Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-11-21
Address Of Mr.. Massey Claiming the
Seat In Congress.
To the Conservative Democratic Voters
Of HIrQiniQ

To the Conservative Democratic Voters
Of Virginia:
Fellow Citizens, The political CAM
paign which closed on the 18th of No
vember, 1882, will be long remembered
As one of-the most important, both as
10 its character and it's consequences,
which was ever made in this Common
wealth. and l congratulate you upon
The gall Mt fight you made and the
great benefits which must result from
your patriotic devotion to those princi
nles upon which free representative
government must rest.
You may be denied the privilege of
reaping the just reward of your labOrs
Tor BRIT period. The State canvass
-rs or Returning Board" will, cup
pose. give Capt John s Wise q GER
lficate ut election as congressman al
large from Virginia If l could believe
MIN fairly and honestly entitled to it.
that he was elected by q majority Of
those who we're legally entitled to vote
Il should bow to the popular will with
out murmur This, however, no INTEL
sigent man can believe after calmly and
,mpartially examining the evidences of
fraud and illegality which are being
furnished from almost every county
and city In the State.
These frauds were not the results Of
though essness, indiscretion, or hasty,
'mpulsive action, but of mature thought
aud determined purpose.
Shall we tamely submit to them and
tis5w their perpetrators to enjoy the
benefits of their own wrongs?
I answer, NO!-emphatically, MOL
and believe you will endorse the an
swer.
There is heroism in submitting quiz
city and meekly to Affections, and even
wrongs, which we are unable to avoid
or redress, but we forfeit all claim to
sympathy or respect when we tamely
surrender to them without using
legitimate means to relieve our
selves of them when those means are
readily available, If submission under
suchscfrcumstances might be excusable
when It's consequences only affected us
Individually, it cannot be SO when it
damages others as we'll as ourselves and
imperils liberty itself. The frauds
which had been planned before and
we're contaminated on the day of cleo
ton were wrongs not only against each
Of US individually. but against the
whole State. It therefore becomes our
OAPCl0LAt0 O0ty w Oul6OANCoS W Jul
families, and to the whole State, to ex
pose these frauds and to save ourselves
and our country from their evil conse
quences; and I appeal to every good
citizen of Virginia to aid in this patri-
otto work.
Net having the shadow of doubt
that have been elected congressman at
large by a large majority of the legal
votes cast on the 7th instant. shall
certainly contest the right of Capt.
John S Wise to seat in the next Con-
gress of the United States if he receives
a certificate of election. as such.
1t will be impossible for any one man
to perform the laOor which q contest in
the whole State imposes in the limited
time allowed for conducting it. there
fore rely upon the voluntary assistance
Of friends throughout the State have
ample assurances that this will be cheer
fully rendered. This assistance, TO be
valuable, must be Intelligent, active,
systematic and prompt. I therefore
suggest that
l The Democratic chairman of each
c"unty and city secure the appointment
of judicious committee in his county
or city, one of which committee shall
b- competent lawyer.
2 That this committee appoint some
active aud coMp-teEt peIs0a ia each
township of its county or ward of its
citv to obtain and furnish to it full
information of every case of fraud or
iiIegaiity committed in the election
8 That this committee put the infOr
nation thus obtained in proper form,
condensing it as far rs practicable, and
forward it and the name of some COM
petent lawyer VII" viii asstst ln taking
depositiona IN his county or city to Hon.
A. NJ Kelley, Richmond,-
BY the adoption Of this or some SINH
lar plan we shall be able to act systsmat.
ically And by thus dividing the labor
it will be comparatively light upon all,
and can be quickly performed.
Other States have set us noble exam
pies. Their eyes ere now upon US.
Shall we disappoint their just expecta.
tons. or show ourselves Wcrthy de-
scendalts Of our iiiustr.oIs siress
Your ohedient servant,
JOHN E. MASSEY.
Ash LaaOn, November IT, 1882.