The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-03
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY.
AUGUST 30, 1880.

Editors Utsrdfchs Inc Rev. JONI ~
Massey. according TO announcement py
printed circulars posted oil over the county,
addressed about one hundred people at
Franktown on Saturday the 18th instant.
We had been told that he would divide
time, so ne to enable us to bear fair and
honorable discussion OF the issues involved
IN the canvass. Great brag was made be-
fore he came that the Democrats would not
and could not meet him. Imagine our sur.
prise when we asked TO divide time ana
were refused! So, instead OF the Demo
Gratis declining to meet him, Mr.. Massey
proclaimed from the stand that be would
not divide time, and upon the poor, pi'lful
plea that II was his own time, "but on no
occasion did he shirk discussion" "Ob,
consistency, thou art Jewell" What ought
the people Of Virginia to think OF a man
leaving his post OF public duty, drawing bis
nav from the pockets OF the people as II
he were discharging those duties, go
Ing through the State haranguing the
public, inviting them out to hear him and
then refusing discussion Of the issues,
consuming nearly the whole time, aud the
instant he closes his speech, carpet.b bag 10
hand, leaves the place, beyond the reach OF
the people. Such has never been the case
here before, and we regard 1t rs his own
peculiar style OF conducting canvass, hav-
ing heard that he Is accustomed to such
tricks. BE assured such conduct has gain
ed him nor bis party no friends in this re-
giou. The vast bulk Of his speech was The
same old discussion OF the State debt Tex
tracts from which we have frequently seen
in the press OF the Statel.
We do not regard his speech as either
forcbIe or fair. He would lay down pro-
positions and not discuss them. We like
when anybody says thing is so for 1t to be
proven. Naked assertions won't do. For
instance, he said ga Readiustcr is one who
is in favor Of fair, honest, and faithful
payment Of the public debt" He did not
attempt to show this to be true. Again, he
said "tbe war was the joint work Of the
property holder and bondhoIder, aud
both ought to bear the consequences OF the
war alike" He did not attempt to show
they were not complying with bis own pro-
position, but left the matter right there.
This, of course, was done to raise preiu-
dice in the minds OF the one against the
other, but there were no bondholders pre-
sent, and our people are honest and fair
minded.
For Mr.. Massey to have been fair in deal
ing with bis propositions, he ought to have
told the people that il was the Readiuster
party which was retardng the payment OF
the interest on the pubic deb'. lie ought
to have told them that the people OF Vr-
ginIa are now taxed to pay creditors bonds
bearing per cent. interest, when the Con-
seTvative party had passed bill to pay them
at per cent, and the bondholders them.
selves had accepted the proposition, and
t,-or ntdit fnnhipc, bai q M fhonns
to per cent. bonds, until the Readjuster
party got control OF the Legislature; but
he did not tell us that, and we could not
learn what he meant bv "fair, honest,
and faithful payment Of the State debt"
Again, he ought 10 have told us more about
his second proposition, and not left it in
that unclothed and uncertain position. He
ought to have told how these two classes
had agreed upon this matter OF bearing the
results of the war, to have been fair with
the people who were listening 10 him, as
well as fair to himself. lie ought TO have
said that the creditors, in the first place, on
account OF the loss 10 the property holders,
had agreed to strike down one third OF The
amount OF the debt in the second place,
when this was found not TO be sufficient, he
ought to have told how the creditors had
igIttu W u blill lUI ltuuIlIOil VI sCOu,-
900 annually on the interest, after deductiGg
fifteen millions OF the principal; but he did
nothing OF this kind.
Again let us take other assertions with
Dut rhyme or reason. He told how South
Mississippi, and Florida had set
led their Indebtedness at reduced rates.
but he failed to give the reasons. He ought
10 have told us, as the fact is and was, that
The exOrbitant debts of those States were
created by corrupt carpet-bag Republican
officials without these States receiving one
cent in return that these very raScalS were
indicted by the courts in those States, and
had TO flee beyond the jurisdiction OF those
COmmonweaths in order TO escape the peni-
entiary; that these debts, 10 their excess
i've amounts, were created since the war,
we're wholly unlike Virginia, whose debt
vas created by her own people before the
war. He ought to have told us all these
Kings, relying, as he did, upon these States
Is precedents for Virginia. He ought to
nave told us also that these very rascals are
low in Republican camps urging on the
division in the Democratic ranks, and send
ng their iil-gotten gains from southern peo-
nie to pay up the negro capitatiOn tax in
,rder that they may be enabled TO vote the
state to Garfield. He did tell us the
same old card story and dog story,
md, though disclaiming any knowledge
If cards, exhibited great familiarity
with "high, low, jack, and the game"
rhis, however, meant to illustrate why
he Radical ahone-C -Readj listers
should not give up to the regular ticket.
We thought at the time that Christian
minister OF the gospel ought to be able to
give some reason, and some better illustra-
ion of the reason, why his party should not
but such was the fact. Maiorities
wen ought to give way TO the minority
when they are clearly wrong. But have
hey majority? Clearly not OF the people,
stripped OF their Republican accessories
Tor can it be shown even with their Re- |
publican allies. The Legislature don't |
prove 1t. Let us see here are five counties |
o elect legislators, three OF them elect Re- |
ldiusters by majority OF fifty in each |
county, this is one hundred and fifty; two |
counties elect Conservaties by majority OF |
wo hundred in each county, here Is four
hundred. The Legislature meets, and the
ieadiusters have a majority OF three to two.
Who has the majority OF the people in the |
The Conservatives by two hum
lred and fifty. As to telling about the Re.
Idiusters having the majority from the fact
here are so many thousand Republicans |
md so many thousand Democrats I'm Viz
,iGia is simply foolish. How do we know,
'r how can we tell, how they voted with
ecret baIlotp
Mr.. Massey told the people that the Inde-
PENDENT ticket would carry Virginia. Let
Is take his figures: $4,000 votes for Hayes, |
1000 insolveuts, leaves vote Of 81. 900 Re- !
,ublican, $4,000 Tilden votes, 900 in
olyents. This, allowing an equal division |
,etween Democrats and Readiusters, will |