Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-11-01
STENO.
For the SnectatOr.
To the Voters of Augusta County :.


To the Voters of AugusM County:
There are three candidates in the fel1 for the
office of Treasurer Of Augusta county Two Of
them are independent candidates the other
being the nominee of a county convention
Dlsclaiming any intention OF assaillng the in
tegrity Of either of the other candidates, the
sole object of this communication is to remind
the voters of the county Of the urgent claims
that Capt. Samuel Paul, the Independent con-
servative, has for their support.
Capt. Paul chose not to submit his claims to
the decision of the convention F; to do this he
had not only the privilege, but an unquestion-
able right. And why? [ claim that no man,
who has substantial and specific claims, is safe
in submitting them to hasty, boisterous, and
fillibustering convention. Do not coDstrue me
as calling In question the honest intentions of
the county convention but had it been held In
the territories [ would not hesitate to assert
that it stultiied itself. Why? In the first place
the avowed object of the convention was to rule
off all the conservative candidates save one who
would the more likely be able to defeat the SO
called republican candidate. This part ct Its
duty the convention performed, but it commit
ted the singular paradox OF nominating tor one
Of the county officers an individual whose war
record is identicaliy the same as that of the re-
publican candidate for treasurer. Again, the
convention houndered into the wretcAed error
of nominating for treasurer Of Augusta county
citizenof the city OF Stanton. Why not
citizen of Lynchb burg Or Richmond? If Staun-
ton be city it is doubtful whether citizen
thereof is eligible to county office. The city
will have its municipal officer, including treas
urer The treasurer Of Staunton will have
nothing whatever to do with the funds of the
county; nor, on the other hand, will the coun-
coF
the city. If Staunton be not city, but vote,
and so on, with the county as heretofore, why
then [ cannot appreciate the modesty or mag
nanimity of one of her citizens who would de-
sire the office OF county treasurer, when the
town already monopoliZes the offices of profit
aud honor Ia the county.
Although Staunton has the State Senator,
the three members of the House of Delegates,
the Superintendent of Public Schools, and the
Clerks of both the Circuit and County Courts.
yet she had not less than four candidates for
treasurer-belng nearly one-haf of ali the can
didates-allthough she has only about one-sey-
enth of the whole population of the city and
county combined. 1t is truly distastetul to see
such an inoIdlnate greed for Office.
There is springing up in the county feeling
of antipathy towards the town (clty y By way
Of parenthesis, L ask to be pardoned for using
the terms town" and city" INTERCHANGEABLE.
| do not wish to give color to the allegation OF
many citizens of the county that Staunton wish
es to be city for certain purposes, and to be a
part of the county for certain other purposes.
But, to return to this contest between the cOun-
ty and city: Is it causeess? it is surely need
less. 1t IS Impossible for the one to prosper
without the other Drosperlpg also. But whilst
the prosperity of the county and city Is almost
necessarily mutual yet this contest is not algo
t. t1o nj ubau
cert of action is necessary in some public meas
ure. It has already defeated one measure
which was deemed Of vital importance to the
county. The contest is either not causeless, or
the city of Staunton contains all the talent aud
qualification for Office Ia the limits OF the coun-
ty. Ii is difficult to imagine that all the talent,
integrity and qualification ior office is concen-
trated In the city of Staunton Yet, after the
incubation of miserable caucus before the
election for members OF the Legislature in Is
SO, We received the startllne intelligence that
the caucus had hatched out all four OF the can
dldates from the town OF Staunon, and we
must vote for them, otherwise radical or rad
ioals would be elected This was just few
days before the election, and the people of the
county voted tor and elected them they will
never do SO again. We honestly believe that
there is some talent, qualification and patriot
ism outside of the city. aa
What are the comparative claims of the three
candidates for your support? As to Mr. Nc
Cutchen, the so-called republican candidate, |
choose to draw the mantle of charity over his
war record, aud pass on to Mr.. Cochran, the
nominee. He has as much claim as any other
honest and qualified man of Richmond or Pc
tersburg; or if Staunton does actually embody
all the talent and qualification for offices of hon
or and profit In the county, why then vote for
him. But unhesltatlng!y assert that he has
no substantial claim whatever upon the people
OF the county for their support: He has no
specific claim, for he was not in the army at all,
being exempted from duty all the while.
Capt Paul has substantial and specific claims
upon YOU. That he is honest and capable no
one will undertake to deny. These are the pre-
requisites for all offices. He needs the profits
of the office a thing not remarkable, for near
" every faithful soldier who served throughout
the war was necessarily crippled in finances. =
| His war record is we'll known; of this | need
only give very succlnct review. He volun-
teered in 1861 and served faithfully in the ar
mics of Gems johnson and jackson until the
battle of Port Republic where he lost a leg
AS soon as be sufficiently recovered, he was ap-
pointed Enrolling officer for Augusta county,
in which position he gave entire satisfaction to
the close Of the war
Voters of Augusta faithful and disabled
soldier, one Of the county wards, desires and
needs an Office | deem it almost a work OF
supererogation to more than simply remind
you of your solemn obligation to support him
in preference to all others. This is an obliga-
tion from which nothing can absolve you ]
boldly assert that no convention, nor the fear
that candidate of the Republican party may
be elected, nor anything else can release you
from your obligation to support one of Angus
ta's disabled sons. If the voters of the coun-
ty have so soon forgotten their obligations to
their crippled defenders, it matters but little
who Is elected to office, provided he be honest
and competent. hope it will be cheerful
duty for every man in the county to 90 to the
polls and cast his vote for Capt Samuel Paul
MONTANUS.
Octnher 1870 Ii -.