The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-12-05
Southern Republican Representation.

WASHINGTON, November 26.-Provided
the present status is not altered by contests,
the total number of Republicans elected to
the next Congress from the Southern States,
exclusive of Maryland and Missouri, is five
one from Florida, Tennessee and Virginia
and two from North Carolina,
Compared with the present Congress this is
a loss Of one in Tennessee, one in Louisiana
and three in South Carolina. The South
Carolina affair is giving the Democrats much
trouble. In private conversation the North
ern Democrats do not attempt to justify the
stealing of the three Republican districts in
that State by tine system Of terrorism and
ballot-boN stuffing that as employed. They
acknowledge that the evidence is overwhelm-
ing. Should Smals and Rainey contest. as
they undoubtedly will, Il number OF fair
minded Northern Democrats will be placed |
in a perplexing situation. They fear to vote
quarely..against their party, yet they can
not endorse the methods of carrying the |
election. One of the most prominent Dem
ocratic members from the West remarked |
impatiently last night, that "the South is
little too id solid,' and that he saw no
hope Of the Democratic party gaining the
Presidency in the present condition of affairs
South. He was particularly lncenseG at
South Carolina, saying that it was utterly
impossible to make Northern.people believe
that the Republicans OF that State were not
defrauded and cheated, when they have not
single member Of Congress and but two in
the Legislature. For arguments sake he
thought the Republicans should have been
allowed a little something. To defend the
manner of elections in that State was: low
impossible. The thing had been carried too
far. A New York Democrat, being told the
story Of the South Carolina election, shook
his head gravely and remarked with empha-
sis: "What sort Of a State is South Caro-
lima, anyway"
Prominent Southerners now here are try
ing to defend the election in both South Car
DINA and Louisiana, but they find the task
difficult in view of the mountain Of evidence
accumulated against then. The more con-
sentative members from both sections will
try to prevent the bitter and acrimonious de-
bate which will certainly follow If this topic
is introduced, but from all that can be gath
cred the effort will be useless. Meantime
the stalwart Republicans enjoy the situation.
They claim to have everything to gain and
nothing to lose by sectional debate, such
as will be involved by a showing up of the
rooopt olaot;op in Coptb Coro);oo o,I 7 o,;-
lana. They allege that all the signs of the
times point to the election of a Republican
President two years hence by rousing ma
iority.
| THE ROCKINGHAM AIURDER.-We no
ticed last week, that a negro named Philip
Slaughter had been murdered in East Rock
ingham, near the Page line. A correspond
ent of the Page Courier gives the following
account of the affair:
East Rockingham is again the scene of a
cold-blooded murder.
Near the foot of the Massanutten mountain
resides James L. sDovel, Familiarity called
esquire, =" from his political experience on
one occasion by which he was elected as
magistrate over one OF the respected citizens
of this portion of the county, but Fortunate
ly the war prevented him from serving.
The esquire" is somewhat fond Of freshly
distilled apple brandy, and will keep sober
as long as it is kept out of his reach but
since the still-hous are in full blast his
house is disreputable pace where many
doubtful characters congregate especially on
the Sabbath, aud all kinds of debauchery
can be INDUCED in by the habitues of the
place, without fear of the law or public
opinion.
Some months since a man by the name Of
| Jacob Snyder was married to the "Squir's"
| daughter ''Sue, - and of course assumed con-
troll of affairs in and about the place. Now
this same girl had not hitherto enjoyed very
good reputation, and among the habitues of
the place was one Phil. Slaughter, or ''old
P.," as he was called, an aged colored man
that made the s'Squire's'' house his home.
and 1t is supposed that Snyder supposed that
too much intimacy existed between sold
P" and his wife for his own peace, ard he
would get rid of him. Sunday the liquor
gave out, and sold Pr was dispatched to
neighboring still house to replenish the jug,
and on his return he got as far as the gate
when he was met by Snyder and deliberate
ly shot with gun loaded with l6 buckshot,
and Immediately fell without scarcely utter
ing cry, the whole load entering his head.
Snyder mounted his horse and fled, but was
overtaken in the night by three colcred men
and placed in the bands of Constable Lam.
From parties in the neghborhood, we learn
that the murder was not entirely unprovok-
ed.
Dal,..t oa,. .t..:,,