Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-11-01
THE REPUBLICAN MEETING MosDAY-sHNArol

week the Radicals commenced issuing uauu-piils
announcing that Senator Wilson, their candidate
for the Vice Presidency, would make addresses
here on Monday last that being Court-day, and
it was further stated that Elk military Governor
Wells and Gen. VIM. G. Wickham would assist
him. Accordingly, on Monday, platform was
erected in the Courtyard, and the faithful col
ored who had not been able to read the hand
bills, were notified to attend, which they did in
full force. About O clock a misty rain COM
menced falling, and it was decided to hold the
meeting inside the Courthouse. In few mo-
ments after this decision the floor of the court
room was nearly full of whites and the galleries
were densely packed with colored people.
THE OPENING CHORUS.
Ex-military Governor Wells, and "Col." L.
H. Shields, of Winchester, who had arrived here
Monday morning and were the guests of Maj.
Mcmahon, were the only speakers present, but 1t
was stated that Senator Wilson would arrive on
the 3.45 train from Richmond. Maj. Jno. A.
Harmap, who presided and who did it with more
self-possession and GOODNESS than this reporter
remembers to have seen under the same adverse
circumstances, introduced the orators. "Col."
Shields, who appeared to be genteel looking
young man, with fearful mouth and his hair
combed back over his ears after the style OF Pry
or. read extracts from Mr.. Greeley's ire
cord," which almost any man who can read
could do. The Ex-military Gov. Wells, about
the bitterest Radical in this State, and an able
one too, astonished the negroes and amused
the whites with an eulogy on Gen. Robert r
Leel!l Great Heavens He also read ex-
tracts, the same that ssCol" Shields read, only
that he read them better and knew how to turn
them to better account. He claimed that it was
he and Rev. DR. Sears of Staunton, that visit
ed Grant and got that little thing about our
Virginia Constitution fixed and not Horace
Greeley, and this statement received sane
tioning nod from Judge Fultz, who sat on
the left of the President, and had beaver and
looked very nice. He made statement about
POOR MR.. WISE,
which will astonish those who do not know the
state of that gentleman's mind. He said that
on Tuesday night last at his (Mr. Welps) house
in Richmond, in the presence of several gentle
men, Mr.. Wise said that if Horace Greeley and
John Brown, that he Wise hung, were candi-
dates for the Presidency, and he had the casting
vote, he would crawl on his belly to beg Brown
to accept the Office. This anecdote illustrates
Democrats, who 'can't swallow Greeley are
following. During the delivery of his address,
Mr.. Wells was greatly interrupted by noisy op-
ponents in politics, who were on the floor.
ARRIVAL OF MR.. wILsoN-DIsoRDERLY SCENES
AT 4 o'clock. through the drilling rain, came
Senator Wilson, who had just gotten off the
cars He was escorted by Mr.. A. NJ. Crane, of
Vermont, Mr.. Robt. G. Bickle, of Staun ton, and
two or three other gentlemen. Mr.. Wilson was
neatly dressed in black suit, with an old timey
standing collar and stock and full suit OF iron
gray hair scattered in disorderly way over
good head, with red, gross. beefy jaws, for
though temperance man, the Senator has the
air of a man who lives with an eye single to the
number and quality of his toddies. Having de-
posted his beaver and over-coat with Col.
Shields and a consumptive looking young man
with side-w hiskers, be waited patiently for Mr..
Wells to put in his closing ticks, which that
gentleman speedily did, by proposing three
cheers for -
voice in the d-"Greeley."
And the whites present gave three rousing
cheers for Greeley. This performance little as
tonished the gentleman 'born in extreme pow
erty," who looked inquiringly at Maj. Hartman
who, not dismayed, gave an assuring wave of
the hand and proceeded to introduce him. At
this point the scene became riotous and for some
moments it seemed doubtful whether the Greeley
men would hear Mr.. Wilson or not Maj Har-
man held on with great tenacity, and Mr.. Will
son with patience and in a short time order was
restored.
HOW HIS SPEECH WAS RECEIVED.
There was nothing new in Mr.. Wilson'S
every Radical paper and contradicted in every
Liberal paper. Like the two speakers that had
just preceded him, he made the mistake
of making the proposition to white men that if
Virginia would 60 for Grant it would benefit
her in the way of receiving aid from the general
government. The proposition was disgraceful
enough and has the additional demerit of being
false. Mr. Wilson knows that the Administra-
ton can't give Virginia cent, and that nation
al aid to State improvements is to be obtained
only by log-rolling, and that the Virginia dele
cation, regardless of politics, can secure any
thing they are likely to get at all by shopping
votes with the West. This was the only tangible
offer made by the radical speakers, all the other
inducements were the greatness and goodness of
the radical party, of which Virginia under mill
tary government and the South under civil gov
eminent have seen enough to make them sick Of
even the name. The presence of Gov. Wells,
representing as he did, the Bayonet-ballot combi-
nation of 67 was unfortunate in the memories it
recalled.
During the speech of Mr.. Wilson, ques-
tons and other Interruptions were SO frequent
that it caused him to say that this was the first
City he had visited where the audience was not
willing to give fair hearing to both sides. AT
one time it seemed as if the Conservatives were
determined to drown his voice and prevent his
speaking. One of the audience insisting on
knowing elbow did you get away from Bull
Run" and the hurrahing for Greedy was fire.
quent and loud. At one time while he was de-
picting the Egreat benefit of the public school
fund in educating the poor, there came
A voice las if from one in an agony of regret
"But we can't. You all stole all the money"
And then as If explaining to the by-standers }
'sHe's got it in his pockets n-o-w."
Another anxious inquirer wanted to know
''Where were you in 1852" (adding in a conf.
Dental manner,) 'Come now, Senator, wern'1
yon in Know Nothing lodge?"
Maj. Hartman having called the attention of the
noisy ones to the good conduct of the negroes,
an excited citizen from Ireland commenced cry
ing out, "Oh, listen at this diyil he wants US
to copy after nagur. Ah if only had him b.