Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-04-23
The Convention and Authorization
Party in the Ninth Congressional
District

publish the cards Of John T. Harris, Esq,
of Rockingham, the Independent, Anti-Con-
vention candidate for Congress, and Samuel
G. Williams, Esq, the Clerk Of Shenan-
doah county.
The object of Mr. Harris card is to prove
that Convention was not necessary, from
the fact that there was no danger of Wing
candidate being in the field. We will state
the facts Of the case and allow the people
to draw their own inference
The Wings of Rockingham, amounting
to about seven hundred, pledged themselves
not to run a candidate. The Wings Of
Rockbridge, amounting to about thirteen
hundred, held meetings and appointed DEL
egotes to Convention. The Wings of
Bath, amounting to about five hundred, re-
commended the holding Of Convention. -
The Wings Of Augusta, amounting to loco,
refused to pledge themselves not to run
candidate. Here, then, we have seven
hundred Wings opposed to Convention,
1900 pledged to it and 1000 who refused
in a meeting to pledge themselves. In ad-
dition to this, the most prominent Wing in
Augusta was approached by Mr.. Harris,
who requested him to state that the Oppose
ton would not run candidate. This he
refused to do. What inference, then, were
we, as Democrats, to draw? Was it not
plain that there was disposition on the
part of the Wings to run candidate? We
| are free to admit that there was difference
Of opinion expressed in regard to the policy
Of running candidate by many Wings,
but the simple fact that there was large
number of them in favor Of having candi-
date in the field, was enough to drive us in
to Convention. So much, then, for the
Wing party.
But without reference to the pledges of
the Wing party, we are prepared to prove
that the mass Of the Democratic party were
in favor Of Convention: TO prove this,
it needs only to refer to the columns of the
different papers Of the District at the time
Convention was discussed. They teen
with calls for Convention Is it for a
moment to be supposed that the masses had
no voice in these calls? Would any man
dare write call for Convention, simply
because lie was in favor Of it, and without
consulting the wishes of his fellow demo-
Gratis? We were, at first, opposed to a
Convention, until we found that the masses
were in favor of it. Then we obeyed their
bahests, and advocated that measure which
we thought wonld be most likely to insure
success. Mr.. Harris endeavers to prove
that the Democracy Of Rockingham and
Shenandoah were opposed to Convention !;
but does not the card Of Mr.. Williams,
prove the contrary for Shenandoah Has
not he, resident of the county better op-
portunity Of judging, than Mr.. H., who
lives in another? But it does not rest up
on Mr.. Williams opinion alone, but he is
supported in it by many influential gentle
men, who concur with him in his statements.
Now admitting, for the sake Of argu-
ment, that Rockingham, the largest voter
in the District, was opposed n, toto to a
Convention, which is not fact as proved by
her meetings, have we not majority Of the
Democrats in favor of Convention Is it
not principle too we'll established, that a
majority must rule, though the voice Of the
minority should be respected? Have the
Democracy of Rockingham ever thrown a
fire. brand in the party to distract or disor-
ganize it, or can they be made to do so now,
for the personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of one
man? Will they coalesce with the enc
mics of the party to bring distraction into
our ranks? If this be the spirit of Democ-
racy in Rocking ham, we confess that we have
been deceived, and that We have not been
deceived, their past history will prove. 1t
will prove that they have never been recre-
ant to their party or to its usuges. 1t will
prove that they love party more than per-
son. What could induce the Democracy OF
Augusta to behave discourteously to that Of
Rockingham ? Are not their interests the
same i? Are not their antecedents the same
Have not they the same object in view p
We answer yes, and will venture to say,
too, that in sober, second thought, the
Democracy of Rockingham and Shenandoah
will be found side by side with their twin
sisters, Augusta and Rockbridge, doing SER
vice not in behalf of any man, but Of the
party
What has heretofore beer the result Of
Conventions in this District? Have they
not given us Mcdowell, Taylor and a
Letcher? Is there any Democrat who re-
-grets the election of either of these, or who
has not been proud of them as their repre-
sentatives {? Is not the gentleman nomina-
ted at the Harrisonburg Convention, equal
ly worthy of their support? Does any one
doubt his allegiance to his party, err his ca
pability to represent it with credit?
NJ 1 u