Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-11-20
RIDDLEBER6ER'S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
CONDITION.

CukDll HUN
Among the roarings over the Sen
atorial fight among the bourbons,
we " caught on" to the following
from the Staunton Spectator;
ave think it would be better,
not only for the democratic party,
but for Major Daniel himself, for
his friends not to insist upon his
election as U. S. Senator at this
time, but to unite with the friends
of Mr.. Barbour to elect that gentle
man as Senator to the seat now I'M
properly filed by Gen. Malone, and
then the friends of Mr.. Barbour
NAV unite with those of Maj. Daniel
to elect him to fill the seat now &C.
cupied by Riddleberger. To wait
till the expiration of Riddiebergers
term, would not be long time for
a man as young as Maj. Daniel, but
from the reports of Riddlebergers
mental and physical condition, 1t is
probable that mis- place will have to
be filed before the expiration OF bls
term. If this course be pursued,
the election of Maj. Daniel to NIL
RiddlebergeI's seat will be assured,
whereas if his friends incense those
of Mr.. Barbour by heated contest
with them, they might conclude 10
vote for Judge Staples or some one
else in preference to Major Daniel,
and thus Mai. Daniel may not De
elected at all; and hence we MAIN
tain that it is better both for the
party and Maj. Daniel himself that
his friends make no opposition 10
the election of Mr.. Barbour to the
seat of Malone"
And this from the always truth
full Washington correspondent Oh
the Alexandria Gazette:
REPORTS from the Valley of Nir.
einia are to the effect that 1t would
not be at all surprising if the legls,,
lature of that State recently elected
would have to elect two insteau Oh
one U. S. Senator"
When we consider the reputation
of these two journals for veraclty
"
we No. form some idea OF the cru
elty of their illusions to Senator
Riddleberger's misfortune. HIS
family and friends are sufficiently
distressed to entitle them to immu-
nity from such heartless rejoicings
at the early probability of bis dying
ont of the Senate to give place to
another.
Senator Riddleberger is not the
first man to become demented or
insane Were he a bourbon his
condition would be called soften
ing of the brain," and the cause
would be assigned as "over'work'"
Could these truthful gentlemenQ9
see Senator Riddleberger in his bed
at home, ravinglike maniac, held
in bed by a half dozen strong men,
while his wife and seven children,
an aged mother, three sisters and a
brother weep and wall as only
wives, mothers, children, sisters and
brothers can, they would scarcely
be so cruel as to enter into specula'
ton as to the probable lease OF lie
remaining to him.
In order that all the facts may
be known, and these unpleasant
paragraphs suspended till the end
shall come, we state the Senator's
mind is so rapidly failing that he
can remember very few things /;
among these is the return OF court
day. The last two courts here the
Senator outwaked his keepers and
got into court, where he recolIected
he was defending seven prisoners
Tchieny democrats indicted for va
rious offences, such as larceny, bur
glary and perjury, and before be
could be gotten under control there
were five acquittals and two dis
charges on demurrers. His insan-
ity seems to take the direction OF
defending democrats, and when he
hears of one being in Jail he be-
comes uncomfortable. This was
accepted as the best and most con-
clusiye evidence of his failing men,
tai faculties.
AS a matter OF course this cOndl'
ton brought on a rapid decline OF
the physical man, and the Senator
is now reduced to 100 pounds avolr-
dupols. Considering the severe
dietingprocess hehas gone through,
it is wonderful the Senator is not
even lighter. Since the adjourn
ment of the Senate his physicians
have allowed him only three meals
a day. For breakfast they give
him nothing but beefsteak, mutton
chops, sausage, pudding, potatoes,
biscuits, corn or buckwheat cakes,
and. for two months past, fried oys-
tiers, spare.ribs and hominy. For
dinner, they hold him down to PLAIN
roast beef, mutton or pork, and
roast fowl when any generous
neighbor shall SEND III some largo
enough to satiate failing appetite.
For vegetables, they put him OIL
cabbage, turnips, Irish and sweet
potatoes, white beans, corn and TO-
matoes, and for pastry, only apple,
pumpkin and mince pies, with an
occasional rice pudding, cake and
such like light desserts. For sup
per, they grant him anything lcoidI
that may have been left over from
dinner. They sometimes add to
his breakfast some hash, depending
upon whether there we're any bits
of the previous day left over, out OF
A..