The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-09-19
The Campaign.
The Campaign
September 16, 1872. !

II the Editor Of the State Journal,
This ancient village was alive to-day, the
largest crowd was assembled that has
been witnessed here since the war. The
assemblage was drawn together by the
announcement that Colonel James Ii.
Patt, the Republican candidate for Con-
gress and other Republicans on the one
side, and Colonel David j. Goodwin, Gree
ley candidate for elector, and other Demo-
Gratis, on the other side, would address the
people on the political issues of the day.
BY an agreement which was satsfac-
tory to all parties, Colonel Goodwin led off
with speech of an hours length, followed
by Colonel Platt for the same length of
time. Goodwin reioiued in a half hours
speech, and was again followed by Platt for
half an hour, after which Captain John w.
Young, Democrat, was allowed three quar-
tiers of an hour, followed by j. Parker
Jordan, and James II. Clements, ESQ.
Contrary to expectations based on the
orators reputation, Colonel Goodwin de-
voted the greater portion Of his hour to a
rehash of the exploded charges against
General Grant and the administration, and
the silence of the crowd clearly demon
strated the fact that the people were tired
of this stale dish, especially as the ingenui-
ty of the gentleman was at fault either to
produce proofs or even inspire the idea that
he believed the gross ISLANDERS he was reit-
Grating.
The latter part of his speech was devoted
to trying to induce the apathetic Democrats
10 swallow Greeley, and he assured them
that boiled crow was not near so nauseous
dose as it had been represented. He
told the whites that they ought to support
Greeley because he was theoretical seces-
sionist, and the blacks ought to support
him because he was a lifelong abolitionist.
To Judge from appearances many of the
whites thought Mr.. Greeley too strong
dose, and number was heard by the
writer to say Colonel Godwin's argument
was too thin, and they rather thought they
would vote for General Grant while it was
fully evident he made no impression on the
colored people.
must do Col. Goodwin the Justice to say
that as mere orator,cal effort, he was rea-
sonabl} successful, and handled bad SUBJ
ect as well as could be expected.
Col. Plat replied to Col. Goodwin in the
hour allotted to him in speech which en-.
listed the earnest attention of the vast
crowd from its opening to the close, he
took up each position Of Col. Goodwin in
detail, and fully answered every point made
by the gentleman; he cited Democratic au-
thority to retute his arguments, and fully
indicated the administration of General
Grant. He read few extracts from Horace
Greeley's record, but said he had too much
respect for the intelligence of the people of
Southampton county and the State of Vir-
ginia to suppose they were ignorant of the
record of prominent men Of the country, and
he supposed Horace Greeley's sayings and
doings were too familiar to them all, to re-
quIe any showing up on his part. He
asked them to support Gen. Grant upon prin-
ciple, and proceeded in a calm, dispassion-
ate and able argument, delivered in Ian
guage unmistakable either by the educated
or the ignorant, and clearly demonstrated
the superiority of the Republican party's
claim to the confidence of the people.
| have attended many meetings Of all
political parties, and can truly say never
heard speech listened to with more pro.
found attention than that given to Colonel
Plat to-day, and the effect was 50 marked
and the impression created so general in
favor of Colonel Platt's position, that Col.
Goodwin felt it keenly, as was shown in the
temper he exhibited when he rose to make
his Iejoinder, AMI it was remarkable that,
while Colonel Goodwin created no enthusi-
asm whatever, Colonel Piatt was frequently
interrupted by enthusiastic applause.
When Colonel Goodwin arose to make
his closing speech, his friends, as we'll as
opponents, were astOnished to find that
Colonel Platts speech had so overwhelm-
ingly confused him, that he lost his tenn
per, and he proceeded to a rather low order
of personal abuse, repeating charges made
by every irresponsible party who had
failed to get an office beca use Colonel Platt
could not see the superiority Of their claims
or fitness, Carpet-bagger, scalawag, and the
usual epithets Of Democratic Bilingssate,
were the burthcn Of his song. It was
gratifying to notice the fact that his re-
marks received no applause whatever.
Col. Plat again replied in a half hours
speech, in which he stated that, in agreeing
with the gentleman for discussion of the
political issues of the day, he did not expect
to be forced to repel personalities, but he was
willing to meet the gentleman on any issue,
and he proceeded to show conclusively that
Colonel Goodwin had acknowledged himself
worsted in the argument, or he never would
have attempted to play upon the passions
and preiudices Of the people, as he had III
this instance. The firmness with which
Col. Platt repealed all personal assaults,
and his even temper, won the admiration
of friend and opponent, and he retired from
the stage with a well-grounded confidence
that the discussion had made him no enc
mics, but had gained him warm friends.
Colonel Platt was followed by Captain
John W. Young Democrat. in a very
pretty display Of oratorical ability, but it
was evident that his heart was nol in the
support of Greeley--in fact, he virtually
admitted that all he hoped to accomplish
in the present campaign, was the success Of
the Democratic party in this State, and he
urgently appealed to his Democratic friends
to forego their hostility to Greeley for fear
that if the Republicans gained a victory
this fall in the Presidential contest, they
would elect Governor next year, well,
from the signs of the times | am satisfied
that we Republicans will carry this State
both for President and GoyeTnor).
Captain Young was followed by J. Par
ker Jordan, Esq, in an able and earnest
speech in which he showed that the policy
of the Democratic party had been to repel
emigration and the introduction of capital.
He showed how the Democratic party re-
sorted to organized social persecution to
keep native Virginans from joining the
Republican party, but promised that as