Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-08-30
am older too. but YOU must not think be-

am older too, but you must not think be
cause of this white beard of mine that
am old, L just left it out in the frost one
night and forgot to take it in-I want tt
know the date he made that other speech
he spoke of.
Judge Harris-I told you the speech ap
peared in the Congressional Record, June
10th, 1878.
Mr.. Massey-Why 1 thought you said
you delivered it in the congress of the
United States. Great laughter.) That is
the way he fires at the enemy, fellow cit
liens They don't hear the noire even,
but the shot takes effect away back here
in his district. [Uproarious laughter Now
he has been there seven years and that is
the sort of speeches he has been making.
Well I'm like John Randolph about the tea.
IF this is coffee give me tea and it this is
tea give me coffee" [Cheers.]
Mr.. Massey then went into an argument
on the adjustment of the State debt, which
was able and logical He took the top
most round by holding that the State did
not owe the bondholders the amount they
claimed, on the ground of equity. Both
the bondholders and the landholders Of
Virginia went INTO the war together and
there was no moral obligation on the part
of the landholier to make the bondhol-
der's claim good out OF his own deprecia
ted land. A piece cf paper is not more
sacred possession than land. and the bond
ed debt should be lowered in proportion to
the decline in the land. Applause. Mr..
Massey's argument in celebrating this and
other claims for djustment were old, but
ingeniously and popularity put.
He favored making greenbacks legal ten
der for every debt, U. S. bonds included He
spoke OF the fact that the public schools
in Albemarle might be closed for want of
bonds. He reviewed his legislative record
and his triumph over Bradley johnson.
In reply to Mr.. Harris about the impor-
lance of not changing representatives III
Congress he said that if this district
didn't get more from its representative in
the next seven years than it had in the past
seven we would all be impecunious
[Cheers]. Mr.. Paul said he was tired Of
being called young but if Mr.. Paul will
wait he will find that the succession will
drop along down to him just about the
time he is in his prime [Laughter]. l
know the people Of this Valley, my wife
who'is very decidedly the better half, came
from here. | presided over the first Con-
gressional Convention of this district and
then presided over the second, and would
have presided over the third but l was
sick and couldn't get here, and so the
whole thing went to pot and they didn't
hold any [Laughter] Outside Of my claims,
it is impossible for you to vote between
Harris and Paul-they both come from the
same county and the same town, you can't
send them both, so you'll have to vote for
me in self defence. My whole mission is
one Of onciliation [Great laughter. And
you'll find me good representative. I'll
make the whole county of Augusta bloom
with garden seed CONTINUED and uproari-
GUS laughter and inst cad of sending you
my speeches 1 will send you the fruits of
my work [Cheers.]
There were numerous cries for Paul and
Harris, but the court reassembled and the
meeting adjourned.