Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-09-18
senator IIercfor.l h charIestoen.

In response to very short notice of Senator
Hercford's presence Charles Washington Hall
was filed ON Friday evening of last week. The
meeting was called 90 order 10y Col. r. W. Bay
Tor and the Hon. Andrew Hunter was called 90
the chair The old gcu,lcman's presence WAS
greeted hy round of applause. 10 is the hr>t
time for many years chat he has participated in
public meeting. Although the fro-ts IF many
winters cover his majestic brow and his move
ments show the advance of time hi, splendid
face still exhibits Is much vjsor rs K did IN days
ofyorc. The organization OF the meeting was
a high compliment to Senator Hcrctordand in-
dicatcd that lle held q warm place i'm popular
esteem I'm this section. Mr. Hunter briefly bat
appropriately and in manner highly compli-
r.,ystaiy, introduced tho Senator ga the audi
ence. who. after a short and modest review of
his public life i'm which hc rccurrcd 20 the im-
provements IF our River system through M
tional aid inaugursted during his membership
and craftsmanship Of the Committee on Com
merce and the benefits that have resulted FROM
it 10 our Mouutain State. and also referred To
the charges made against him in regard TO the
Back Pay and his triumphant REPUTATION of
those charges. launched into q discussion of Jhc
public questions that are now engaging the at
tenticn Of the whole country.
Before presenting a synopsis Of his remarks
on general issues we wish 20 note rather re-
markable Characteristic i'm politician that his
silence on the Back Pay question exhibited
His record ON i,is. perhaps, as much 90 DC conn
a. Cd. 10 b f.r Dan, o..
congress during the pcriodin Which twas pead-
Ing and I'm which 70 was passed Tie voiced o.
cainst every step chat was taken to pass IT, and
after &c was passed instead of pockc.inE the pro-
eceds, as Garfield did hc donated IL Co thc ire
ducible school fund of the S.ateof West Virgin
H. through which medium morct than amy other
il could reach end benefit jhewhoiepcopie vino
had entrusted him with tle'r confidence. \
dcnasoyuc would have parallel this viuUous
action before ,hc world bat hc dii 10 I'm secret.
governed only by Tine Thought that he va, pur-
suing the lime ot conscientious duty, and when
our adycrsaries repeatedly as-,.icd him they
found I'M him q man whose unknown record
added laurc- Co his history @, public servant
1t is sad. but true. tha, sgci characters, intae-e
Ae-citlsAtr Nal ~ llN 'NN'atti-i- r..--N--
GOV. Jackson. who had made q very able and
scathing exposition of Bllca!ism during tho
afternoon, was ou Che platform, AND the -cno-
tor referred 90 him In an exceedingly compl-
mentary hammer. The general plan OF Mr.
HereloF" argument was to demonstrate tha'
she claim of Sherman that prosperity had
blessed US through the auspices Cd, l1dicaism
was false. he commenced by citing DE first
act passed under Grants admin. ,Jt.ou, by
which a Radical Congress aui Executive had
50 changed the character OF Quar- pnhiic debt thai
what was before that time payable in greene
backs. then largely below par I'm coin. were
nlade payable en- coin, thus Increasing the y1l-
ume of debt % an already sarely Oppressed reo-
Die near SGp0eOO00. ami thus aiIm, o. the
profits Of foreign Slrlo.k, whohelthcm. lie
descantcd upon the cnoruity OF the 600 and
properly denounced 20 O.. ONE of thc most u1-
paralleled robberio, Observation-Disclosures world
had ever witnessed Tho Resumption Act was
then taken upani its purposes and results clab-
grated and presented ina an able and unanswcr-
able manncr showing that ic intent was zoo