstances, to 90
into Convention
I'd. RESOLVED, That we do not approve
Of the proceedings Of that Convention and
that in our opinion, they are not approved
by this portion of the District
3d. RESOLVED, That in the opinion of
this meeting, the decision of that Conven-
ton, ought not to be binding on any of the
candidates heretofore announced"
l have been thus particular because of
the fact that, what occurred after that Con-
vention is now plead in justification, and in
condemnation Of my position now.
There is a portion of Mr.. Harris late adj
dress which calls for an answer from me,
because Of the prominent part / took in the
Shenandoah county meeting. He says:
elm the latter county a Convention meet
ing had been called for the January Court,
but none was held At the February Court
DR.. Newman and myself addressed the peo-
yle at Woodstock. Immediately after I
took my seat, Capt. Williams rose and made
a warm appeal in favor Of a Convention. -
A motion was then made to call gentle
man to the Chair to organize meeting,
which motion was submitted to the people
and voted down. The mover then appeal
ed to the people as matter Of courtesy, to
permit TIE esteemed and venerable gentle
man to take the Chair, and that they could
afterwards, if they wished vote down
Convention. Again he moved that the gen
tleman before referred to, take the Chair,
which carried without objection. After a
discussion on the resolutions they were sub
mitted, and by very close vote decided to
have been carried The mover in the meet
ing expressly stated that the action of that
meeting was not intended to bind the Dis
tricts Thereupon four district meetings,
Mt. jackson, Edinburg, New Market and
Forestville, declared against a Convention.
Ii seems to me that Mr. Harris should
have ascertained the reason why the meet
ing called for January court was not held,
and not left the inference that the people
were opposed to Convention The facts
were, that the sudden death Of Judge Sam
uels cast-a gloom over our whole communi-
ty, and the Court and Bar adopted resolu-
tons suitable to the occasion, and the two
proceedings would not have been reconcile
BILE with each other. Mr.. Harris asserts
that the proposition to appoint a chairman
for that meeting was voted down; in this
we differ, and [ am sustained by many per-
sons who had fair opportunity to judge.
In regard to the adoption Of the resolutions,
he is entirely mistaken when he says they
acre 6y close cote decided to be carried
I assert, without the fear of successful con-
tradiction, that the noes against the resolu-
ton approving Convention did not num-
Der ten, and that the majority in favor was
very large instead Of being very close He
is in error again, when he says that tour
district meetings-Mt. Jackson, Edinbnrg,
New Market and Forestville- declared
against a Convention. They were Precinct,
and not District, meetings. There are six
Districts and twelve Precincts in the coun-
ty, and take the most favorable view for
Mr. Harris, and one District and one Pre-
cinct in each Of two other Districts opposed
| a COMMUNICATING three entire Dis
tricts and one Precinct in each of two other
Districts, or 8 Of II precincts who acqui-
esced in the expression Of opinion by the
county meeting. ..,
But there is another fact which settles the
/ question conclusively. The meeting, which
was unusually large, was not organized by
being packed, as it is said to be done in some
counties. We don't do such things in county
meetings in Shenandoah. Without concert
the chairman was appointed selected
the committee one from each District -ap-
pointed the only person who opposed the
Convention on said committee; and this COM
mittee; not all politicians, either retirec to
consult. The first question propounded was
what arc the opinions Of the people in each of
said Districts upon the subject ola Conven-
ton? The answer from Nos. l, 2, and
was, that SO far as the committee had heard
an expression Of opinion, it was thought that
there was decidrd majority in favor of
Convention. From No 8, that there had
been no expression SO far as the committee
man had heard but he was in favor of Con-
vention-from No s, that the New Market
Precinct was abont equally divided, and
that nothing was known Of the sentiment
at Forestvlle Now ask, after this honest
endeavor to ascertain the sentiments of the
people of Shenandoah, and the disclosures
made before the committee, could they have
made any other report ?-and do not the
facts justify the position | maintain, that
large majority Of the people favored Con- J.
yention?
With the other counties shall not inter-
fere; they can vindicato their own action
and it is only III justification of the course
taken by me, that am forced to seem to
take prominent part in the canvass. The
course Of the Convention Democrats will no
doubt be ably sustained by the CHAMELEON they
have nominated.
The following certificates are given-many
other as to the county meeting could be pro-
cured to the same effect, but the character