Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-09-08
THE CANVASS.

One of the largest polltlcal gatherings
ever seen in the Southwest occurred at
Wytheville yesterday and WAS addressed by
Messrs. Massey, Ayers and Daniel.
Mr. Ayers, candidate for Attorney Gener-
al, was the first speaker. He began by
showing that the charges of the republicans
that the State treasury was empty and had
been emitted by the democratic Legislature
was utterly false; that the Legislature had
not only protected our revenues, but had
saved the State thousands OF dollars. lie
also exposed and broke down the charge
that the hard times were due to the Legls-
lation and management Of the democrats;
that such thing was impossible, as tney
had no opportunity to pass measure tnaG
could affect the financial condition OF tne
country one way or the other. he charged
that the republicans of Virginia had never
passed q single act for the sustenance OF the
free schools; that the democrats had estab-
lished them, and had passed all measures
tending to their support; that the educa-
ceiyed had been given them by the demo-
cratic party; that the democrats were the
friends of public education, and that the
radicals were its enemy. Mr.. Wise, the re-
publican candidate for Governor, has been
telling all over this part of the State,
in his speeches, that he, MIR. Ayres,
was a bankrupt, and that he hadbroken
several times in business, settling his
liabilities at 20 cents OH the dollar
.The statement" said Mr.. Ayers, that |
failed when mere boy) in business is true,
but that 1 ever protected myself by the
bankrupt act is a lie, and Mr.. Wise has act
ed cowardly in telling it over the country
when I was not present to brand it as false,
as it it,"
Mr.. Massey began his argument by brief
al!usion to the State debt, which he said
Malone claimed was going to be settled on
the basis Of the McCulloch bill, but that he
had never once Endorsed Mahone's position
on the debt question. His allusioa to Ma
homes political career was severe in the ex-
IRENE. saving that he cared for his friends
only as tools to carry out his (Mahones)
selfish and fraudulent ends; that the bring
ing out of the July electoral ticket in 1850
was preconcerted scheme, managed by
Malone and Don Cameron, of PennsylVa-
ria to deliver the vote of Virginia to Gar
field and Arthur instead OF Hancock and
English, as it was pledged. In paying bis
respects to Wise, Wood and Blair, the re-
publican State ticket, hc was more than
sharp and severe He said that Blair while
attorney general had taken money from the
State in fees and mileage that be was never
entitled to-.
Mai. Daniel commenced his speech by say
ing that the republicans of this State only
were responsible for the passage ofthe fund
ing bill of 1871, and that it was repealed by
the efforts and votes of the democrats ofthe
ensuing Legislature. He showed up the re-
publieans in q pointed manner in their
course towards the Blair educational bill,
which he said was defeated by their mis-
managed legislation in the Senate. Maj.
Daniel said at first he was little inclined
| to blame Mr. Cleveland, as he thought he
was going little too slow in turning the
rascals out" but that now he could not ut
ter his praises too loud. He claimed that
the republican party had swindled the peo-
pie out of millions Of acres ofland given to
moneyed monopolies, and that three hun.
bred millions ofdollars had been squandered
by them in building q navy which we never
got. He refuted the charges that his party
had taken from the republican platform sew
eral of its planks and placed them in the
democratic. Maj. Daniel closed his remarks
by referring in handsome terms to his stand.
ard bearer, Fitz. Lee.
Judge Waller r. Staples addressed very
large meeting at Charlottesville yesterday.
He said that the democratic party was
| pledged to the Rddleberger settlement, and
| would see to it that that pledge was rigidly
| kept; that all the difficulties in the way of
| a settlement were those made by republican
Judges who are now Mahone's faithful al
lies; that Judge Bond had taken the consti-
tuition and the laws in his own hand, with
| l. L. .,1r
ginia pay her debt, and that tho decision in
| the Parsons case was procured by the de-
| lberate qualification of two republican
Judges. The coupon killer was passed
to prevent depletion of the treasury by
| tax-receivable coupons, and he show
ed by comparison of figures that
the democrats were carrying out in good
| faith debt legislation. In 1888, when Malone
had control Of the Legislature, 1892, 900 of
these tax receivable coupons found their
| way into the treasury. In 1884, under
democratic rule, but ssh 900, while up to
June, 1885, but SIS, 900 had been so received.
Judge Staples referred to Capt. Wise's sheer
| that the democratic nominee for attorney
general had been cart driver, as the most
unmanly act Of the campaign, and said that
he preferred Ayers to Blair, smotherod over
as the latter was with money improperly
drawn from the treasury.
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, addressed n large
crowd on the Courthouse square in Lexing-
ton yesterday. His speech is said to have
been one of the best ever delivered there by
any political candidate, and was listened to
with the most profound attention. S. Brown
Allen, the ex-auditor under the Malone
regime, also spoke to a slim audience but
made little or no impression.
Judge G. E. Stuart, of this city, addressed
large crowd at Rocky Mount, Franklin
county, yesterday. His arraignment Of the
misdeeds of Mahopesm was terrible. He
pointed out its dishonesty and extravaganza
with the peoples money. He dwelt upon
the enormty of the Danville railroad
swindle, by which the State was robbed of
1856, 900; the misconduct of S. Brown Allen
as Auditor in the collection of taxes; the
loss to the State through the failure of the
Petersburg bank, by which Thousands of
dollars Of the States money found its way
into the pockets of prominent Mahoneites.
Nor did ha fail tn show how much Frank |