The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-10-14
The Funder Failure.

A ZIG ADVERTISEMENT AND LITTLE SHOW
1856 MOUNTED MEN IN LINE BY ACTUAL
COUNT GRAVEYARD PROCESSION.
For weeks past, the 1under faction OF Staun-
ton have been making grand preparations for
the democratic demonstration which came OIL
Yesterday. Big strikers and little strikers
were sent out far and II ar to drum up crowd
ana it was announced that there would be full
IL 1000 mounted voters in line. The people
Of the city were importunea 10 decorate Their
houses and prepare for the grandesi, most SUI
perb.o magnificent and astounding demonstra-
ton ever held within the broad limits OF the
State. The .S8ectat0r Tuesday morning devoted
half column of nonpareil to the announcement
of the overshadowing features of the pro-
gramnle,and the Hancock club was wild with
anxiety fol the approaching display Speakers
ofnational reputation were announced, among
them Jos Blackburnof Kentucky and altogether
Wednesday the 18th was to mark an era in
the county's history.
The day dawned bright and beautiful and
the display Of bunting flags &c, which greeted
ual was to transpire. BY nine o'clock con-
siderable crowd was on the streets. Every
body was looking for the legion OF fundersb but
the object of their search was not to be found
About ten o'clock the Stonewall Band was
mustered out and made a solitary parade up
Main street. On the streets west OF Augusta
the procession was to form. Presently it did
form, for it required but short time to ar
range it, and started on its march by &C
tual count the great 1906, which was to be,num-
bered exactly 1856 mounted men and it requir-
ed Just five minutes tor them to pass given
point As they paraded the streets the pro
cession appeared positively pitiable. Every
man looked as if he had just buried his best
friend, and would give all the other friends he
ever had to be al nome. Some OF them tried
to smile, but it was such sickly smile that
the effort was ludicrous a few small Boys
hooted and yelled about them and tried TO get
up a little lie. But it was no use. The occa-
sion was too solemn, too soTroWtul, too crush
ng, and the funeral procession moved along
with an expression Of Woe-be7goneness That
NOlliI nave llcftu tDG SbOhtOot IACdie W Piot'
The election news had done the work. They
had met to celebrate the result OF the October
elections, and mingle their jublation with the
prospective Joy OF the Indiana Democracy.
BIT providence and The stout-hearted Repub-
licans mad turned that joy TO grief, and in
stead OF joining in a grand triumphant march,
the Funders OF Augusta looked like captlyes
grazing the triumph OF their conquefors. They
came in their holiday attire to make merry
They returned III sack cloth and ashes to
mourn over buried hopes.
To add to their discontinue the announced
speakers from abroad failed to attend. In ten
der consideration Of the premises, Alr. A. a.
GREY, OF FIu9anaa, tried to comfort them, but
there was many q vacant chair in the Opera
House and inspiration didn't float around with
any degree OF copiousness III vain the speaker
tried to galvanize the crowd, with the Old Gar
lield DugtDoo, but it wouldn't do and MI
Grey would have sold out the contract at a
sacrace Then Mr.. Alien spoke and t'itzhugh
Lee, but the dead weight OF the morning
failure still weighed heavily upon them, and
the TASK OF fSVlNli9 was Il hopeless OH5. Anu
so the grand Funder Rally, which was to in
spire the State from the mountains to the sec,
was perhaps the most complete and signal
failure on record Next week it viii be hard
TO tind a man willing to acknowledge that he
had anything to do with it.
II Augusta is the banner county of the
State, and the exhibition OF yesterday was a
fair indication of the strength and enthusi-
assn OF the Funders, they are whipped, and
Wrapped badly, before the fight begins. They
are Woeiuily lacking in two essentials to sue
cess-tirst, numbers, and second, life. They
might hire themselves out as pal-bearers, but
wi hardly do 10 conduct a political campaign.
At night the Funders had a torch-light pro
cession, and the streets were brilliantly ilu-
minated There were about 10 voters Ill line
and about as many boys,the infant classes ofthe
various sunday schools showing up manfully.
The display Of fireworks was beautiful and the
Republicans were happy After the parade
the crowd was addressed in the Opera House
by Judge Allen, Col. Skinner, w. A. Ander
son, Fltzhugh Lee and Il. st. G. Tucker.