The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-09-25
CHARLOTTESVILLE.

1..r HARLOTTESVILLE
ADDRESSES OF MAJOR GREGORY AND DR.. CUR
| RY-THE BOTTOM DROPS OUT OF THE MA
HoNEIrEs' FLIMsY ARGUMENTS UNDER THE
sLEDGE-HAMMER BLOWS OF MAJOR GREGORY
AND THE POWERFUL MORAL LOGIC OF DR..
| CURRY. r .....,..,.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
SEPTEMBER %, 1879.
| Although balf-past 7 was announced as
| the hour FOR the addresses OF DR.. Curry
and Major Gregory, long before this hour
the people began to assemble in the Town
Hall. Many ladies were in the audience,
and the galleries were crowded WITH col
ored people. The Charlottesville Band lent
spirit to The occasion, and it partook more
OF a file than Of the solemn discussion OF
grave question. On the stand were Hon.
S. f. Leake and others. .. ~....-
Major Gregory was introduced by Mr..
White in complimentary terms. lie eX-
pressed much qualification at the presence
OF the ladies, and said that their presence
| indicated The Importance OF the issue and
the final success OF the right. What is the
question? 1t ls this: Shall we stand by the
law that has settled the debt question, or
shall we repeal it.? We are not agitators,
but we are resolved to crush the corporaPS
guard which had for a leader citizen OF
this county, and who were advocating false
principles. They claimed to follow pre-
cedent set by Jefferson. Here he rehearSed
the portion Of Jefierson's letter TO Mr.. Mad
son which the Agitators are seeking to
make capital Of, and gave Mr.. MadiSon's
crushing reply, and showed that Mr.. Jeffe! =
sons subsequent acts all were opposed
to the principle stated in said letter. His
| Deroration upon Mr.. Jefferson in his pc
| titionin@ the Legislature to allow him 10
sell his lands to discharge his obligations
was eloquent and effective. He reviewed
the organization OF AGitators, and held
| them up in contemptu0uS array before the
people. He gave a statement OF the condi-
ton OF the debt, the effect of the old fund
ing bill, the Barbour bill, the McCuiloch
| bill, and clucidated the matter in such q
manner as to make it clear to the common
est intellect. Repeal the McCulocn bill
and YOU must either raise your taxes or
repudiatc the debt. He showed how easily
the State could adapt herself to the working
Of this bill without injury to taxpayers, to
the public schools, or TO the machinery OF
government. He took up every argument
used by the aahoneiteS, diSSectcd 1t, and
threw it to the winds. Major Gregory is 4
fine popular speaker. He convulsed the
|
OF his points, and there were times when
bis elo0uence was not inferior to his distin-
guished colleague.
DIR. CURRY.
When Major Gregory retired, amidst
great applause. DR.. Curry was introduced
| by Hon. S. +. Leake. who made few re-
marks bearing upon the importance OF the
| issue as only Mr.. Leakc can talk. DR..
| Curry said that Major Gregory had very
properly acknowledged the presence OF the
ladies. We all know who are sons and huS-
| bands how
| "When pain and anguish wiring the brow
| ministcring angel, thou"
and their presence, and that OF the old men
who are not wont to attend political meet
ings, indicated that it was no ordinary ques-
| ton that was before us for diScusSion-a
question that reaches far into the future
one affecting lis in our homes. at our fire
sides, in private and public morals, in ma
| terial progress. 1t was not Il question be-
tween debtor and creditor, but involved Il
great principle that lay deeper than mere
party contests. There are public acts that
cling to posterity like the shirt OF Nessus ::
that make stains that old ocean cannot OBJ
| iterate. He here referred 10 the reputation
of Mississippi Us an act that followed and
cHng TO her citizens and TO her name wheI-
ever found, because it was pertidious act !:
and Notwithstanding the brilliant deeds OF
| her sons and the patriotism Of her people
| they could not shake Off the odium OF this de-
struction Of her plightcd faith. He believed
the issue now before the people OF Virginia
was the most perilous one that had ever
occurred to the people. 1t would require
matchless skill in the historian who should
record truthfulIy the heroism OF the women
and the courage of the men OF Virginia as
displayed in the late war, which was the
| brightest page in her history; but what
will be the record that will go down to
| their posterity when she has rcpudiated her
| honest debts, broken her pllehted faith
| The debt was contracted by Virginia; she
made a solemn covenant; she SWore by her.
self; she could swear by no greater. As
| Elizabeth had condensed the honor OF her
kingdom in the signet ring given to Essex,
so Virginia had given all her honor in these
bonds. Against the plea that an Obligation
is discharged when it passes into the hands
OF an enemy, Dr.. Curry showed its utter
absurdlty. He went on 10 illustrate
Here is a bond OF the State; 1t passes
into the hands OF the meaneSt man in
the United States; who is that man! y
voice: " Masscy"; uproarious applausel;
he referred to B. +. B.; does it lose its
value because ii changes hands: He then
said that the man who antagoniZes the pre-
JUDGES Of a people, arrayss class against
class, was worse than the traitor Benedict
Arnold and deserved the eXccration OF all
good men. These are the men who will
necessitate the increase OF taxes and the de-
struction OF all the material and moral in
terests of the State; and then most power
fully he pictured the deSolation which VIII
follow the perfdy OF reputation. Any
fool can tear down structure which 1t has
taken hundreds OF years. to erect; anu these
men were attempting to dlslntegratc tue
social and political fabric Of the State.
DR.. Curry spoke about one hour. His
spcech was listened to with much attention,
and particularly by the cOlored people. 1t
is impossible to do him justice in an ab-
Stract.
Captain Chamberlayne was called 1or
when DR.. Curry had seated himself, ana re-
snonded briefly. He said he had reason to
believe that AlbemarIe would redeem her
sell at the election; and made many huihor-
Gus remarks. ,..;,..
OF any political subject we have ever heard.
We have reason to believe that good was ac-
comnIisbed. - QUIP.
LOUISA COURTHOUSE.
THE MURDER CASEs-LARGE CRoWDs-PER-
SOSAL.
rCorrespondence of the Richmond Dlspatch.l
;. We. SEPTEMBER "a, 1879.
u,L. ;,torort in tho murder cases * still