The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-20

negro in hot discussion with a number OF
his people who seemed TO be trying to tor
ment him. He. however, declared boldly
for Wichham. and said that the Wickham
and Carter servants were well known to
be eycelently treated, and that they knew
Wickham was their friend; what Jones
was or was not they did not know.
Talk about prescription the arts and
devices said to be resorted 10 to intimidate
and ostracise colored people who are dis
posed to vote for Wickham has never been
surpassed anywhere. And yet he will get
negro votes-ycs, a considerable number OF
them. Yesterday they declared for him by
dozens, and shouted openly and loudly for
him.
THE DISCUSSION.
After a number Of colored orators had
expressed their views with more or less
elegance and formality it was arranged that
a discussion should be opened-Audltor s.
Brown Allen to begin. Hon. j. Ran. Tuck
er to follow, each to have an1hOur, and
then Colonel A. w. Jones to take the stand,
and General Wickham to close, each In
tbree-quarters OF an hour.
The speaking was from stand erected
on the court-green in front Of the court
house.
Auditor Allen praised his own party for
the good things they had done, and attacked
the Democracy for their support Of Wick
ham and for the attempt to unsettle the
public-debt question, which he claimed to
he the effect OF the decision OF Judge Bond.
His remarks indicated that rs he under
stood the opinion OF Judge Bond, coupons
would have to be taken without yeritica-
ton, and that there would be nothing to
prevent counterfeits being imposed upon
the State officers. Anticipating that Ran.
Tucker would want TO know how he stood
with reference 10 national affairs, Mr.. Allen
said that he was ReddJuSter, and that that
was good enough name for him.
A large part OF his speech was seemingly
addressed to Mr.. Tucker-the Auditor ges-
ticulating at him instead OF at the crowd
and some OF it contained allusions to that
gentleman.
This afforded Mr.. Tucker the opportunity
he no doubt crayed, for, abandoning the
line OF argument he had proposed follow
ing. he devoted himself to Mr. Allen. lie
answered him with argument, irony, and
ridiculc. He ut times provoked him almost
to madness. then brought the laugh upon
him by presenting him and his cause in
most fantastic lights. lie poured it into
Mr.. Allen for wishing to continue to ride
that old horse Rekdiusterism into power
after the poor thing was dead. He made Il
picture in every ones mind OF Mr.. Allen
astride OF that poor animal. His reticence
as TO his (Allen's) connection with Repub-
licanlsm was also commented upon.
Mr.. Tucker showed that Judge Bond,
whatever he may have decided-and that
l.a Ist1 oil 1a1 tt.. tota f.ts
pons without knowing their genuineness
he denied--is Republcan-an Arthur
Republican and. like the Auditor, is for
Arthur because Arthur is for him.
Tic way this part OF the speech was re-
ceiyed showed that the crowd regarded il
rs quite an improbable thing that Bond
would do anything to help the Democratic
cause.
Mr. Tucker briefly discussed the claims
OF General Wickham and Colonel Jones,
and said: Were | a citizen OF Hanover
or Caroline, and were / ten times the Dem
ocrat / am and Wickham ten times the Re-
publican he is, would not hesitate to vote
for Wickham in preference to Jones'"
[Great applause; loud and prolonged cheer
ing.]
JONES AND wICRUAN.
Colonel Jones made pretty much the |
same speech heard from HIM elsewhere, in |
which he attempted to show 10 the whites |
that Wickham is too much Republican for |
them and show to the negroes that Wick |
ham Is no Republican at all. Discaiming |
any purpose to 90 into Wickham's private !
character, he quoted from Wickham's |
Stearns letter and from other documents to
show that Wickham became a Union man |
soon after the war; that he had supported |
Republican nominees when they were the |
most extreme, &c. Assaults upon Wick |
hams political course were mixed in with |
defence OF himself. In reference 10 the |
decision Of Chancellor Zalriskie, OF New |
Jersey, denouncing his (Jones's) conduct /
in Il railroad ease in terms OF the seycrest |
and most unqualified severity, he said that |
that Judge is now dead, and he desired to |
say nothing bad OF the dead, dc. He de-
MED that as a member OF the Kansas Con- |
vention he had voted for the LecOmpton |
Constitution (Which did not allow negroes |
TO reside in that Territory. Throughout |
his speech he was alternately defending |
himself and attacking Wickham.
General Wickham in replying admitted |
his Republicanism, and also the fact charged |
that he had voted, while member OF the |
Confederate Congress, against putting !
slaves in the army +; but he declined 10 see |
any leniency in Mr.. Jones's proposition not |
to discuss his private character.
The General appealed to his neighbors to |
say II his private character was not without |
stain, but for all that he would not promise |
TO abstain from discussing Mr.. JOnes's |
character. lie might not find it necessary /
to do so now, but possibly might hereafter.
He charged that at Jones's secret meet
ings, where the whiskey flows, 1t is given |
out that he (NYickham) is "oppoSed to pub
lie schools" "A voice: They say YOU
want "to put them in ashes."] This rep
resentation OF his views he denounced as
false and malicious. lie showed that he
had been an active friend OF free schools
before the war and after the war. The
frs. house he built on his place was
blacksmth-shop; the next was a school
house. where 4 school was maintained un-
I'll the State system went into operation,
when the building was turned over to the
county and no pay for it asked. General
Wjckham warmly endorsed the cause OF
free education now rs .he had ever done.
Likewise he denounced az untrue JOnes's
statement that he was check by i0wl"
with HAYES and sought office under that
President; on the contrary, liayes tender
ed him place in his Cabinet which he de-
cined.
General Wickham dealt with Mr. Jones's
record very aggressiyely. He read the
New jersey case. lie also read the record
OF the Kansas Convention. and insisted
that il proved that Jones did vote for that
free-niager clause. Jones claimed that the
record proved no such thing. Wickbam
thought that the matter admitted OF no
doubt.
The people were cheering the General
all the time. The more he criticised Jones
the more they liked it, and he was not
sparing in his words.