The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-10-10
DEMOCRATIC MEETING AT
BRIDGEPORT.
Views Of the Old Veteran, ,Ex-Goycrn-
or Joseph JOhnsOn-Speeehes by
Messrs. w. T.. Ice. Okey Johnson and
Il. T.. Martin.
BRIDGEpoRT, Harrison Co., I
October \. 1874.


October \ 1874.
Editors of the Register:
This is glorious day for old Bridge
port. We the Democrats, had Il large
crowd, and the best speaking | have
heard during the campaign. The meet
ing was organized ut . o'clock, 2. NJ. by
calling Governor Joseph johnson to the
ous for his age both mentally and phys
icully. In taking the chair, he stated
that he had been in public life at inter
walls Tor upwards ofsiNty years, and had
never known as much cause for fears of
the safety of the Republic. Those COLI
trolling the affairs of the Senatorial
Government We're eXcrting their power
to ccntraliZc and destroy the Republican
form of Government Of our fathers.
That the Extravaganza Of the Govern
ment, and the frauds pcrpctuated by So
many Federal office holders. diSglIstS
and shocks every true patriot of the
land. He said that the safety of the Re-
public depended on tn" success Of tn"
Democratic party and urged the Demo
cratS TO come to the polls on Tuesday
next, and save the country from ruin.
VIM. +. lee from Phillippi, cnndi-
date for the House of Delegates from the
Democratic District Of Barbour, Taylor
and Harrison, although n comparative
stranger was greeted with rounds of ap-
plausc. The people SAW Mt once the
mark of the man about him. He en-
chained his audience for nearly an hour,
showing the miSdccdS of the Republican
party. and the honest and faithful course
of the Democrats Of the State since they
came into power, and their adhcrancc to,
and performance of, every pledge they
had given. He particularly showed that
they had economically administered the
government and had not wasted IA dollar
of public money; that they had reduced
taxation by requiring the people to pay
but 20 cents instead of - on the 800
valuation, by which the State taxes Of
Barbour county was reduced $500; Tay-
lor 81, 900 and Harrison $1,000, and other
counties in the State in tho samopr"p"r-
ton To their taxable property.
He investigated minutcly the indebted
ness of the State left by the
Republican party, and showed it amount
ed to upwards Of S@O,0O5. He showed
the fallacy of Gen. Gotl'S charging that
the Democrats expended for State pur-
poses $311. lUl .9S for the fiscal year of
1871; the first after they came into power,
when the Republicans, for 1870, expcnd-
ed but $34l, ,025.S7; an excess of $780,
O76.ll. Iln said the General had forgotten
tot"ll the people ofthc Republican debt of
$l%G.0OO, which should be added to the
S344 4,025 81, making S41l ,O2j.S'; 81 that
in fact the Democrats for 1871 had rN-
pended for current expenses so, ,923.S?
less than the Republicans had for 1870.
You must rXclIs" mo for my heightened
remarks of Mr.. lee. | was charmed with
the Young man and his fifty spoken and
sensible words, and would be glad t" re-
port everything he said.
Okey johnson, whom the Radicals
thought would succumb to thrir srduc-
tons hut who has been dealing
pondcror> blows at the Behc-
moth of RadicaliSm. and doing
woman service for the Democracy,
made an eloquent, abl"and telling speech.
He too. was comparatively - stranger,
but made very favorahl" impression
on the people. The discussion was closed
hy Hon. B. +. Martin, of Taylor county,
in Il speech of upwards of an hour. His
speech was truly able, patriotic and clo-
qu"nt.
Our Democracy is united in the county
and YOU may expect good account
L 1. Il In.