Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-10-15
A GLORIOUS DEMOCRATIC DAY AND
NIGHT.

A GLORIOUS DEMOCRATIC DAY AND
NIGHT.
Wednesday was day and night which
will be long remembered as the most inn
posing display ever made by the Democra-
cy of Augusta and Stanton. As early as
6 O'clock A. M. visitors from the county
commenced arriving, and saw scene that
them that there was big time
ahead. Business houses and many dwell
inps were ornamented with banners, and ma
tional flags, in addition to countless parti-
colored lanterns which were hung ready for
the illumination at night.
At 10 O'Clock the county clubs which
had come in on horseback commenced fall
ing into lire under the direction of Capt.
W. l.. Bumgardner, Chief Marshal. There
were one hundred and eighty-two horse
men in line. and they represented the sub
stantial Democratic farmers of Augusta
county. AT the head of the Greenville club
rode Mr.. Mathew Pillson aged eighty years,
one of the most esteemed citizens OF the
county, and another of the same kind
Mr.. Templeton McGuffin, aged seventy
five years. The club under Frank Larew,
ESQ.,, its President, had forty-fve men
out and made fine show. The Church
vile club headed by W. T. Lightner, Esq,
had the largest turn out, having eighty
men in line.
The line of march took in the greater
portion of the city and as the line moved
along it was greeted at various points on
the route with cheers and cries of "hur-
rah for Greenville," ''hurrah for Church
vile, sshurrah for Parnassus, and like
expressions Of good will to the clubs which
were also extended to Henry Allen who
rode in carriage in the line and was re-
peatedly cheered.
THE DAY SPEAKING.
It was unfortunate that Maj. Jno. w.
Daniel, who was to have bebn present, was
detained at Ashland by sickness, and that
Hon. J. c. S. Blackburn, of KY, who had
also accepted an invitation to be present,
was sent by the National Democratic
Committee to Western,g Ohio, but Gen.
Lee, A. A. Gray, Col. James 81. Skinner,
Henry G. Allen and others were certain to
be present, and the visitors knew that
there was some good speaking in store for
them. At noon the meeting assembled in
the Opera House, there being about one
thousand persons present. Ex-Secretary
A. H. H. Stuart presided, the following
gentlemen being elected yice-presldents:
T. S. Hogshead, Jno. A. Mills, Jno. N.
Clark, A B. Lightner, A. A. Sproul, VIM.
F. Smith, VIM. T. Rush, J. A. Bumgard-
ner, j. N. Mcfarland, Chas. T. Palmer,
Jno. N. Opie, Geo. A. Bruce, c. B. Koi-
ner, F. M. Bell, Jno. II. Bell, Jno. II.
Crawford, DR.. J. R. Stout, Thomas Burke.
G.. W. Swoopes, Albert Roller and S. M.
Crawford, of Augusta; Fl. st. G. Tucker,
W. j. Nelson. M. E. Miller, Isaac Witt,
of Staunton; Z. 2. Benson, Jno. M.
Whue, .Albemarle; A. A. Grey, Fluvan ma;
B. o. JAMES, Goochland; R. S. Beasly,
Green; J. W. r. Moore, D. s. Henkel,
Shenandoah; c. P. James, L. H. Steven
son, Highlands; Hon. VIM. Mines, Jr.,
Page county, and w. H, McAllisler, Bath.
The distinguished President made few
appropriate remarks on taking the chair.
Mr.. Il. A. Gray, of Fluyanna, then took
| the stand. This gentleman is favorably
remembered by our people who have heard
HIM before on State questions. His speech
| was able, full of information, and the
| manner of delivery was attractive. He
gave a striking contrast between four
years of Democratic anG four years of Re-
publican rule, IN the matter of economy.
| In referring to the interference of the Cen
! trail government with state affairs he drew
most touching picture of the case of
Judge Hill, of Buckingham, a venerable
man who had been representative in the
legislative halls of the state and nation
and who at eighty years of age was taken
from the Virginia bench, and tried as
criminal before U. S. Court simply for a
different Interpretation of the meaning OF
| the constitution, and who died two weeks
after his acquittal. Mr.. Gray analysed
| Garfield record from the evidence furnish
ed by his own party, and then turned to
the record OF Hancock. Turning to the
| division among the Democrats in Virginia
he gave a clear and exact history of the
events attending it. His address was ap-
plauded throughout and especially when
he referred to Henry Allen, the Demo
cratic candidate in this district.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A DEMOCRATIC
| MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
lion. A. Ell. ii. Stuart arose and said he
| desired to impress upon the voters present
! the Importance of having member Of
Congress from this district in accord with
Hancock. He supposed all present had
made up their minds to vote for Hancock.
but they would do only half of their duty
if they did not elect a congressman who
was in accord with him and would earn
estly support his administration. Such a
Democrat he would then introduce in the
person of Henry Clay Allen.
HON. II. c. ALLEN
then came forward and was received with
wild cheering which lasted for some time.
His speech was dashing, spicy campaign
effort which kept the audience applauding
from it's beginning to its end. the speaker
having at many points to wait for silence
in order to proceed. He said that after
the able and thorough address of Mr.. Gray
| on National affairs he found only State
matters left to him, and he then went into
| that field with a VIM A few moments
after he commenced speaking Gen. FitZ-
hugh Lee who had just arrived was seen
| coming down the centre aisle ACCOMPANIED