Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-06-06
Defence OF the Seven.

those acting with me, that we purpOsely re-
Trained from noticing newspaperisand other
criticisms, preferring to allow the contest OF
Thursday last to take care Of itself. We would
not now have anything to say, but for the fact
that the Tsndicator, not satisfied. in former
issue, with enlightening US On the beauties
of the City Committees primary plan. has
rather gone out OF Its way in a subsequent is
sue to convince the public that protesting
amounted to nothing that 1t was mere sham
and farce polling in the first ward seven votes
and in the second twenty-three votes. VEN
ture the assertion that there is not a man in
the city who believes seriously such state
ment-of course, excepting the Editor Of the
Vsndicator But before giving any figures, let
us see what the City Committee thought of the
Vindicator's pet plan. OF course. the writer,
who is not membr of that Committee, cannot
say what transpired in the meetings: but this
much he can say. that member Of said Com
mittee stated to Linn, that five of the twelve
members were opposed to the plan adopted.
Then we say, If five members of the Commit
tee had a right to express an opinion. are the
rank and file to be abused because they had an
opinion about matter that concerned them
as much as 1t did the Committee? Now let ue
see what protesting amounted to in the first
ward.
There were cast in the first ward. at the pri-
mary, 263 votes. Now let us see what became
Of these votes-and the tar0ea primary cote ever
cast in Staunton To do this, we must refer to
the figures Of the Editor OF the T1ndicator.
Primary vote in the first ward, 26S
Number Of votes polled in the
regular election in the same
ward, 2-3
Of the number cast in the primary.
Besides, we ask that it be not lost sight of,
that in addition to the above loss of 10 votes,
the "a votes cast for Weller and Elder by those
who did not go into the primary, U1ich the Ed
tor Of the Tindicator admits. should be deducted
from the vote cast in the regular election, in
order to ascertain how many of the primary
votes were qualified to vote in the regular cleo
ton.
Number Of votes polled Ia the regular
election, $50
Number of votes cast for Weller and Elder, "a
Here we have only, -. 1859
votes of the 1858 cast in the primary; nearly 100
short OF the vote polled in the primary. Will
the Editor of the Tindicator account for this
discrepancy? or will he excuse the small vote
on account of LACK of interest in the election :?
Why, then, SO much interest only two days
before? Again. let us take one or two on the
Council ticket in the same Ward-Messrs.
Gooch and Todd for instance.
Mr.. Gooch received in the regular
election, 2l4 votes
From which deduct the vote Of. Weller
and Elder. including the7 poor little
Democrats mentioned by the Vtndi
dtcor. who went astray: and also
the "capitatiOn-tax paid negroes
and Roadjusters which vote, 1t is to
be supposed, voted for Mr. Weller" 81 votes
Leaving. 100 votes
received by Mr.. Gooch in the regular election
against the vote OF 1858 cast two days before tn
the primary. Though Mr.. Gooch did not re-
ce1ve the full vote OF the primary on account
of other candidates being in the field, after be-
ing nominated and leading the ticket, in the
regular election he should have received very
nearly the strength of the primary vote. If the
vote in that election meant anything. SO, then,
1t is to be easily seen from this statement that
either great many who participated in the
primary election, for reasons b st known to
| themselves. refused to vote in the general cleo
ton, or else a great many who voted in the
primary were not qualified to vote IN the regu-
lar election. If the latter be the case then it
| may not be altogether improbable that the
votes of those Oho not entitled to vote in the
primary caused the defeat of Major lEder But
| again; the facts above apply to Mr.. Todd as
well. he received a smaller vote by 10 than
Mr.. Gooch, falling short Of the primary vote
lab; and the same may be said of all tie pri-
mary candidates in the frat ward. then, is it
| not safe to say. the vote polled in the regular
election, was but little more than half as large
| as that cast in the primary election excluding,
| of course, Readjusters, negroes and the DEM
ocrats before referred to. word about the
Vindieator's Democrats-those erring way
ward brethren who protested. Just that num-
Der, merchants and clerks in two stores on
| Main street, voted the Citizens Democratic
ticket. Think Of it; the whole force, without
an exception. voting that ticket, and voters of
the first ward at that, with the capitation tax
| paid thrown in. II the Editor of the Vindlcu-
| tor is serious about the matter, and wishes to
| know the exact number that voted the true
Democratic ticket. we promise to furnish him
| the number, but will not give him the names
| for fear that, by 80 doing, 1t might intimidate
them, and you kaot0 that WiH never do. But.
Mr.. Editor let me assure the gentlemen who
| are disposed to make light of the vote cast in
the late election, that they know not what
the do. for as certain as the sun shines, some Of
| the best men in our city. merchants, mechan-
| Acns navy CIss o4u OttAoES SObcu tue ClttyeUS
Democratic ticket. We know them There
| can be no mistake about 1t, for numbers of
| them have talked with us since the election
who voted that ticket. Besides this, there are
| others who were bound by the primary, but
who now say they never intend to be bound
again as they were before. They make no Sc
| cret of SO stating, and there can be no doubt
that they mean what they say. II the advo-
| Gates of the late peculiar primary have any
doubts as to these statements there is way to
ascertain the correctness of them, which way
we recommend them to adopt.
One other remark and we drop the subject.
| It has been asserted that Messrs. Burns and
Crowle received the lowest number of votes of
| any Of the primary candidates. This is untrue
When the "a votes cast for Weller and Elder
which ticket had upon 1t the names of Todd
Burke Gooch, and Wiz are deducted from the
four last named gentlemen, we see that they
averaged about 100 votes, whereas Burns and
Crowle received, the former 16o votes and the
| latter Isl votes. It has been asserted that the
| two latter gentlemen. in many instances, were
voted for alone. their colleagues on the ticket
being scratched. If sneh vas the case, it would
account for the difference.
| The writer. who resides in the first ward. pre-
ferled only ts asa reat deal that has been
| said would apply with equal force to the sec-
ond ward. where be knows some of the best
men in 1t voted the Citizens Demacrotic ticket.
DEMOCRAT.
Bargains in Buttons, at
| may30-2t STIMULATES.
|
| SCHOOL GIRLS ON THE Way HoME-The Al
derson Enterprise published in Alderson, Non
roe county, W. Va, says: The "boys" were
wild over the arrival Of No. l. Wednesday
evening. The train contained thirty of the
ladies of Miss Julia Baldwin's school in Staun-
ton. They ali took supper hero Capt. Knight.
ofthe Vandalia line, had them in charge In an
excellent Pullman car. They were all from the
West and South West and were on their way
home. the happiest set one ever saw.
JOB WoRK.-At the SPECTATOR Office Job
Work of all kinds is executed in the very best
style at cheap rates. If you want Bill-heads.
Letter. or Note heads, Tags of the best quality.
1 V-