The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-23

Great enthusiasm In observation-disclosures of
aRopsing Republican Meeting-ihe County
coed for 300 Majority.
a.E.ra DANvILLE, VA, July 10.
TO the Editor Of the State Journal.
1t was my fortune to be present at Pitts
ylvania Courthouse on last court day,
Monday, the 15th,0 and to witness two
mass meetings, one Republican, and the
other q Democratic-E epublican-Greeley
anything-to-beat Grant-party meeting. /
propose, however, only to give you a brief
account of the Republican meeting, for ]
learn that an account of the Democratic
meeting will be sent you by one much bet
ter qualified by experience as a writer, and
by his personal knowledge Of the actors in
this farce, to do justice to the subject. l
will say, however, concerning this Demo-
cratic Greeley meeting, that amongst other
occurrences not at all creditable, there was
one event which seemed to attract no little
attention, and to excite no small amount
of criticism. | allude to Judge Tredway's
forgetting what was due to his official POI
daring to make a political harangue, and
impugning the actions of one half of the
people over whom it is commonly, though
l. lCdi NlOlCItI}3 SuppCoCd ti'ut iC ID " Sb
az an impartial arbiter thus presenting to
us the melancholy spectacle Of one of Nir-
ginia's judges descending from his honor
b~edraggling his judicial robes in the filthy
mire Of party politics.
The Republican meeting was organized
by the election of Judge L. M. Shumaker
as chairman, and O. Il. Whitehurst, ESQ.,,
as secretary. Judge Shumaker stated the
object of the meeting to be to perfect our
organization in the county, and otherwise to
prepare for the approaching contest.
He also stated that this was a good time
to hear from the different aspirants for
Congressional honors.
After the business Of the meeting was
concluded, Mr.. Thomas b. Claiborne of
Franklin county being called upon, came
forward and delivered a speech which was
full ofgood common sense, sound argument,
and wholesome truths. He told them that
he was no politician, but only a plain farm
er fresh from the corn fields and tobacco
patches of Franklin, but-in view of the fact
that he Immediately afterwards made one
of the best speeches to which it was ever
your correspondents good fortune to listen,
he is inclined to believe that Claiborne
would better suit the halls of Congress than
the corn fields of Franklin. He reviewed
the action of the Democratic party since
General Lees surrender, and showed up
their inconsistency, dishonesty and folly in
a manner which gave emminent satisfaction
to the Republicans present, and brought a
blush of shame to the checks of some Of
the less hardened of the m~ongrel party.
In passing he gave Buffers camp follow
er, Governor Walker, some severe but
well deserved thrusts and when he took
his seat every Republican felt that if Thos.
b. Claiborne should be the Republican
candidate for Congress in the approaching
campaign, they would not only support
him, but do so with an enthusiasm which
must insure success.
After Mr.. Claiborne concluded, loud and
repeated calls were made fer ID. S. Lewis,
ESQ.,, who came forward and refused to
make any extended remarks, because it
was then getting quite late, so that all could
not speak, and as he was a citizen of Pitts
ylvania and could talk to the home people
almost any time, he thought it nothing
more than right that the strangers present
should be heard first, and be therefore
moved that DR.. j. i. Stoyall be invited to
address the meeting. Mr.. Lewis, however,
before taking his seat, said that he wished
to be distinctly understood that he was no
candidate for Congress unless it should be
made to appear in the plainest manner that it
was the desire of a majority of the Repub-
licans of the district that be should be their
candidate.
DIR. Stoyall then came forward and pro-
ceeded to deliver a speech replete with an
ecdotes, historical incidents, and tel ing
truthes against the Greeleyites. The DR..
has been a politician all his life, and evil
dently knows how to touch the popular
chord. His speech was well received, and
some Of his anecdotes produced great
mirtli.
The Rev. John P. De'IIaven a resident of
Franklin, and a most intelligent colored
man, was, upon motion of ID. s.. Lewis,
Esq, invited to address the meeting, and