The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-16
Positfcar discussion
IT WILLIAMSBURG BETWEEN MEssRs. GooDu
AND WATTS QDEN0cRATs) AND J. $. WISE AMI
LAMB (READIUsTERS).
Norfolk Landm ark.l

/ AND WATTS (DEM0CRATs) AND J. 8. WISE AN
LAMB (READIUsTERs).
| Norfolk Landmark
4 WILLIAMSBURG. July 14.-Notices la
been posted at many places here that Co
onai Lamb. of Norfolk, and Captain job
s. Wise, OF Richmond, would address tb
| people OF williamsburg, at the courthouse
last saight, 18Th OF July, 1880. / beIey
that the people generally wanted to hea
them. and the Readiusters were ra
diant. About 12 o'clock the speaker
came ia the hack. and, loi two other
came with them-Judge l.. L. Watts, o
Portsmouth, and Hon. John Goode. O
| Norfolk. AS soon as this was knowB.
joint discussion was proposed and accepted
Judge Watts was to lead of in speech o.
three quarters OF an hour; Colonel Lamb wal
to follow in speech OF equal length; Mr.
Goode TO follow him and take the same time
and Captain Wsse TO close in a speech of an
hours duration. The time arrived and
Judge Watts commenced. / know, Mr.
Editor, thai it is usual for writers in giving
accounts Of discussions to claim success for
their side, and the utter overthrow and de.
feat OF the other side. But when / say that
Watts and GoOde completely demolished
Lamb and Wise in the discussion am sure
every unbiased and intelligent man present
will admit it 10 be true.
confess that | did not expect to hear
the mastery speech delivered by Judge
Watts on the occasion. He has been upon
the bench for the last ten years, and as q
wise and upright Judge had nothing TO do
with politics in all that period of time, and
he agreeably surprised us all. He said that
he came not to discuss the debt question Of
the State. Ii had nothing to do with the
great controversy that now agitated the
American people from one end OF the land
TO the other, and therefore would not at
tempt TO discuss it; and for three. quarters
OF an hour charmed the audience with a
speech full Of argument, power and elo-
quence. Watts, like General Hancock on
certain occasion, was "superb."
In his speech he told us that it was not
known in Norfolk at the last election that
Colonel Lamb was Readiuster. Had it
been, he now would not be the Mayor OF
that good city. Judge Watts concluded his
speech in an eloquent manner, and shall
not mar 1t by even attempting to give it to
you.
Colonel Lamb then came up, and, must
say, greatly disappointed me and everybody
else. His fame as public speaker had pre-
ceded him, and everybody expected to hear
from him q good speech. 1t was very soon
discovered, however, that something was
the matter with him-sOmething oppressed
him. He utterly failed to charm the audi
ence. ellis wings seemed to be wet, and
they tapped and foundered in the DUST"
and actually took up the most OF his time
10 telling the people how and why he be-
came Readiuster. 1t is said that "the
wicked flee when no man pursueth," and
such was the case Of the Colonel. He re-
membered the great Convention OF the Con.
servatlve party over which he presided us
temporary chairman, aud then and there
advocated the paying OF the State debt,
per cent. interest, coupon and all; aud
when Goode in reply told him that in that
Convention he advocated the funding bill
Of 1871, which required per cent. interest
to be paid on the public debt, and now OPP
posed the McCulloch bill, which only re-
CURED 3 per cent. interest, the effect was
electric, aud Lamb wjlted. Poor Lamb!
Then came up G0ode, and he appeared TO
be In good condition. l know he never
made better speech IN bis life. He was
Goode all over, and know bis speech will
never be forgotten here.
During the time be was showing the folly
Of the leading Readjusters in putting forth
their ticket, be turned TO Captain Wise and
said, In a way so captivating and winning,
(" IL that wise Il that wisei that the ai-
dience was transported with ecstacy and
delight.
Mr.: Goodies appeal TO all Democrats,
whether Conservative or Rcadjus.er, 10
stand by the National Democratic ticket in
The present contest, could not have been
suppressed. He said let che State debt be |
e40, Qc0. 200, $30, ZOO, 900, or $4,000. 600. |
'has had rc!Aing ~ DO With this contest be-.