Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-04-10
Full Measure.

We occupy the entire available space OF the
first page of this issue with documents bearing
upon the Judicial election, and even encroach
little upon the inside columns of the paper
Those who are interested in sharp-shooting, and
love to witness the conflicts of forensic combat
ants will find much to crafty their tastes ID the
various communications Commencing at the
top of the columns and vending their way over
the page, perhaps no one of our readers will tail
to find something that suits his views or strikes
his fancy-for we furnish variety of literary
pabulum, "from grave to gay, from lively to Sc
vere"
We are fond of curious Investigations aae
have been amusing ourselves with various cal
culations in regard to the canvass now progress
ing-not as to the result of the election-but as
to the amount of time, labor, stationery, lights
fuel, &C., consumed by the friends and partizans
of the various candidates for Office since the
opening of the campaign. The expenses have
been stupendous- equal, comparatively
speaking, to the Harper's Ferry war. Time
the most valuable, but alas, generally the leas
valued of all commodities, has been used up will
spend thrift prodigality. Labor, the poor man
capital, has been bestowed increasingly. Ream
of paper have been blackened by gallons of inl
freely shed in the cause; while countless grey
goose aqills have been ruthlessly torn from thel
parent birds
i "--Yo form the pen,
That mighty instrument of mighty men,"
If all the pages of foolscap that have been con
sumed were stitched together, the string woul
probably stretch from Dan to Beersheba, o
belt the entire globe. The ink, poured at on
;time into Lewis Greek, would perceptibIy dis
color the waters qf the far distant rivers int
: which it empties. Add to all this the ipmens
: consumption of gas, coal oil, fluid, campheD
r and candles, to say nothing of exhausted ments
energies and over-worked brains, and the cos
: of the canvass may be approximated. Of tn
burden imposed upon the printing office al
tachees we can speak feelngiy. The proc
f reader, the composition, the press-man, each ]
his appropriate department, have experience
: much vexation of spirit, and could never hav
survived but for Cd extra allowance of that grac
of patience which sustained the i maHn OF w
| the midst of his heavy trials.
, The loaded press beneath her labor groans,
And printers devils shake their weary bones"
Since the opening of the canvass the hand
, the eonpositor has travelled from his case to h
I composing stick, while engaged in Piacscg
q type the manuscript of correspondents, at leas
nine millions nine hundred and ninety-nine thot
sand times. at moderate calculation, while th
! same hand has tFayeled to bis mouth to carr
food necessary for his existence only tVo OF tire
4 hundred times. That same hand has Travelled
distance in miles probably equal to the lengt
3 Of the ground railroad. We might pu
sue these interesting investigations but the fac
already presented are sufficiently startling
O cause our correspondents some degree OF I'll
. easiness. We know not what would become
! either them OF ourselves if the law did not linn
$ the campaign to the 4th Thursday in May.
lustrious day! we long for the dawn OF I'll
. morning.