Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-09-04
ris the nominee of the Convention.
LIVELY sKIRMIsH OVER CoMMUNICA
TINE. THE INTEL Il IGENCE.

LIVELY sKIRMTsH OVER CoMMUNICA-
TING THE INTELLIGENCE.
| Col. NJ. G.. Hartman moved that a COM
mlttee be appointed to inform Judge Har-
IT'S OF his nomination, and nominated Gen.
John Echols, of Augusta as one Of the
members of it. loud cheering and
| laughter.)
Gen. Echols said that before the vote
was taken he had had no doubt Of the
nomination of Nj. Harris by an over
Whelming majority. AS a member of this
body, he was now in honor bound to vote
Tor him, and he should do so if he could
get to the polls. Col Harman's sugges-
ton that he should be on the committee,
had been made in the sense of a taunt,
and he would cay but one word in vindi-
cation of himself, and that was that he
| had no doubt there were many in the Con-
vention who, if not instructed by their
constituents, would have preferred some
other man to represent this great and
proud district in the council of the nation,
| (applause) and who thought with him that
our nominee is not a fit representative for
| the people OF this great district with it's
| past history and glorious memories. Zap
| plause.) But taunt OF no taunt he would
obey the behest Of the Convention if he
were on the committee and should even
| introduce the nominee to the Convention
| if necessary.
Col. Harman said it was no taunt. His
friend Gen. Echols had once done him the
same way, and he had promised to pay
| him back
Gen. Echols-I had really forgotten that
had once helped to place my friend on
committee to communicate to-
Col. Harman-Don't call any names.
Gen. Echols-Well, to communicate to
distinguished gentleman his selection for
{ the post of delegate in the House of Rep
resentatives. The Col. looked just now as
If he should say "Look what miserable
| minority you are in, and now you shall 90
and tell him that great majority of the
people want him." Well, [ shall 90 and
communicate to him the unexpected news
| (sreat laughter) that he has received the
overwhelming majority of 1872 to 5, and
get his reluctant consent Cloud and con-
| tinued laughter) to accept.
Col. Harman-I meant no taunt [ ask
| ed the gentleman TO call no names, be-
cause the distinguished gentleman alluded
to, and myself are now on the best terms,
and l should vote for him to-day if he
were the candidate of this convention.
Captain J. N. Opie moved to make the
| nomination unanimous.
| Judge Stuart pressed the motion. He
said there was no better man in this dis
trlct-this State-this country Qaughter)
| than Judge Robertson, and he ought to
| have been in the Court of Appeals long
| ago.
The nomination was then made unani-
NOUS.
A committee was appointed with Judge
Stuart as chairman, and General Echols
| not on it, to communicate the intelligence
| to Hon. J. T. Harris, who shortly after
entered with the committee, and was
greeted with tremendous cheering.
| SPEECH OF JUDGE HARRIS.
Judge Harris said he should not detan
| the Convention, to whose members time
was precious, nor was there any occasion
| for he had prepared no speech to make
He wished simply to THANK his fellow citi-
zens for the great honor they had done
| him. Heretofore lie had done all that be-
came gentleman who wanted the posi-
ton, to secure it, but after four years of
service he now received this overwhelm-
| ing endorsement with most grateful APP
probation. While he did not propose a
lengthy account of his stewardship, there
| were some points in national legislation
which he felt should be noticed. His own
share in defeating the "Infernal'' Civil
| Rights Bill had been earnestly performed.
lie had been unceasing in personal efforts
and representations to the Republican
members to avert it, and after his speech
| against it, giving practical view of the
damage its passage would do in his own
district, breaking up all the institutions
| of humanity and learning, he had been
approached by a score of them saying that
if that was to be the effect they didn't
| want it passed The delegation from Vir-
ginia might not have had the talent of
former days in it, but they certainly had
no imprudent fool among them who by an
act of folly might have precipitated the
! Civil Rights Bill on the country. He had
aided and worked for the passage of the
| Pension bill in which the South was so
much interested, which gave 100000
to the people, and which would pass the
Senate next session. He had worked faith
| fully against the extension of Patents, by
which the farmers were made to pay ex-
horbitant prices for farming implements,
and which aided SO much in keeping the
manufactures at the North, and which
kept S12 sewing machines up to $50; and
he had tried to reduce the tariff on drugs
so that the phosphates for fertilizers might
come in free and cheaper. The North had
control of these matters in Congress, and
she did it mainly by keeping her delega-
lions there unchanged, and thus having
men experienced in legislation there, who
control it just as the South did before
the war. In the matter of currency he
favored the issue Of more greenbacks bear
ing no interest, as there was not enough
money in the country, and never would be
until there was so much that man could
sell his farm for money as easily as he
could sell horse OF a barrel of flour for it.
He was very proud of the people of Au-
gusta; he had been raised among them,
and his brother had large institution of |
learning among them. When 1 am in
Washington they say [ come from the
"Stauntoa District.'
A Voice-Don't you say anything about |
Charlottesville loud laughter.)