Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-22
Judge Turnkey fos President.
(Copied by request FROM the Rockingham
Registegj

Judge Turnkey fos President.
COPIED by request fron the Rockingham
RegisteHl
correspondent of the Rockingham IVA. J
Reoister nominates Judge Turnkey, of this
State, for President with Governor Cleve-
land for Vice President! 1t is truthfully
said by the writer that Judge Turnkey has
name to which no dishonor attaches; that
he has no factious entanglements in Penn
sylvania or elsewhere, and that ne has no
congressional record to cavil at.
Judge Turnkey would have been the
Democratic candidate for Governor last
year had he not peremptorily declined the
position, and if he had accepted he would
have been elected, not by Pattison's plu-
rality; but by majority of the whole vote,
and he would have been to-day at the head
of respected and heartily supported Dem
ocratic administration, with his State firmly
anchored in the Democratic line; but Judge
Turnkey declined, and the rest is known to
all.
Judge Turnkey would make a strong
candidate for President under any favorable
circumstances, but he would be feeble
candidate at home and in other States if
SbdrtGu upOu d. L rc0 lIdO0 pldblOIn1 nlA
his popular strength would perish like the
mist of the morning if loaded down with
the Free Trade milestone, and no one be6ter
understands that fact than Judge Turnkey
himself. He is not candidate for polit-
1cal position of any kind and he is about
the last man who would yearn for chance
to victimize hiriself as Free Trade suicide.
When tho policy of the national Democ-
racy shall have been declared by the pri-
mary action of Connecticut, New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana,
the 'Yirginias, North Carolina, Alabama,
Tennessee, and Louisiana, it will be tina
enough to discuss candidates. If it be a
Free Trae suicide, let the Boss suicides en-
JOY their own funeral by making their own
candidates. If it is to be a battle for the
maintenance of our free institutions by
maintaining our free industries, then the
name of Judge Turnkey will be in the list
from which hopeful and eminently worthy
candidate may be selected Philadelphia
Times.
Will the Philadelphia Times allow me to
proffer my grateful Acknowledgements for
its notice Of my proposal of Justice Trun-
key Of Pennsylvania and Governor Cleve-
land of New Yark as Presidential nomi-
nees? declaring the Judge worthy of every
need of praise. During the war; this gen.
tleman, being fearless opponent Of all
extra legal and unconstitutional partizan
legislation, was the object of much vindic-
tive obloquy,
After the war in little while the Repub-
licans themselves beg n to be frightened
at this wasteful vocation, they sought men
of firm integrity in their own ranks to
check it. Corruption went on farther and
70 'Tyuoc fl,on tbo1 f,,rp ad fa ho
right judge, whom they could not drive
from duty by war clamor. They elected
hi1n-their old enemyAand found him as
well invincible to the seductions of power
and money. Such is John Turnkey to-day;
revered as an eminent jurist, an accom-
plished scholar, pure man, a courteous,
clever gentleman, an upright judge, alike
able to breast the clamor of war, and the
Establishments of wealth and power. AS
statesman, of such popularity and follow
ing was he that the bare suggestion of his
name as a candidate for Governor last
spring so thrilled his State with electric
pleasure, an immediate acclaim came back
from every hamlet of his State: Turnkey
can be Governor if he will have it! Wait a
bit and see if the same acclaim comes not
back fcom every hamlet in this broad land:
Turnkey can be President if he will have
it! From Pennsylvania an immense ma
.jority; in New York an overwhelming one
If New York is tired of her honest and
faithful Governor Cleveland and will ostra
else him, as did the Athenians Aristides,
''because they were tired of hearing him
SO often called the faithful" New York
has Gen. Averil, soldier of excellent fame,
a gallant commander in many battles, a SOL
dier, scholar, an orator and gentleman,
who held back the torch in Gen. Hunter S
hand in Virginia, in popularity in the army
inferior to none. New York, bring out
your favorite son yourself, and if you can
bring out a better than the splendid Trun-
KEY, be honest and truthful about it.
Then I must say 10 triumphe New York!
Blessed Republic! Happy future!
Col. Mcclure put forth the Times after
the close of the war, when corruption fes-
tered in every department of the govern
ment, municipal, State, national A cor
rupt Congress, Senate, and officials, every
one with a willing, itching palm for bribes.
Venality, extortion, corruption everywhere
In the victorious North corrupt ballot, in
the South the carpet-bagger, with the bay
onet in one hand and the negro ballot in the
other, to crush us down and keep us so, to
just this tyranny, the Anglo-Saxon under
the rule of the negro, the lineal descend
ants of the Washingtons, Jeffersons, Madi-
sons, Rutledges, Pinckneys, Marions, Lees,
Witherspoons, to the dominion Of their
slaves
1t was in just this state of things Col.
Mcclure put forth the Times to say these
things shall not be. The Democrats North
were wholly without influence or power;
worse, they were hated themselves. There
was no independent Republican party there
on yesterday, on the morrow there was a
party of just one man-no two to it except
No. moral courage-No. 2, magnanim-
ity. Who was then this independent Re.
publican party9 It was Col. Alexander K.
Mcclure. Who was this Independent Re-
publican party, this Col. Mcclure? He was
a soldier, Republican. To his genius,
backed by his friend, Tom Scott, with all
the power of the Pennsylvania railroad,
every avenue of political promotion was
beckoning to him to come and walk in it.
What did he? In disgust he said, bas the
tyrants corrupt and reeking honors. Twas
| a soldier, will be worthy of the name,
alone, if it must be, then alone, will beard
these tyrants in their lair, honor, mercy,
and right his battle cry till hold back the
| tyrant's hand from south of the Potomac.
He soon put forth his captains, Curtin,
Judge Kelly, and Sam. Randall, battled
for their election, won it. The tariff his
platform, see how the independent Repub-
lican party grew, till last election he car
ried through that party New York, Penn
sylvania, New Jersey, and Ohio Democrat
ic, and we in our southern homes are
blessed and happy, the tyrant's hand of all
that hate US held back by the strong arm
of Col. Mcclure alone. That is magma
nilnity and princely chivalry.
Our Lynchburg platform says protection
to American industries. Every man I have
heard speak says it shall stand there.
Ex-OFFICIo.
A STREET CAR EPIsoDE.-Two gentle