Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-10-31
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FRIDAY MORNING. OCT. 81. 1879
Local
CLOSING THE CAMPAIGN.

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CLOSING THE CAMPAIGN.
THE LAST COURT DAY SPEAKING BEFORE
ELEcrIoN-THE VOTE IN 1S77-A GOOD
STORY.
&C., &C., &C.
Last Monday it was understood that
Rev. John e. Massey, representing the
opponents of the debt settlement and
Major g. s. Stringfellow who represents
the State Conservative Committee would
speak to the people of Augusta at the
Court house, but the former gentleman
failed to appear. he being too busily en-
gagged according to the newspaper accounts
in trying to keep up his end of the rope in
his own county, where 1t is represented as
swagging fearfully, the colored brother
having let 60 his hold. Maj. Stringfellow
was prompt on time and the applause
which greeted his convincing and eloquent
address, showed that old Augustais sound
to the core. He is the personal friend Of
Gen. Malone, is, we believe, his legal
counsel, and at the State Conservative
nominating convention his eloquent speech
in behalf of his friend, was made familiar
throughout the State by the returning
delegates, but on this vital measure Of the
payment of Virginia's debt he opposes the
Mozart Chieftan on every hustihgs in Viz
ginia. The court house was full and the
colored people among the audience were
conspicuous by their numbers.
The meeting was called to order by Gen.
Echols, on whose motion Capt James
Bumgardner, Jr., Conservative County
Superintendent, was called to the chair.
The Chairman introduced Major String
fellow as gentleman who was not poll
tician but a business man who came to
give his views on the all absorbing ques-
ton of the State debt.
Maj. Stringfellow, who is most attrac-
tive orator, then took the stand, and was
received with applause. He gave rapid
and clear account of the way it, which the
original debt was incurred and then poin-
ted to the obligation which res ed on US to
honorably settle it, making beaut-
full and complimentary allusion to Gen.
Malone, the ''hero of the CT ter." and
saying that if he we're face to face with
that distinguished soldier and could make
him the offer whether his son shOald in
herit his fathers name covered with the
glory of that action, or should be heir to
great wealth, that famous general would
not hesitate one moment in his choice. So
much for the value of honor and wealth
when put in the scale together! Maj.
Stringfellow then gave history OF the leg
islation which had taken place With refer
ence to the debt since the war and turn
ing to the colored portion of the audience
of which the galleries were full, said
while some might tell them that as they
had nothing to do with creating the debt
they should not be burdened with paying
it, no one could tell them that they had
not gone to the polls ten years ago and In
their character as freemen voted to assume
and pay it. The colored people, with an
exception 50 small as to be hardly worth
naming, after they ceased to be slaves and
to the polls in 1869 and cast their ballots
as freemen for the constitution which as
sumed the debt and provided for its pay
ment.
He referred in his history of it to the
assertion by opposition speakers that
some of the Southern States had gotten
their debts reduced. Well. the speaker
said, they did it either honestly Or dishon
estly. II honestly, Virginia is following
their example, if dishonesty, Virginia
doesn't want to follow their lead. Vir-
glnia and the South have stood together
before in the hottest fires. They stood
together at the first Manassas and some of
the brave troops from the far South we're
borne back. 1t was then that Gen. Bee
said :: ''Look at the Virginians under
Jackson. They are standing like stone
WALL" Cheers. That's the way Virginia
wants to stand. Amid all this clamor
for reputation she follows no backward
movement towards reputation. She
stands on honesty and she wants that, not
only the South but the whole world may
point to her saying: ''Look a. Virginia,
she stands like a stone wall tor honest
dealing "(wild and prolonged cneering)
Maj .Stringfellow then took up The McCul-
loch bill and among other things exploded
the silly cry about the bill being for tho
benefit OF "a syndicate of stockholders" p
The fact was that those prominent bank
ers had been invited by the legislature, by
name. to come to Virginia and negotiate
about the settlement of the debt. They
came and made this offer: eve will get
your creditors to reduce your interest so
that you can pay it: we will hunt those
bondholders up and set them to accept a
bill you may pass Offering them that re-
duced interest; we will do this avithout a
dollar Of expense to the state for We will get
our pay for the work out of the bondhol-
ders themselves who fund the bonds under
your bill.'' There is what you have been
told by so many speakers is brokers' job
The whole profit of the exchange Is to be
paid by The bondholders thems Ives, that
bondholder who, you have been so often
told, is your oppressor and natu al enemy.
And Of this bondholder the Major made
a very clear showing of his situation.
Take in 1858 bondholder who had loaned
Virginia $4,000 in money and landholder
who owned $4,000 farm. to-day that
landholder on his farm can raise Just as
much wheat. just as much corn. has just
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