Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-08-11
A Campaign for free Speech Needed.


A Campaign for free Speech Needed.
ASSAULTS ON HON. JOHN 3. Massey.
The Northern Republicans, who set SO
much store on free speech, will read with
satisfaction the progress of the ''Liberal''
cause in Virginia towards suppressing freq
speech. The following account of Mr..
Massey's speech at Nottoway Courthouse,
is given by correspondent of the Rich
moud "Dispatch. Mr.. Massey had dis
continued his address in order that the
two factions Of the Coalition party might
hold their meetings. The correspondent
goes on:
After the meetings of these two factions
were adjourned, Mr.. Massey again com.
menced his address in the courthouse to a
good, quiet, and orderly audience. He had
been speaking but y few minutes. hOWev-
err, before the Mahnneites again rushed in.
to the house. A. W. Jones was conduct
ed to the stand. ard proposed to arrange
terms for discussion. Massey replied
that The wac ready, willing and anxious
to meet his compel itor upon fair and equal
not propose, while his competitor was
holding aud having his days entirely to
himself, to enter into discussion with men
who we're no candidates. who had nothing
at stake, and who were merely employed
to occupy his time and prevent his being
heard"
1t was perfectly apparent. and had been
all the morning. that the Mahoneites were
determined that the people of Nottoway
should not hear Mr.. Massey If they could
prevent it. And they again renewed the
scenes of the morning with an earnestness
stimulated by free use Of whiskey. When
ever Mr.. Massey would attempt to speak
Jones would also. Some good citizens OF
be quiet and orderly, but their voices were
drowned by the tumult. Some got on the
desk on the Judges stand, but were hurled
down, and fight commenced which prom
Used to be general. The desk was thrown
down, and riot reigned supreme.
Fortunately. the sheriff of the county
made his appearance and cleared the court
house. Mr.. Massey, who had been mashed
and jammed and almost suffocated as l
presume he had never been before, but
who maintained both his position and his
composure, repaired to a stand in the yard
and addressed large, orderly, and ap-
pICCldUltc 0uulOuC0 kOl 6OOuU oil AOu1s Ii 10
speech was clear, fOrcible, and had tell
ing effect.
At the same time another stand on the
other side of the courtyard was occupied
by Jones, F. S. Blair, and perhaps others.
Blair was vociferating very earnestly when
your correspondent left the place. He
had majority Of the colored people to
hear him, and q goodly number of white
people who had come from other counties
with him and his abeJtors, but very few of
the white citizens of Nottoway
Now as to the result. l believe Mr..
Massey makes friends and gains votes
wherever he speaks, but 1 doubt if he
could have made speech which would
have won him as many friends or votes as
the events of yesterday did. Many per-
sons of both the Funder and Readjuster
party said after it was over, I'VE had not
intended to vote for Mr.. Massey before.
but will certainly do so now" Mr.. Mas
sey will carry large majority Of the white
Readjuster vote Of NottOway.
Mr.. Massey paid high and merited
compliment to Senator B. F. Williams,
one of the Famous Five, and the people
of his county showed their high regard for
him by the hearty applause with which
they greeted the compliment.
Justice to the people Of Nottoway re-
quires me to Sd, they we're not responsible
for the disorder of yesterday. It would
never have occurred if it had not been
prompted by men from other counties;
and the most grievous thing is that many
of these men were high officials. Notably
among them were the Attorney General,
the Second Auditor, a postoffice official
from Richmond, the commemorative At
torney of Powhatan county, and the clerk
Of the court of Prince Edward. It is
hardly necessary to add that these are all
SCalwart Republicans and Mahoneites.
ASSAULT ON MIR. MASSEY AT FRANKLIN
COUNTY.
Auditor Massey spoke at Rocky Mount,
Franklin, on Monday last. There were
nearly 1000 persons present. After he had
concluded. Senator James mounted the
stand and said Massey had offered him a
bride of $500 to vote and work for him for
the U. b. Senate in the legislature. Massey
rose and said it was lie. James said he
would swear to it. ''If you do" replied
Massey, ''you will swear to lie." A cor
respondent Of the LYnchburg advance
says:
''Such cheering as Massey received then
is seldom seen or heard. It showed con-
clusively that old Franklin is almost solid
for Massey. He was taken by the citizens
and carried around on their shoulders and
finally put him on porch in front of the
Early House, taking all the crowd with
him, not leaving more than twenty-five or
thirty to hear James, and think most of
them remained through curiosity. think
1t can be truthfully said that the county
is almost solid for Massey.
P. Sat our depot this morning (Au-
gust 8th), James made one of the most
malicious attacks on Mr.. Massey known
to our people. but he certainly must not
have known his man or the crowd. He
struck Mr.. Massey on the side of his head
and byStander returned the blow with
stick on the side of James head that
brought the blood freely. At one time the
fight had the appearance of general row,
but quiet was sOOu returned. Both par
ties were arrested aud taken in the depot
where the Mayor opened his court. Wit
nesses were examined and Mr.. Massey was
honorably acquitted. James was fined
800.
Mr.. Massey then boarded the train amidst
deafening cheers. When he reached the
platform of the cars he returned thanks to
the citizens of Franklin for their kind
ness in his behalf, and the only thing that
could be heard from the large crowd, was,
"H urrah for Massey |"
Every attempt that Mahone's strikers
m ade at Massey in franklin has weakened
their cause and made hosts of friends for
the Parson. 81
When the parties were arrested the pas
sengers on the train got out and declared
their purpose of remaining. until the mat
ter was disposed of. The Mayor was sent
for, with the result above stated
The End Of Fatal Correspondence.
We have already published the CORES
pondence which led to the road-duel, and
death OF Joseph Addison, in Lunenburg.