The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-09-11
The Lexington Renort.

be approved by the people of the 10th DIS
trict.
The Lexington Report.
The reporter OF. the Lexington Gazette
who gave to that paper an account OF the
discussion in that place on the LIST between
Messrs. Yost and Tucker must have been
a novice in the business. The original
part of it reads very much like the ac-
counts given to the Spectator and Dispatch
and if we are to judge from the style,
the inference is reasonable that one
and the same person taxed what he
would call his mind, in drawing on
it for the disjointed, partlzan reports CIV
en-. 1t is very certain that he was either
incapable of taking correct notes and CIV
ing truthful representations, or was ex-
hausted from some cause or another, mas
much as he borrowed from The Vi,dicdtor,
the exact report of Nj. fuckers speech
in Staunton at the July court. The Ga
zette incorporated this report into that de-
liyered by the same gentleman at Lexing-
ton on the LIST, and unfortunately did not
eliminate the portions that were not APP
plicable to the remarks of Mr.. Tucker on
the lst. That remarkable occurrence be-
tween Mr.. Garfield and Mr.. Tucker, so
dramatically related by the latter, detailed
in his speech at Staunton, is made part
of what he said at Lexington. when in
| fact, we are informed by parties who
heard him, he did not refer to it all. 1t is
given all the same, however, just as it was
reported in the indicator.
| A reporter who would deliberately fitch
from another reporter, and not have the
discrimination to make what he had taken,
| without credit, fit to suit the occasion it
was applied to, could not well be relied on
either for fairness or accuracy. 1t would
have been better anyhow. to have left out
Mr.. fuckers bombastic and egotistical
reference to an incident which may have
| occurred over u social glass in social con-
verse, in a playful way, rather than to
presented by Mr.. Tucker. From Mr..
fuckers manner of relating the scene, it
might be inferred that he seriously re-
fused to take the hand of Gen. Garfield,
because he had said in public speech, when
the passions engendered by the war were
keen and fresh, that he could not shake
hands with those who had fought against
the Union, until they had acknowledged
they were wrong. These remarks were
reported of Gen. Garfield as having been
made in public speech, shortly after the
close of hostilities. If they were made in
an offensive spirit, it was public offense,
and the qualification to have been meri-
torious should have been made equally
public. No modification offered in the
privacy of social intercourse would have
met the case or been adequate to the de-
mands of the occasion. That is the way
| most men would have viewed it. But
Mr.. Tucker, according to his own state
ment. accepted in social way, modifi-
cation that belonged to the whole South.
and If regarded at all. should have been
given toithe whole South. 1t is barely
L
self as embodying the sentiment, the
chivalry. the offended digniGy of the whole
Southern people, and the unkindness which
he assumed had been offered them could
be atoned for by simple remark to him
in the intimacy Of personal association,
without the knowledge of the South
However ridiculous this may seem, it
bears that Interpretation, especially when
the gravity of the matter is augmented
by Mr.. fuckers imposing and swelling
mannerism in relating it.
1t is the more ridiculous to suppose that
Gen. Garfield would have apologised to
Mr.. Tucker in private, for what he had
said in public, if a serious demand had
been made upon him. And if the demand
was not serious, then it is supremacy ride
| ulous for Mr.. Tucker to be parading it be-
fore the public in any other light than a
passing pleasantly in social life.
And for Mr.. Tucker to be constantly
waving the bloody shirt, and resurrecting
the memories of the past as connected
| with speeches and events Immediately fol-
lowing the close of armed hostilities be-
tween the sections, it is not only in bad
taste, but no evidence of craftsmanship.
If there is any one thing the South and
the North want more than another, it is
for the people to have their minds d.
rected to the present and the future,
| wherein their welfare is involved. We have
practical questions and interests to con-
slider directly affecting. our material growth
and individual, as well as aggregated pros
perity and progress. Tothese true men,
who are ambitious to be useful, and think
more of country than the hates and pas
sions of sections, will address themselves,
and endeavor to inspire hope for the time
to come instead of anger because of the
irrevocable past.