The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-10-28
GEeqntelIia
Judge Camden at PhlIlppi.

the cOrneI band serenaded the Judge soor
after his arrival at the Virginia House
which was the signal for him TO appear
ION the steps Of the hoteV' and make ian
able and interesting speech" in which he
yindicated "in an able manner the course
Of the Democratic party since it came
into power in West Virginia" lie also
"in mastery manner exposed the acts
OF the Radical party, both in our State
and Nation" which exposure was re-
ceiVed with "deafening shouts OF ap,
psluse." The occasion, we are told, was
IAN old fashioned Democratic jubilee"
We know OF no place in West Virginia
50 appropriate as Philippi whercst to
hold ian old fashioned Democratic jubi-
lee" and we know Of only one person,
who, had he been present, could more fit.
tingly and perhaps more feelingly have
addressed the Democracy of that place
than Judge CAMDEN, viz-Col. PORTER
FlEGD-herO Of the grand Democratic es.
capAdc that occurred ct Phi!ippi On The
- day oI May, 1861
Had Jpdge CAMDEN been an orator, as
BRuTUs was, he might have warmed to
his work at Philippi end risen with the
occasion, and made speech OF a highly
commemorative character instead ofone
that simply "split the ears Of the ground
lugs' there assembled. He might ior
instance hayespOken in substance, as
follows; Fel,ow Democrats: You see
before you a somewhat scalhed but
nevertheless spared monument Of Divine
mercy In the year Of our Lord
1856 l was Judge in these partt-s
Virginia Judge-and like SAUL Of Tsrsus,
felt myself commissioned not only by
the Commonwealth Of Virginia, but by a
higher authority, il indeed there could be
any higher authority than the Common
wealth OF Virginia on The earth below
or in the heavens above, 10 persecute those
Of my fellow citizens who refused 10
worship at the ioot-stone Of slavery, and
who instead Of reading and swallowing
the teachings o! the Richmond Enquirer,
or BILL CooPER's Clarksburg Register or
the Barbour JtGerSJnoin, then published
in this town, or some other equally ortho.
dox pro slavery sheet, audsciously sub
scEibed TO the paper published by our
late lamented Democratic candidate for
the Presidency, HORACE GREELEY, at
that time Az sboliiOnist, and Tor whom,
by the way, | 1e!t it 10 be my duty to
issue bench warrant as an incendiary in
the year about named.
"l verify thought, my Bourbon brethren,
that the readers OF that sheet had no
rights which aa q Democrat was bound
torespeCt. Consequently procured their
indictment in the Circuit Court OF Har-
rison county, and had it been in my power
would have inflicted the direst penalties
Ot the law upon them. Not because Of
any crimes, but because of their heresy
on the Niger question. l believed then
as do now TO u certain extent, that Nir'
ginla belongs TO those who cherish the
resolutions OF 9S and so more highly tdsn
the constitution and laws OF their country
My Democracy, fellow citizens, was the
sort that under Democratic Rdministrs.
ton authorized post masters to search
the mails for abolition newspapers, and
when found to commit the same 10 the
flames. Then we had model govern
ment. We had ninety thousand grown
up whites in Virginia who could neither
read nor write. We had none OF these
school houses that now dot every hill TOY
in this unhappy land. The Lord opened
our mouths in those days, without bool
learning, as he did in Bslasm's time
We made it hot on Virginia soil in thosC
good old days for Yankee school masters
Radicalism had then no more show II
all our extended boundaries than it hal
to day in Welzel equity. With tar ant
feathers we occupied the land.
"In an evil hour, my Bourbon brothers
we made q sad mistake. On this sacre(
spot from which now address you VI
started our grand Democratic rebellion
Your orator was not on hand on tina
tumulLuous occasion to address you. HI
was in bomb.prool at Richmond. He
was ably and appropriately represented
however, in the person OF your late defeat
ed candidate for Congress, the Hon. Ben
Martin, who while in ycnder haY-mow
watching the tide OF battle underneath
the clover, was cruelty yanked by On ab
clifton bayonet, even as he was thrust BY
the superior strategy Of the cold bloodeC
Faulkner in the late campaign. When ]
heard oiyour gallant flight on that occa-
sion, my Democratic brethren, admired
your prudence, remembering as did tha
'Thoso who fght and run away
May live 10 hight another day."
have no doubt that this assembly tina
l sec before me tonight is largely com
posed oil the Democratic heroes who fel
on that lively occasion. You wanted you
rights then as you DO now, my brethren
The great trouble is now, as it was then
that there are not offices enough 10 e
round and give you all right apiece. l
however we have good luck at Charleston
this winter we will enlarge the Ring AMI
take more OF you in. The Steer Creel
Valleys Elk River Railroad Company /
at present close corporation, but
the good Of the party requires il
il can be enlarged TO include tn
balance Of the wild lands in the State
To get rid OF taxation, and put al
such burdens on the Radicals Of the read
ing and writing counties Of the State, is {
great point gained for the Democracy
To many OF US it is more ot an obiec
than to hold an office. II we know our
selves at this coming session of the Leg
islstuFe, the cause OF Democracy shall
not suffer at our hands.
Fellow.citizens, l am overcome with
the recent election returns. see visions
OF greenbacks and Confederate bonds
rising before me. Something like pen
sIons for the Wilt.heeled heroes who