The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-09-30
I" Nome are ever afraid of the tru
Extent those whom the truth WOMB iii
MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
A DISCUSSION TuAT RESULTS TO THE ADV3N
TAGE OF TIE HONEST MEN.

TAGE OF TIE HONEST MEN.
CORRESPONDENCE of the Richmond Dlspatch.l
CuRIsTIASsBURG. September u, 1879.
Tuesday last was field-day here for the
Conservative party and the honest side OF
The debt question. a Joint discussion was
arranged, and q tiye-hOurs' iOust fought.
But the odds were all on one side. John
w. Daniel against Parson Massey, and
Mills Ellis, Conservative nominee for the
Legislature, against Altizer, Read!uster,
did not present doubtful issue in the :
ginning, and the result showed that re-
adjusting sophistry cannot stand the keen,
clear sunlight OF logic OF facts and OF hon.
csty.
Altizer opened the bali BY announcing
that he had no speech to make, and album
dainty proving the proposition. He left the
stand IN confusion-reduced horS de combat
bv bis own aggressive imbecility. Ellis
followed with half-hou s speech in which
he declared his position as standard-bearer
of the Conservative party, and explained as
fully as the time would allow the status OF
the debt question and the Issues ut stake.
He made very favorable impression.
,, Then Mr.. Massey had his hour and la half
upon the stage, and he made the most OF a
weak side and ga lo>in" office" lie piled
the Pcion OF Measurements and perverted
authority on the Ossa OF sophstry. He
made reputation patriotic duty. He re-
adjusted the laws OF political economy, the
decisions of the Supreme Court Of the
| United States, and the eighth clause OF the
| Decalogue. He put bitter for sweet, evil
| for good. darkness for light, bosh for argu-
ment.-and with considerable effect, for the
Parson is no mean dialcctician, and can
| make rs much of bad cause as creduiity,
| ignorance, dishonesty, and loose thinking
will accept. He gave the RcadiustcrS here
the best lift they have had.
But Nemesis was behind him. Daniel to
the front. First the audience is charmed
into sympathy with the speaker, and then
the work OF demolition. One By one in
rapid succession the Parsons 'forts Of
folly" fall under the rain OF shot and shell
till not one stone is loft upon another. The
| R,;iGiuStcrs get restless, excited, democrat
lied. They rise to explain and don't. They
interrupt the speaker and catch tartar.
They ask roidiusting conundrImS and get
knocked out OF time by the li.h!nin@-ike
answers. Presently they nurse their hurts
and let DAME! alone. And that scholar,
Wit. statesman, and orator, the work
Of destruction done, goes on with Il
constructive argument, putting the Nc
Culloch bill on a Gibraltar Of legal
ity, equity, and public eXpcdicncy.
Then he closes with an appeal to Eirsinians,
in the name OF right, by the sacred tradi-
tons OF the grand old Commonwealth, by
the duty and the dignity OF citizenship, by
the crisis of the present and the RESPONSE
bilitcs OF the future, to make good the
name and the fame among principalltics and
powers of the old mother State, whose
honor and virtue reside undilnnlShed in
her Scared breast, and are the best inher-
itance OF her sons. 1t was high appeal,
and met with response that made one feel
he could take Nirgnia's "word for thou
sand pounds"
In the second heat the ParSon came to
time somewhat reluctantly, it seemed, and
in Il badly-puniShed condition. He struck
Lfcebly, his manner was apologize, his an
swers without bottom, his convictions cold.
He was out beyond his depth, and the
crowd wouldn't wade in at his beck. He
sat down amid Il storm of silence.
Daniel again and again the lion goes for
the fox Il forti0ri. But that is enough,
Major. He's down. And the Major gene
rou>ly declines ITO push 4 falling man too
far" Another round OF lucid argument.
another call to duty, another burst OF hon
est eloquencc, and the long debate closes
with the noble, antique VirgInian, Daniel,
the Conservative party, and the honest set
Element OF the debt question holding tue
winning hand and welring the confidence
and supDOrt OF the DpODle.