Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-09-16

| one was Funder band while another was
| pointed out to me as a Readjuster band. At
| the two hotels the political levees were in
| full blast from as early as 8 o'clock. Then
there was an active running to and fro be-
| to have a joint discussion but the confer
ence soon closed. the Readjusters declining
| to have any join discussion. The follow
| ing is the correspondence:
WOODSTOCK, VA.
September II, 1881.
L. S. WALKER, ESQ,
Charm Read'r Com,
Dear Strive
respectfully ask for a joint discussion to-
day. We have speakers here for to-day
| and understand you have.
| Let us hear soon, so we can make our
arrangements to suit the circumstances.
Very respectfully,
W. L. WALTON,
Chr'm. Elk Com. Con. Dem. Party.
WOODSTOCK, VA.
September -, 1881. !
W. L. WALTON. Esq,
Chr'm Elk Com. G.. D. Party:
Dear Sir:-YOur
letter of to-day asking for joint discus
sion received, and in reply would state
that we are compelled to decline a joint
discussion this afternoon, as we will have
three or four speakers who will doubtless
occupy about an hour and half each,
which will consume the whole afternoon.
Respectfully yours,
L. S. WALKER, Chr'n.
Elk. Com. Read1uster Party.
The Readjuster meeting was then Or
gained in the court house with band in
the gallery, and the Democrats held their
| meeting in the plaza in front of the Jail.
AS there was to be no joint discussion
pretty much all the purpose of my journey
here, was defeated and will only give you
sketch of how the two meetings were
conducted.
spent nearly all my time at the Read
juster meeting; preferring to see how the
enemy are conducting the campaign. Gen.
Mahone's speech was confined liz a great
measure to discussing the debt question
| from the stand point of the McCulloch bill
| and seemed to treat that measure as if it
was the point now at issue before the peo-
| pie. At intervals the applause from the
| Democratic crowd gathered across the
way. and who were Justify cheering John
| Goode, invaded the court house. Gen.
Malone seemed to have set speech and
| being but little of an orator was not very
| interesting. He has two or three quite
eccentric gestures, for instance holding his
elbows close to bis body and extending
| two fingers of each hand. This position he
| would maintain sometimes through sew
eral sentences.
He said that the Riddleberger bill rep
resented. and provided for the payment Of
every dollar the State honestly owed.
| GEN. MAHONE's SENATE CAREER.
When the General reached his sena-
torial career, he showed more excitement
than at any other time in bis speech
| "Was it expected of me Readjuster, (he
asked,) to follow such man as Bayard?
| Was it to be expected of me to follow such
| leader anywhere and forfeit the respect
of my people a? Did any Readjuster who
sent me to the Senate expect that after I
got there would vote with Bayard and
Hampton and Vance. Cheering and cries
| of no, mol I mistake the sentiments of
the Readjusters Of Virginia very much if
they had any idea that would vote with
those men. No Funder expected me to
do it, either. They knew me better. Why
the whole canvass of 1879 was made to
beat Mahone-the cry was, anybody to
beat Malone. They couldn't beat me
with any of their own party and so they
took up Wickham. And that was the
sort of Democracy that expected me to
vote with it! A Democracy that isn't
united on anything but the principle of
public plumber. Cheers.] went to the
Senate to go anywhere that the interests
of my people took me, wild cheering) and
[ shall ever be found there and in the front
rank. [Cheers.] 1 don't intend that these
democrats of convenience shall dictate to
me. [Applause.] I went to Washington
at the bidding of the people of Virginia.
and whatever did there was in accord
ance with my views of the best interests
of those people. LApplause.] And it was
with that view that [ nominated son
of your own county for position there
If that be treason, let them make the most
of it. [Great cheering.]
This was the conclusion of his speech
If you were to ask nae what sort of eff
feet Gen. Malone has as stump orator,
| should have to say none at all. He is
not an orator and suppose if the same
speech were delivered in the same manner
by man who was not VIM. Malone, that
it would thin the audience.
The next speaker was Col. Drury a.
Hinton, of Petersburg, and after him
came the familiar voice of Hon. John
Paul, which rang through the court house
until nearly o'clock.
THE DEMOCRATIC MEETING.
The Hon. John Goode, I am told, deliv-
cred speech which it was loss to any
man to miss, but you will hear him in
Staunton, in few hours. The Demo-
Gratis were delighted with his effort.
About the size of the two gatherings
Democratic and Readjuster-which is
always matter Of excited discussion on
occasions where they are separate, can
! only say that they seemed to me about