Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-08-27
THE CONGRESSIONAL CANVASS.
THE TRIANGULAR CONTEST IN
AUGUSTA.
A Full Attendance of the S0vereigns.
ALL THE CANDIDATES ON THE GROUND.
RICH, RARE, AND RACY.
Three Congressional Courscrs on the Tracl

SPEECHES BY PAUL, HARRIS, AND MASSEY.
| Yesterday being county court day, there wa
large number of the county people in tn
city. The great subject Of interest was as to tn
! report that the "three Johns' would engage II
q discussion here of their individual claims t,
the honor and emolumeuts of a seat In Con
gress. 1t was ascertained early in the morn
| ing that such would be the case, and the PEG
pie stayed close around the courthouse wait
/ ing until the county court should adjourn ant
the fun begin. The question ON everybody
| lips was, as Harris here ?" and when answered
in the Affirmative, the questioner at once seem
ed to anticipate lively time. At a quartz
past o'clock, the county court took recess
for three hours, and the courthouse was sool
crowded with an audience good-humoredl,
awaiting the opening of the ball.
! Parson Massey was the first to take his sea
on the stand, and sat quietly surveying thu
faces before him, evidently pleased at the larg,
number present. Soon the tall form of Hon
John T. Harris, smilingly making his wa.
through the crowd, was the signal for a burs
| of applause, and lastly Hon. John Paul ascend
| ed the stand and was Justify greeted by the au
dience. This was the signal for business, ant
| the people settled themselves to hear what tn,
aspirants for office had to say for themselves
and seemingly expecting to see the fur fly
though in this they were fated to be disap
pointed.
HON. JOHN PAUL.
After stating that it had been agreed between
the candidates that each should speak an hour
he to speak first, Harris next, and Massey te
bring up the rear, he said that at the July term
| of the county court he had the pleasure of in.
Producing himself to the people of Augusta
Then he was not candidate. but since that
time he had determined to enter the Congress
| sional race in this district.
His object was to vindicate, advocate and
help on the party known as the Readjusters.-
He had been cautioned to be careful how he
| talked about readjustment in Staunton, but he
had yet to learn to make a different speech in
| diherentplaces, and he intended to advocate the
| same views in Augusta, in Highland, BSth, and
Albemarle, that he did in Rockingham. He
| held that politician had higher mission in
life than to pander to the prejudices of the pop
ulace. He should endeavor to elevate and edu-
cate the people of his country, SO that they
could think and act for themselves.
In this canvass some Of the newspapers and
the candidates, recently in Office, say the ques-
ton OF the State debt has nothing to do with it,
that 1t ought to be ignored; but he maintained
that it was an important question, and should
| enter into every election from that Of Governor
| down to Overseer of the Poor. Those who have
| maintained this position have been met by
| abuse and denunciation, but it cannot be set
tied in that way.
He did not propose to discuss the Stale debt,
but would show how and why it did enter into
| the Congressional Canvass. The re-adjusters
do not desire to repudiate the debt of Virginia,
| on the contrary they are the only persons who
| are trying to settle and pay it.
| He then discussed the objects sought to be
| accomplished by the Barbour Bill and why the
Governor had acted unwisely in vetoing it,
He spoke of the deficiency in the Public School
Fund and the danger Of their being broken up.
The education of the children Of the State is
guaranteed by the Constitution, and for the
preservation of her existence and integrity the
State must see this provision carried out.
The first duty of State is her own preserva-
ton, it is the original contract at the founda-
ton of Society,
After this and the schools are provided for he
proposed to pay the creditors what is left. This
was SO declared to be the policy of the State by
| the platform Of the Convention at Rich
mond.
Taxes are as high as they can be borne, and
| for the expenses of the government, the main
tenance Of the Public Schools and the creditors
can have the balance.
He ridicuIed the cry about the "honor of the
| fathers" asking what debt they had ever paid,
| and that mot worth a continental d-n" had
passed into proverb. Patrick Henry had
made his reputation by advocating and carry
ing verdict which repudiated the contract Of
the State with the preachers
The taxes, he said, do not come out of the pro-
fessional man nor tho merchant but out of the
farmer; he is the man1who bears the burden,
and he could bear no more.
He would give his platform on State and u
s. affairs so that a way-faring man though a
fool could enter therein. These are not views
for shirkers and quirkers. The office Of con-
gresham belongs to the people. There is no
lien upon 1t. The CoRgresalqan'e shoes belong
to the public. And Judge Harris does not own
| them. The re-adjusters mean that the debt
shall be re-adjusted according to the sovereign
will of the people of the State.
We have had two Governors against us, a
divided SuprsI4e Court against US and a part
OF Legislature against rs, what dc we want
with Nine Congressman against rs. Fhey pave
never said word about re-adjustment until
| they returned and wanted to be re-slected.
This question Of the State debt comes into
| this canvass through the Royal Bill offered by
| the Hon. Ran. Tucker, which proposes to give
| the State to the control of the Supreme Court
| of Appeals Of the U. 8.
Ths speaker then turned his attention to ma
tional affairs and said, there is distress among
the laboring classes, the farMers ana the ne
| chanics. This is caused by the want of cur
rency in the country. After the war there was
plenty of money, but contraction haa taken it
| from US. Then there was prosperity now thers
| is distress
He was opposed to the Establishment of wild
cat" State banks. 1t would be the worst ca
| lamity that could befall the country.
His platform was this, re-adjuster on the State
debt question and Greenhaeksr on tho y. 8.
debt. He wanted the Government to issue
legal tenders sufficient to pay Off its bonded in
debtedness and make of the boni-holders
''monied tramps."
He denied that the Greenbacks would resem-
bic the coupons on our State bonds, saying
Inc Greanfacke being legal tender and
payable for all dues Of the GqFeraMent ytli be
received as currency and will remain currency,
whilst the coupons when once received in the
Treasury of the State are only SO much waste
paper.
He favored Calhouns idea, that the govern
ment Of the United States should issue money
receivable for all dues. public and private, and
as good in one part of the country as in anoth-
| er.
These views represented his platform SQUARE
ly, fairly, and honestly, and he would boldly
| adhere to them.
He claimed that he was as good a readlustel
as Mr.. Massey, and did not seem to relish being
| called his son in readiuStmenf
AS for Judge Harris, he did not know when
he had been converted. and would leave thai
to Mr.. Massey, who was more familiar with
penitence.
He charged Harris with trying to break ur
the meeting at Harrisonburg, WHICH had baen
held to remove Gen. Walker from the Guberna.
tcrial ticket, because of his speech against read
justment.
1t had been urged that he was too you,.o to or
to Congress He could only say that he was
older than 5qdgs Harris was, when he was
first elected. Some persons told him his time
hadn't come, but he did not think that would
do. A man must make his own time. or else he
will find that whilst he has been waiting some
one else has come along and taken his t;n,e
with BIN. He thought his time had come anv-
| how. He could only be defeated. and ba oorId