Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-09-01
REFkECTYONS ON LAST WEEKS
PRIMARIES:

Without reference to the Convention to
dav, and entirely as family matter among
our county people we should like to say
few words. The people Of Augusta are es-
sentally modest and self-denying people.
They seem to have no county pride-they
care little for their own citizens, and are
always ready, without a murmur, to see
them postponed for the benefit of citizens
Of other counties.
This fact is strikingly illustrated by her
course in the Congressional elections. Our
government has now been in operation for
81 years-in that time 43 elections have
been held for members of Congress, and
we are now on the eve of the 44th. Dur
ing all that time, Augusta has been the
largest, the most wealthy, and the most
populous county in every district to which
she has been attached, and, during all that
time she has had as many men of talent,
qualifications to represent the district with
fidelity and ability, as any other county.
In the olden time, she had ZACHARIAH
JOHNSTON, Judge NOAH STUART, Judge
JOHN WALTON and JACOB KINNEY, and
in more modern days, CHAPMAN JOHN
SON, DAVID SHEFFEY, BRIsCOE G. BALD
WIN, JOHN II. PEYToN, VIM. KINNEY,
THOMAS J. NICHE, ALEX. HI. H. STU
ART, JOHN B. BALDWIN and HUGH W.
SHEFFEY, and she now has among her
younger men JOHN ECHoLs, JAMES H.
SKINNER, JAMES BUMGARDNER and 9TH
ers-what county can produce brighter
array of names?
And yet, during all that long period OF
years, she has had but one representative
in Congress, A. H. II. STUART, and him
but for the brief period of two years
1t is true that after the war, when Pres
ident JOHNSON ordered an election, the
I people of this district, almost by acclama
ton, called on MI. STUART to represent
them-he responded to the call and was
elected, over his competitor Hon. JOHN F
LEWIS, by nearly 5000 majority. But Con
gress refused to receive any members from
the Southern States, and MI. STUART. was
excluded. When new election was awar
ded, the claims of Augusta were disregar
! ded, and Mr.. HARRIS was nominated
Thus Augusta has had the member of Con
gress for only two years, in the 81 that oul
| government has been in existence.
Meanwhile Albemarle has had II UGH
NELSON, W. G. RIvEs, w. F. GORDON
II n TT w
DUKE, running through near half century
Rockbridge had ANDREW MOORE
| SAM'L. Mod. MOORE, JAMES MCDOWELL
VIM. TAYLOR, JOHN LETCHER and J. r
TUCKER, extending through several de-
cades
Rockingham has had JOHN T. HARRIS
for two years before the war, and for about
| six since the war, and during six years Of
| that time she had JOHN F. LEWIS. as Sen
| ator.
Somehow or other Augusta never stands
| by her own men the moment a man rises
| to eminence, rivalries and jealousies spring
up, and efforts seem to be made to suppress
| the man who has the audacity, by energy
and talent to rise above the common level
This may be all very amiahle in the peo-
! pie of Augusta. to sacrifice her own men
| but we doubt if it shows good judgment o.
very intelligent comprehension of he
| own interests.
We do not wish, by any means, to be
understood as advocating the election O
any man, merely because he is an August;
| man. Talent, character, efficiency. are Thu
considerations which ought to govern il
| making selection. The best man-th'
| best man who would be the fairest repre-
sentative of the genius, and character, az
| interests of the District, should be chosen
| But we do protest against the ostracsim o
IL man-as has been the case in the past
merely because he halls from Augusta. l
| Augusta can present as good man as an.
other county, some regard ought to b.
paid to the fact that she has heretofore
been excluded from just participation il
| the honors Of the government.