Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-07-16
The Readjuster State Convention.

"A SCaH correspondent OF the BalGlMoIo
American was present at the ReadJus-
ter State Convention in Richmond. His
report is written with no unfriendly hand,
and it contains information ab0rt the pro-
Re.djuster or Democratic papers in Vlr-
ginia. We copy large portion of his re-
report:
The appearance of the convention after
the delegates had taken their seats was
remarkably fine, and, so far as individual
character is concerned, they may Justly De
said to represent the brains, the enter
prise and the prOgressiveness of young
Virginia. The representation, as may be
inferred from the number of delegates
present, was nearly complete. and in fact
only two counties, and one city were with
out Spokesman in the Convention.
CALLED TO ORDER.
IT lacked few minutes of II O'Clock
when General Malone advanced from the
rear Of the platform to call the convention
TO order. The General is q man of Slen-
der but wlry frame, with full. grey beard
and moustache. keen blue eyes, close-cut.
iron-grey hair. an aquiline nose aud thin
lips, which, although nearly hidden by his
imperial. give the appearance OF decision
to his utterances. He weighs but IS
pounds, but in his light-brOwn slouched
hat and loose-fitting linen clothes he mad
quite a martial bearing, and as he came
down the stage, with slow and measured
tread; the convention fairly rose at him,
the delegates swinging their hats in the
air. waving their arms around like IRE
pressible, wind.mills and yelling at the top
of their voices. When order had been re-
stored, General Malone announced that
as The chairman of the state committee it
was his lot to call the convention to order,
and expressing his qualification at the
large representation from every section OF
of tile state, presented as the temporary
chairman of the body SenaIOr Riddleber-
ger, of Shenandoah. General Malone is
scarcely fluent speaker, and seldom
makes an extended address, unless he
has had the opportunity to prepare it be-
forehand. Senator Riddleberger, however,
is one of the readiest orators IN the party.
Tall and commanding in figure. in the
prime of his powers, gifted with ringing
voice, eloquent in gesture as well as for
tunate in the choice of language, he is just
the man to hold the attention OF his audi
ence and carry it with hi n through all the
course of his argument. He spoke with
out notes, and was often forced TO pause
and face the house in silence until the del
egates wearied of cheering. When he said
that it became the party to 60 boldly to
the front, looking neither to party affilia-
tion nor party fusion, the delegates rose to
their feet and cheered until they were
hoarse, and the men IN the galleries SEEM
ed in danger of bringing the roof down
over their perSpirlng heads.
SPEECH By SENATOR PAUL.
At five O'Clock the Committee on Bust
ness was still unprepared to report, and
the convention was addressed by Senator
Paul. He eulogized the nerve and brain
of the party, and said that the party who
had enough nerve and brain to defeat the
Funders in 1879 would have enough to
utilize the victory. The people cared little
who was made President this year, but
did care who was made governor in 1881.
He reminded the convention that the pow
er of the Federal government had been
brought to bear upon Republican Adjus-
tiers in the last Assembly to break their
alliance, and said all honors should be
theirs for their fidelity to the Readjuster
party. The contest was not yet ended,
adherence Vastly more important was
it to both the Conservative and the Re-
publican Readjusters that there should be
a settlement of the State debt than that
Garfield or Hancock should be elected
President; vastly more important to white
and colored Readjusters that free schools
should be sustained. His whole speech
was an adroit effort to reconcile the Re-
publican Readjusters to the choice of the
Hancock and English ticket.
Captain Blair, of Wythe county, fol-
lowed in the same vein. When he asked
"Where are you Republicans going, are
you going to leave the Readjuster party?''
perfect storm of ssnOes', was the answer.
"Who are you for?n shouted some one in
the parquet. "Why, I am for the Cincin-
natl nomineeS-Hancock and English. y
This was the first time that any speaker
had mentioned the candidates by name,
and it ELECTED another burst of applause.
SCENES AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THE
ELECTORAL TICKET-THE HOwLING
BEGINS.
Mayor Lamb. of Norfolk, addressed the
convention in support of the motion. He
| eulogZed the cOlOred race, and tried to
smooth things over for the adoption of a
Hancock and English ticket.
At the close of Lambs speech scene of
indescribable confusion occurred. While
Conservative delegates were shouting
question" at the top of their voices. DIR.
Ward, of Charlotte, stood in the centre
aisle brandishing a paper in the air, and
vainly endeav0ring to get the chairman 8
adopted by the First district delegates.
asking the convention to let them nomi-
nate their own elector. The district is
evenly divided between the Republicans
and Readjusters, and the former had de-
manded representation on the electoral
ticket, and had taken this way to get it..
Had this bombshell been exploded in the
convention at this moment, it might have
upset the whole Readjusters' programme,
so the chairman refused to recognize
Ward, put the motion to adopt the re-
port and declared it carried. s.Division' y
shouted Republican member, and half
the delegates jumped to their feet. On the
stage drunken delegate waved a cane be-
fore the chairman g nose, and the cOnven-
ton was fast becoming a pandem0nium,
when somebody ordered the band to strike
up; and it soon drowned out the objection
of the Republican member. Afterwards,
DR.. Ward succeeding in getting his reso-
luton read, made an effective speech in
its support, closing by saying that certain
defeat awaited the Readjusters if they re-
fused the Republican representation on the
electoral ticket. The speech was received
with cheers, and made such an impression
that the managers were forced to resort to
an adjournment to o'clock to avoid dis
cuSSiOn.
THE NIGHT SESSION.
The convention re-assembled at 9:45,
and DR.. Wards resolution WAS read as
the first business before the convention
Mr.. Il. FL. Harrison, of Clarke county,
moved to reconsider the vote by which
the electoral ticket recommended by the
business committee had been adopted
State Auditor Massey addressed the con-
vention, Mr.. Massey said he regarded the
question of the presidency as wholly Sc
condary to that Of the welfare of the Re
adjusters' party. The more important is
sue before the convention was not the
debt issue, but the reformation of the