Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-08-09

Rev. Jno. E. Massey, though his name
is familiar, is not much known to the
Valley people. He is a medium-sized man,
and was dressed IN an alpaca suit, the
creases in which showed that it had been
just taken out of his trunk. He wore a
real Panama hat, CT fine quality, and gold
| spectacles. also of good quality, but tied
up at a broken joint with a string. His
face is a pleasant one, though his address
is not. there being a mechanical air and
h%ollowness about it that does not please.
He wears a white beard. trimmed close.
Among the people he is a faster election
eerer than DR.. Moffett, and l do not exag-
gerate when | say he chad a talk" with ten
men in as many minutes on the court green.
while l was looking at him. His popularity
is great with a certain class in Albemarlr
and he has carried it with ease against
a regularly nominated Conservative ticket.
He is a Baptist minister, but has no charge.
though he often breaches. AS a speaker
he is a RATHER; speaks with rapiditY and
~plainneSs, is adroit in argument and good
at rtpartee. OF the intelligence of his
supporters 1 may Say that | asked an
honest and simple-looking young fellow
about Mr.. MS popularity in Albemarle.
and was told: II reckon he is. He's been
to congress three times from this county,
and he's going again." He is really the
father of Readjusters, and was spending
money from private means to print and
circulate arguments in favor of it years be-
fole either Harris or Paul thought of it.
Senator John Paul, whose face will be
familiar throughout this district before
the canvass ia over, is a man about thirty
five years of age and one of decided ability.
He belongs to that profession SO con-
temptuously spoken of by Adjusters as
county court lawyers, and has filled with
marked success the position of Prosecuting
Attorney of Rockingham. He is below
middle height, of muscular build. with a
face exhibiting strong character and de-
termination, and has black, hair and
piercing eyes. His speaking is calm, de-
liberate and forcible, and his speech clear
ly the result of careful preparation, but,
his speech ended, he makes things lively
for his opponent in the way of quick and
apt retort. At the court house to-day he
was not the centre of the sympathy of the
audience. as he was at Harrisonburg and
Staunton, and 1 thought the effect was to
chill him. Anyhow he didn't appear to
the advantage he did at the other two.
Hon. John T. Harris hardly needs a de-
scription in the Seventh district, where
his face is as familiar as the tax collec-
tors, especially ABOUT the time an election
is coming On. His large muscular frame
shows strength and endurance and the
people have seen it in the vigorous and
~tireless skipping about the district in fix
ing up things for a denominations 1t he
were tried exclusively on his record as an
Industrious, useful and we may correctly
add inf nential Democratic member of this
present congress, he would get eight votes
out of ten in the district, but the injection
of the state debt question has changed
things considerably, and now the sold
man" as he is termed by his admirers, Is
forced into a vigorous canvass to save him.
self. He is between two fires; the Ad5us-
tiers suspect him as a too recent convert,
while the debt payers, who hear his Ad-
justment speeches, have too much conf
dence in his readiness to be anything to
win. to doubt that he is with the majority
and as bad as the worst. In that high
duty Of a statesman, electioneering,he isla
hand. Coming down on the same
train with him, Issw enough to prove that
he is the equal Of Massey or lMoffett or
The ID in this accomplishment.
THE SPEAKING.
At l2 O'Clock TBS court house bell. rang
md the bar rooms We're promptly dest rt7d.
.he meeting was called to order by Col.
Crank. who called Rev. John E. Massey to
he chair. Maj. Hill Of the S~cottsyille