Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-10-25

On last Tuesday night, in accordance with
the announcement made In our issue Of that
morning, Judge H. w. Shelley made q speech
before the Conservative Democratic Club OF
Stannton in response to an invitation to do 20,
and with the view of showing the deep interest
he felt In the result Of the election. He spoke
for an hour and quarter In his usual vigorous
and 1ncisivs style. commanding the attention
of the audience, and frequently eliciting ap-
plauss. -.
The time was in the past when he took pleas
ure in the contests Of the political arena, when
the glad iators met each other face to face and
eye to eye. At that time-should such senti-
msnts have been expressed rs are now avcwed
by one Of the parties nov claiming the support
Of the people, they would have been secuted
with scorn and indignation. Virginians then
prided themselves upon their honor, and the
advocacy Of reputation would have mantled
their cheeks with shame. Such was the
strength Of the honest sentiments of the peo-
pie and the traditions Of Virginia for honor
untarnished that even the Underwood Con-
vention was compelled in obediencs to it to
make provision for the payment and extin-
guishment OF the debt by incorporating into
the Constitution q sinking fund.
He riddled the Riddlebergsr Bill, showing
that 1t was . delusion and q snare, and that Its
author was ignrant Of the powers and duties OF
the Courts.
The Court of Appeals would issue man
dGmus requiring the collector Of taxes to re-
ceive coupons in payment Of taxes. The Rid
dleberger Bill would not receive revenues
enough, by virtue Of the effect Of its loan-cer-
tifcate feature. to pay the expenses Of the Gov
ernment. the public schools, and three per
xnl 81 Tho Hal,
acs nowledged by that Bill. It showed that
Riddleberger knew nothing about figures. He
could cut a figure but not work figure
He exposed the Inconsistency of Malone
and the leaders OF his party as to the smount
of the debt, and that now the debt question
was not the issue, but it was whether the State
should be surrendered into the control OF the
Republican party. Cameron was . man of
versatile talents, and his thoughts were 10
brilliant that he did not know one day what
he believed and advocated the day before.
Lewis was an honest Republican and boldly
expressed his sentiments. and sometimes "told
tales out Of school," which policy would
have dictated should not have been told, as
when he truly said that the Readjusters were
tending to the Republican party and would in
evitably take position in the ranks Of that
party. He knew Lewis we'll. and knew that
he had NO idea Of surrendsring his present
Office. which paid him 1ve or ak thousand
dollars year, for that Of Lieutenant Governor,
which pays only about six hundred . year. He
expected to do as he had done before, 60 With =
hop. skip. and jump from Lieutenant-Gov-
ernor to United States Senator. He did not
deem 1t necessary to say anything of Blair-he
had been retired from the canvass.
All the Republicans were now supporting
the "ringed, streaked. and striped" coalition
ticket, because it was recognized as the enemy
Of the Democratic party, and he could not see
how it was possible for any Readjustsr Demo
| crat to support 1t.
He said the history of parties in this country
show, that coalition parties, composed Of dis
cordant elements, contained within themselves
the seeds of dissolution and destruction.
He eulogized the character and talents and
| eloquence of the noble standard-bearer Of the
| Democratic party-Najor John w. Daniel-and
expressed the hope and belief that he would be
| triumphantly elected. Augusta county would
| do its duty nobly, and the news from Rocking
| ham and Page indicated that great changes
were now taking place in those counties, and
that the Tenth Legion Of Democracy was wax
day OF election. The people are now beginning
| to see that they have been deceived by their
| leaders, who are not aiming to readjust the
| debt, as they have protested, but to lead them
| into the Republican camp. The plot il now 10
plainly exposed that Democratic Readjusters
| can no longer be deceived.