The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-09-25
Monday Last.

/ DAY. IA large lluHlucl VI OioiAOiio VI VIZ
county were in the city and All unusua
/ throng from the adjacent counties. l
had been literally advertised that Hons
Thos. S. Bayard. and r. l.. Gibson, United
States Senators from Delaware and Lou
isiana, respectively, would speak in behalf
of 'sCleveland. Hendricks and Reform. :
! Arrangements had been made to bring IL
the lame the halt and the blind, free OF
charge, if that were necessary. The county
had been industriously canvassed to en-
courage the faithful to be present.
| 1t had also been announced less preten-
tiously and on much briefer notice and less
effort. that Hon. II. II. Riddleberger and
Col. w. G. Pendleton would speak in be-
half of the Republican cause-for Blaine
and Logan and the Constitution and Laws.
These several influences called together
a great throng. and about IL o'clock. the
Spring Hill Band for the Democrats. and
the Mount Sidney Band for the Republicans
sounded the signal for the respective forces
to gather at the appointed places of speak
lIy-llt IJttllOCINtp III WV Dl'NiW AAo'h'' F.
and the Republicans in the Court House.
The former place was wel-iilled. below
and above-a number of ladies heing among
the audience. and strangers from adjacent
counties. with fair sprinkling of boys
The Court Eouse was soon occupied by as
many as it would comfortably hold both
below and above. with large number Of
persons in the front hall, and at the side
and rear windows.
In the morning when it was known that
both Senator Bayard and Senator Riddle
berger were present. Il joint discussion
was proposed 10y the Republicans but de-
clined by the representative OF the Dem
ocratic county organization.
At about Il o'clock the meeting was
called to order. and Col. w. c. Pendleton,
of. Smytle eaanty. INTRODUCED rs the first
speaker. He is ayoung man Of about 80
wears. good presence. quick "f conception
and fine eoculi,n. lie spoke Tor lhon' one
hour and hell his audience in rapt at'en-
ton during The Who'll" ime making u line
promise For n future. After IL brief
ami lundesLm eiac, he proceeded 10 dis
cuss three pro sosii Inns Us constituting ihe
basis of The issues aiG al gumfnl sol he
cmvass Tari1 and its related interests of
labor and luaferia Aev, lnpment: Public
Education, and II Frer Ballot aud Fair
Elections. His treatment of eac, subject
was clear concise AMI Instructive. show
ing familiarity with III" questions at is
sue and fine abilities for their presenta
ton. His exposure of the State admins
tration Of he Democratic party lis reck-
less disregard of law and constitution i'll
the acts OF the last Legislature in Violat-
ing every principle Of representative gov
ernment, WAS very effective. In closing
he gave his reasons for being Il Republican
in graphic and eloquent sentences and
aroused Il iesponse from the large audience
which showed that his hearers were in full
sympathy with his cogent reasoning and
impassioned oratory. His remarks were
interspersed with happy hits, appropriate
Illustrations and effective appeals, which
met with hearty applause from the large an-
dience present.
Col. Pendeton is good speaker, and
made favorable impression on the first
Augusta county audience he has ever adj
dressed.
After the conclusion of his remarks,
loud calls came up from every part of the
House for 'Riddleberger. On appear
ing on the stand he was greeted with a
storm Of applause. after the subsistence of
which he proceeded to his work.
Just before he had taken his position on
the stand he had been informed that Sen
ator Bayard made very discourteous and
reference to the Virginia repre-
sentatives in Congress, more especially re-
ferring to the Senators from this State,
not by name, however. Reviewing the
history of Virginia-the statesman she
had given to the country, he said the press
ent representatives were not fit to loosen
their shoe latchets. or something to that
effect. Senator Riddleberger said that it
had not been his purpose to allude to any
thing that was Transporting in another part
of the city when he first came into the
house. But after what he had heard. it
would not he out of place to make refer
enee to the Senator from Delaware. For lif-
teen minutes he administered to that gen.
tleman one of the most Scathing and cut
ting criticisms we ever listened to. At
D;1llahornar ic
speaker, but stirred by feeling of indig-
nant resentment he surpassed himself in
splendid rhetoric and biting sarcasm, as he
rapidly ran over the history of the Della
uents, the way he held his seat in the SEN
ate from State composed of three coun-
ties owned by the Bayard and Salisbury
families-his speech in 1862 for secession
and his efforts ever since to explain it
away-his encouragement to the war SEN
timent and his failure to follow his own
advice, and contrasted his (R1s.) own con-
duct during that time, when but a boy IL
wears. old he went into the service of the
Confederacy, remaining until its close and
coming out with captains commission,
having been captured twice, serving seven
months in prison the first time and four
months the second, and furnished with
water the last time from a tug boat right
from the harbor of Wilmington, where
Mr.. Bayard was enjoying his peace and
contentment, while the soldiers were suffer-
ing deprivation and death.
The Senator disposed of this subject as
the least that he had to discuss, and then
proceeded to examine the issues of the
canvass. which he stated to be two-the
Tariff and the Negro. His presentation
of the first was able and instructive. He
went over the whole history of tariff legis-
lation from 1924 to the present, showing
that instead of the present tariff schedule
being war rates, it was lower than any
protective schedule that had ever been
adopted except one. He explained the OPP
carlton of the tariff legislation and the eff
fects of protection and free trade, as man.
Tested in the business of the country in
the respective periods, and gave one of the
most practical, clear and comprehensive
explanations of the protective policy, es-