Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-09-25
Public Speaking Yesterday.
SPEECHES BY COL. W. E. SIMS AND ATTORNEY
GENERAL BLAIR.


Sims by the Coalitionists, to speak here yester
day, quite large number of persons came
e Notwithstanding the rain, which commenced
early in the morning and continued through
out the day, expecting to hear a discussion be
tween these gentlemen. To the disappoint
ment of all, and the very great regret of thu
Democrats, who constituted majority, it wal
= learned, when the hour for speaking arrived
that Hon. J. Ran. Tucker, from some unfore
seen and unexpected cause, had failed to arrive
on the IL o'clock train from the West as ex
) pected.
q He was In Lexington and expected to NEE
the train at Goshen. Probably high waters
between Lexington and Goshen prevented hi
, reaching Goshen in time, il he was able to gel
: there at all.
Col. w. E. Sims spoke for an hour and quar-
ter, and Mr.. Blair for an hour. These are botf
good stump-speakers, if that term is applica
BILE to speakers who can deliver demagogica
harangues in an effective manner. It was vel
for these gentlemen that Mr.. Tucker failed to
get here, for then they could not have made
such very vulnerable speeches without expos
ing themselves to ridicule for their sophistr1es
would have been exposed their bold assertions
refuted, and their demagogism made ridicu-
lous.
Readjusters succeeded, and then went to that
party for office, had many hard things to say
of the Democratic party. which is the same it
was when he was a member OF 1T and was can
wasting for it, and crossing swords with Blair
on the stump-so that every blow he struck at
the Democratic party, fell upon his own he ad
| 1t was amusing to see him pummeling him
self in such a manner.
The strongest counts in his indictment
against the Democratic party Condemned in
greater degree Malone and his party.
One was that the Democratic party voted for
Walker for Governor. Now it is known that
Malone was more Instrumental than any 9TH
er man in having Walker made Governor If
the Richmond Wing is any authority, for 1t
boosted that such was the case, and claimed 1t
as the brightest feather in his cap.
Another was that the Democrats had voted
for Massey. Now it is known of all men that
Massey was the recognized leader of the Read
ulster party-the head and front-the man that
they Landed and honored-and made the FIJI st
Auditor of the State and of whom they all
DO isted that "he was the very best Auditor the
State ever had" 1t was not i'll he had been thus
thoroughly and emphatically endorsed that
| the Democrats voted for him; and it was not
till Massey showed that he could not be made
|
justers found anything.wrong in him. If there
be sin in supporting Massey, then the Read
justers are condemned beyond the hope of SAL
walton.
Another and The main count against the
| Democratic party was that it was not govern
ed by principle, but by policy This he dwelt
upon and laid great stress upon it.
One would have supposed. in view of the
circumstances under which he left the Demo-
cratic to join the Readjuster party, and the we'll
known motto of Malone. in reference to poll
tics and policy that he would never think Of
entering that count against the Democratic
party. The only man that we ever heard of
who boldly proclaimed that policy his
politics is Gen. Malone, the confessed leader
| Of the Coalition party. On one occasion, when
asked his politics, his reply is reported to have
been: politics, hell--poIicy is my politics."
And thus it was throughout-all that he
charged as Objectionable against the Democrat
ic party was more applicable to the Readjus-
ter than TO the Democratic party.
In reference to the fact that the Readjuster
party was drifting into the Republican, he said,
| ''Let her drift" 1t is evident that he is ready
| to belong to the Republican party. and that he
will vote the Republican ticket In 1884 The
speakers OF that party come near as posi-
BILE to avowlng their purpose to vote for the
Republican candidate for President in 1854
They do avow ii in effect when they decline to
say which party they will act with, and evade
answering by saying that they will vote for
that candidate whom they think would do
most for Virginia. This can deceive no one.
Sims concluded by saying that Democracy
was corpse-thaS IL died of too much blood
| of apoQlexy.
On the 9th day of next November. he will fl nd
it to be the strongest and Invest corpse he ever
dreamed of in his philosophy.
When Sims concluded, Blair took the stand,
and made an imprisoned speech of the whoop-
ing hurrah order, and got the negroes in the
gallery and some white men below very much
excited, yet in his conclusion he said that there
was no passion in his speech. He said the Re-
adjuster party was composed OF white and
black-that it was once baby, but now
| giant-complimented Cameron by saying that
| there may be spots on the sun and stains on
| the lily, but on Cameron there were no spots
or stains. The negroes thought OF Cameron's
comparing them to monkeys, and ceased for
awhile to applaud and give utterance to ejacu-
lations of delight, such as "dats SOL come up
higher &c. he said if the Democrats succeed
they will reopen the debt question whilst he
knows that they would not if they could, and
could not if they would. He said also that they
would require voters to pay tax before voting
that they would manacle people now free,
&c, and INDUCED in other false and demagog-
ical statements that were insult to the in
teliigence of the people. He, as also did Sims
eudeavored to excite the prejudices of differ
ent classes in society against each other.
He said the negroes had as much right to
teach white schools as the whites had to teach
negro schools. That his party had found a
number of ladies and gentlemen teaching me-
gro schools, and that they had applied the toes
of their boots to them and kicked them out.
In reply to the question of Chas Grattan, Esq,
I-"whether he would support In 1884 for Presi
dent the nominee of the Democratic or Re
publican party ?" he evaded by giving the ster-
eotyped reply that 'he would vote for the can
didate he thought would do most for Virgin
ia"
This kind OF an answer deceives no one, for
all know that, it was his purpose to vote for
the candidate of the Democratic party, he
would not hesitate to say so.
We should like for him and other leaders and
office-holders of that party to answer this ques-
ton: "If Hancock were the Democratic can
dldate, and Arthur the Republican candidate,
which candidate would you support?'
Here there could be no room for dodging no
4 chance to evade. AS Readjusters they voted
for Hancock against Arthur in 1880 Would
they do SO now or in 1884? If not, why not ?
Is it because they were Democrats then, but are
| Republicans now?
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