The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-09-18
Written for inc Weston Democrat.
JOINT DISCUSSION
GoG VS.. Math ews
WEsros, W. Va, August S.

WESTON, ". VA, August ..
General Gotf and Major Mathews ad-
dressed large number Of the voters Of
Lewis county on Saturday evening
upon the political questions Of the day
The headlines OF Major Mathews
'pcech presented questions long since
settled. aud issues dead and buried
years ago. He discussed tho war. aud
registration aud test oaths. He would
have it that bis party is entitled to all
tho the glory Of preserving. unbrokeu
the American Union, aud eleva,ing to
the plane ef freemen and citizenship
the colored race ; that the Democratic
party, against the will Of tho Republi.
can party, abolished registration and
the voters test oath; that his party
founded and gave to the oIle Of tue
State free schools. IL short. the Dem.
ocratic candidate for Governor would
have US believe that his is q party al
ways right, always true to principle
Dever changing. and full of honest,
self.sacriGcing statesmen, Of whom be
is one, willing to DO elected Governor IN
October next for the good Of thu PEG,
pie. The Major did not forget to shout
"Refom! Reform, r. aud to tell the
intelligent people Of Lewis county tbs.
Rutherford B. Hayes. Republican Can
didate for President Of the United
States is man ,oithout a record, and
how Mr.. Tildeu reformed Tweed and
the New York Democracy. He alJo
treated bis hearers to the reasons why,
after tho close Of the war, be wanted to
wipe GU. this young State and 60 back
to old Virginia. :
No one will deny that Mr.. Mathews
possesses fair share Of ability. and
the higher you estimate that sbili,y,
the greater the surprise that he should
have made che speech he did on Sa,ur-
day last.
At tho close of Mr.. Mathews
speech, General Golf arose to reply,
aud to say what be had time to say for
the great political party whose stand
ard bearer 10 this State be is. His
speech was delivered in his character
is,ic style. It was full Of truth and
power, and pronounced by many to BE-
the ablrst ever delivered in this Court
House. He showed that Rutherford
b. Hayes il not . man without q
record that the ordinary expenses Of
the National Government, during
Grants administration, is less per cap.
ita than during any other for the last
fifty years; that the Democratic party
has not consistently adhered to any Sc.
Of principles, but year by year abuse
the Republican party for its measures.
only to turn round and adopt them af-
ter they have beer carried through 10
spite Of such opposition that Major
Mathews party IS party did not put
down the Rebellion, nor desire The
abolition Of tho institution Of slavery ;
that i. was uufriendly to the formation
Of this State. aud did not give to tho
whole people Of the State the great and
popular system offree education. The
General contrasted our own FREQ schoo |
system With that poverty-fund provia-
ion for the children Of indigent parents
which existed before tho war, and
which Major Mathews diguifed by til
name Of "free school system"
Our nominee for Governor did not
fail to show that disfranchisemcnt in
this State was wiped out by the Repub.
licau party; that the Flick Amend.
ment was passed by Republican Leg.
islature, aud would have bOen lost be-
fore the people except for the support
Of the Republican party.
We venture that Mr. Mathews will
not repeat iu thirty of the counties in
the State the speech be delivered here,
especially il General Golf has an op.
portunity to reply. One Waterloo is
enough ; aud that is the character Of
defeat he met with here 10 Weston u.
the hands Of General Golf on tho 2nd
inst. HrARER.