Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-07-25
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FRIDAY MORNING. JULY Is, 1879
Local

FRIDAY MORNING. JULY 25. 1879
Local
POLITICS In THE HOT SEASON.
DEBATE AT HARRISONBURE BETWEEN
SPEAKER ALLEN AND SENATOR PAUL
COMPARISON WITH LAST YEARS CAM
vAss-THE TWO sPEAKERS-sKETCH OF
THE DEBATE.
&C., &C., &c.
tReported for the Staunton VINDIcAToR.]
Monday being court day at Harrisonburg
was selected by Senator John Paul of
Rockingham to give an account of his stew
ardship to the people Of that county. A
representative of this paper was sent down
on the Valley train to note what the stew
ard had to say, and on the cars found Gen.
VIM. Malone on his way down the Valley.
The General looks hardly day older, not
shade less thin, nor his eye a whit less
keen than it did ten years ago. He has
however sustained grave loss IN substi-
tuting for his Topped up sombrero
characterless looking brown straw hat, and
instead Of the we'll remembered long black
frock coat, he had on a travelling duster.
These things may pass unnoticed on this
side Of the mountain, but on the other side
the people wouldn't identify him at all.
The General learn went on further down
the valley, though he was evidently expect
ed by some at Harrisouburg, as along the
cross street at which the train stopped,
couple Of blocks from the Courthouse,
several gentlemen inquired of the passen-
gers if "Mahone had come ?''
The court yard presented SO different an
appearance from what it did at public
speaking in the canvass last year that it
is worthy of note. Notwithstanding the
fact that the court house bell had been
rung twice for the meeting and when in
fact the speaking was already going on,
the yard and adjoining streets had the
usual crowd Of people standing and talk
ing and pie-eating and lemonading at the
various booths. Going up into the court
room found not more than two hundred
people, not as many as there seemed to me
to be gathered on any one corner of the
court house plaza. It was a slim assem-
blage to receive stewards report, which
was doubtless owing in great measure to
the fact that the weather was intensly hot,
that the people are tired Of hearing the
same old harangues and that the steward
had more Of failure than success to report
This last reason is more distressing than
any other. for it is true that in public life
man may have enthusiastic friends, may
be so personally popular as to get the
lions share of the applause, may be the
hero Of his locality, and yet if he has fail
ed in his efforts, if he is destitute Of q
victory over the enemy to report, the peo-
pie have feeling that somehow, notwith-
standing all his good qualities, he Is the
wrong man and that there is something
between him and them that can't be re-
moved. It is true enough that the people
often overrate the powers of men that they
take up but no one sees quicker when he
has failed than that same people.
As Judge Henry z. Allen. of the adjoin-
ing county of Shenandoah had been invi
ted by friends Of the debt settlement bill
to also be present, Senator Paul courteously
waived his account of stewardship and
agreed to joint discussion of the merits
Of that bill. Judge Allen was proceeding
with his opening argument when I enter.
ed and just here nay note the difference
between the two as speakers. Senator
Paul, as most Of your readers know has
the voice and power of oratory, is hot of
purpose, ready in retort and full of those
adj captaHdasm appeals which move the
crowd to huzzas. Judge Allen is just the
reverse; leisurely argumentative and yet
not lengthy, cool as an iceberg. emphatic
yet measured in statement, awkward in
gesture, ever with the appearance of man
striving to state the right thing rightly;
he leaves good and lasting impression on
those he addresses. You may hear Paul
easily and forget what he says. To hear
Allen it requires more patience but you
will not soon forget what he says. Even
before Rockingham audience and with
Paul to answer him Judge Allen made an
excellent and lasting impression. say even
with Paul there, forfeit his rivals say what
they may Paul is the leading readjuster In
Rockingham. Moffett, Harrison and the
rest are away behind him and don't think
60 too far when I say that he can name the
candidates on his ticket for the legislature
from that county in defiance Of any oppo-
sition that may be made. With such q
popularity it is not surprising that he
should have gotten it into his head that
he could beat the ubiquitous "Long john
in this district.
On looking around as took my seat l
found my venerable friend, Hon. Geo. E.
Dencale. presiding as usual; but regret t.
ted to miss from the Secletary's seat my
old friend with the high forehead and blud-
geon who used to occupy it in the flourish
ing days of REIMBURSEMENT, and to find
him occupying an humble seat among
the pepulace. Another sad result of alter
ed interest, was the empty gallery from
which used to hear such shouts for the
popular pets Of the day.
JUDGE ALLEN SPEECH.
When l entered, Judge A. was reply
ing to the cry about the settlement break.
ing up the schools. Why, he said. such a
statement was the merest stuff ever at
tempted to be put down the throat of an
intelligent people, a banking upon your
supposed ignorance. By an amendment
to the bill, without which would not have
voted for it, the schools are placed beyond
peradventure. It provides that each
county Treasurer shall keep back three
fourths of the money collected for the
school tax. Rockingham now pays to the