Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-09-19
!Mhe Agi@>ttatst.
FRIDAY MORNING. SEPT. 10. 1879

MORNING. SEPT. 10, 1879.
Local
ST0RMING THE STRONGHOLD.
TUCKER, WITHERS AND ATTORNEY GEN
ERAL FIELD AT HARRIsONBURG--A
GALA DAY-NEw LIGHT THROWN IN
THE AGITAToRs CAMP-DEBT SETTLE
MENT CANDIDATES TO RUN.
&C., &C., sc.
reported for the Staunton VINDICAToR.l
HARRIsoNBURG, Sept. Is, IL z. M.
The Agitation in Rockingham was to-
day ''stung by bung"-in fact three
''bungs." have just come to the hotel
from the second political meeting Of to-
day. and it may surprise your readers
when I say that it is quite likely that
Capt. John Paul and DR.. Moffett, the
great apostles of Agitation in Rocking
ham, will be left at home on the 4th Of
November next. The day meeting, COM
mencing at noon in the court house, was
attended by densely packed audience.
1t was, as all have talked with agree, a
representative Rockingham meeting, and
of the sentiment it evinced I shall try to
give an exact account. as it will very
probably be remembered as theassemblage
at which the lynch pin of Agitation was
loosened previous to its final falling out.
After the election of a chairman in the
person of Mr.. Emanuel Sipe, gentleman
who made an admirable presiding officer,
and before the speakers regularly got to
work, DR.. Harvey Nofett. the author Of
the MOffett' g Punch, arose to announce
himself as a candidate for the House. His
appearance, though coming from sick
bed and accompanied by bottle Of medi'
cine from which he took one or two doses,
was not greeted with single round Of
applause.
DIR. MOFFETT's ANNOUNCEMENT.
After taking dose Of the medicine, DR.
Moffett attacked the McCulloch bill and
expressed the disappointment he felt tina,
he and his friends had made a failure
which he attributed to the action, wholly
Of Gov. Holiday. He warmed up in de-
tense of the Barbour bill, and paid high
compliment to Attorney General Field wht
was in the audience, who he said was
chiefly instrumental in preparing it. DR..
M. then announced himself as candidate
for reelection to the House. Some 'ques
tion being raised as to thedoctor's right Il
occupy time in speech which had already
been allotted to speakers. he said he haG
been guilty of no discourtesy to the speak
ers named nor to the Presiding officer and
had no apology to make. This last remark
received the first applause he had gotten
worthy of mention, and the doctor step
ping to the side Of the platform remarked
to an admirer who was cheering him
''That's my STYLE" The object for which
the meeting was called was then proceeded
with the time table being as follows: Capt
II. H. Riddleberger, l b. 10 M, U. s. Sen
ator Withers, b. 10 NJ, Capt. John Paul
l h. 10 NJ, Hon. J. R. Tucker, l h. 1Om.
aid II. H. Riddleberger fifteen minutes tt
close.
CAPT. RIDDLEBERGER's SPEECH
you do not, dare say, want reported
again as reported him last week at Wood
stock, but may say that it was a much
better effo1t than that OF last Monday
His main new points were directed at thu
two congressman present and many Of
them were violently put to death when thu
congressman replied. He charged that
Withers as an advocate of the old funding
bill of IL had written for it in the Rich.
mond Enquirer" stumped for it, and
aided it in his position Of 1t. Cover
nor. He thought that bondholder who
wouldn't accept his interest during thu
war in money that Confederate soldier
would have been shot for refusing to take
ought to be shot now if he demanded il
compounded and in gold, (applause). He
wanted his statement printed to go to the
people that per cent. under the McCul-
loch bill is more than per cent. would be
on the two thirds of the debt which they
recognized as due. He called the atten-
ton of the congressman to the fact that
there was 100000 due by the U. s. Gov
eminent to Virginia and while the Vir.
ginia congressman would vote $5O, 900 600
pensions to U. S. soldiers, yet when they
went for the two millions, they had the
cry rammed down their threats that the
State had been in rebellion, (long contin-
ued applause). You ought to 60 and get
this two millions and pour it into the lap
of Old Virginia, applause. and then too
would be out in the crowd hurrahing for
Withers and Tucker. IA voice-Give il
to 'em Harry.) He quoted the decision Of
st. George Tucker who when Judge Pen
dleton died was appointed and changed the
decision of tied Court of Appeals and
decided in favor Of the people. Thank
God for the first Tucker if we never have
occasion to thank him for the last, Zap
plause). They ask, what are you going
to do about it, Well just let US "base
creatures" Malone, and Paul and Rid
dleberger alone and Well show you what
we will do about it. Whv not let US alone
If 1t is as you. say irrepealablep what
harm can we do.
SENATOR WITHERS.
When Senator Withers rose to reply the
conduct of portion of the audience was
nothing less than disgraceful. NOtwith-
standing the programme for the division
of time had been read in their hearing
they commenced cheering and calling for
Paul, and 1t was some time before they
would allow the Senator to proceed. His
first twenty words produced reyulsion
of feeling. He said with dignity: Eel
low citizens, claim the right to be treat
ed as gentleman. Ii by any act of mine