The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-10-26
A Readjuster % Rcndjustcrs.
the Editor of IRE DisDdfcA

To the Editor Of Ire Dispatch:
win you allow q plain Readjuster and
farmer a little space In the columns OF your
paper for the purpose Of addressing few
remarks TO those Readjustcrs who neither
hold nor seek public office, and have been
influenced in their efforts 10 settle the
yeXed question OF the States Indebtedness
and take it forever without the pale Of poll
! ties by m honest desire 10 do what was
! Just and most conducive TO the interests of
all the people OF the grand old Common
wealth?
The Hon. John +. Massey--the father OF
rcadiustment-is an independent candi-
date for congressman at large. and is being
subjected 10 n greater amount OF vitupera-
| ton and abuse than ! ever heard spoken IN
reference to any public man. The choicest
bits OF billingSgate slang are applied to him
without stint by the Mahoncte press and
/ speakers. Now, why is thisg Have you
considered it, and sought TO find The truth
/ Has he either IN private orpuhlic life proved
himself unworthy of his sacred profession
OF preacher and Christian or OF the i'm
portant trusts heretofore coniidcd 10 him
| by his fclow-citizens. lf so, he ought to
| be made q Pariah OF. Let Us look into it.
/ He is an accredited minister OF the Gospel,
and has been State senator and State Au-
ditOr. never heard OF his preaching I'M
morality in the pulpit, or practicng it out
OF the pulpit. His legislative career was
marked by untiring efforts TO promote what
I he deemed not only the interests OF his con-
stituents, but OF the whole people OF Nir-
gine. He was the father of reimbursement,
aud increasingly and effectively worked for
all the good il accomplished (and it accom-
plished much GOOD from It's incipiency to
/ It's final triumph. He was state Auditor
for more than two years, and the legislative
committee appointed to verify charges OF
| bribery and corruption made against nm
. failed TO find an iOta of evidence 10 JUSTLY
the charge; and friend and foe have alike
declared that he was among the best, II not
the best Auditor the State ever had. And
vet he is vilitcd and abused and called
traitor; sneered at because he Is a preacher
and farmer" raiser OF sheep and seller OF
lambs and openly and grossly accused
by his opponent for congressman at large
OF being guilty of vile mcndacity. III what
does his treason consist? Was il in reiuS-
ingt0 "bend the pregnant hinges OF the knee
that Thrift might follow fawning'; place
upOn hi. neck the cOlarO Boss Malone"
submit to his diCtd, and do those things
which he deemed subycrsiyc OF the dear
est rights and interest, OF the people OF
Virginia? Was that treason TO the cause
he 50 long and so ably upheld? Or was it
treason to say that the debt question was
settled, ard he did not propose to uphold
the arItOcratic attempt TO make the political
rights of NirginianS The subject Of bargain
and sale to crafty the Scheminr ambition
OF Arthur and Malone:
Let any man who /, RoAjiuster upon
principle ask his own heart if such acts rs
/ have alluded to constitute the traitor.
He i snecrcd at because he i a preacher
OF Gods Word. Would 10 God that
the conduct OF politicians, oilice-hold-
crs, and Olcc-seekers sayorcd more OF
Chri,t's teachings. The people would
gain by il, and our Government
would rest on SIRE foundation.
lie is also sncered at Ey his opponent as a
" breeder Of sheep and seller OF lamb-."
and the lovers of "iicld sports and high
bred dogs" are invoked to put down the
impudcnt filler OF the soil and breeder Of
sheep. Tell Inc, We landowners and hardy
sons of toll, whom do YOU think more
worthy OF your confidence and support
the lawyer-sp0rtSm2n who resides in the
city and keeps his "bigh-brcd dogs" to
hunt the game on your lands, and perhaps
in 80 doing worTy your stock, or the man
that till' his own lands and raises, i'm
proves, and sells sheep (and fine sheep they
are-nSt 4 wolf among them: There is
vet another most grieyouS charge. Mr..
Massey is fatty charged with misrepreseE-
tation and fllSehOod. Let the history
Of his life, the crowds that have
listened patiently and ioyously TO
his impressive sermons, the hosts that
came up and sealed their confidence in his
efforts to promote the Interests OF the State
by voting for roadiuStment, answer that
charge. BY "Star Chamber" arrange
ment he has been removed from an Office
to which he was called by the spontaneous
acclaim OF a MAJORITY OF the people OF Viz
glnia. His pledges to his God and to his
people will not allow him to hold his trl-
ducers to personal responsibility, and he
has for vindication appealed to those voters
Of Virginia wfs prefer that the state shall
/ be governed 10y its virtue and it. intclli-
ccnce, rather than by BoSsism" anj Stall
wart Radicalism, to sustain him in his
effort to illustrate the practical importance
OF that independence and "iiberalism -
which give them the right to think and
act Tor themselves, and iHslres "afTcc vote
and fair count" Can any conscientious,
| gair-minded RciiGiUster refuse to vote for
him on the 1th OF November: | think not.