Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-10-09
the Union feeling, without which the
Union was but a mccsery.
II. G., T.

Union was but mCCSei}.
II. G. T.
JOHN s. WISE AT THE SKATING
RINK.
A LARGE AUDIENCE AND A TEMPERATE
SPEECH.
The audience that assembled in the
skating rink aturday to hear John ).
Wise, was the largest that has been
seen in Stanton sinc3 the Hampton
Vance day at the Opera House. 1t was
about twelve hundred in number, one
third of whom were c,lored Repu blicans
one-third Democrats and one third white
Republicans. About fifty ladies were
present. The order was excellent and
Mr.. Wise was uninterrupted from the be-
ginning to the end of his two hours and a
half speech, save by one question and
two or three bouquets. He was eloquently
introduced by Mr.. J. Yost.
Mr.. Wise said he came to meet the peo-
pie here with no cavalry procession fol-
AOWIAS all WILL LIZ 1C6thCl
around his head to keep people from see
ing what was inside Of it, (laughter). He
came as an humble citizen. He would
have gladly met Lee and calmly discussed
the issues of the day with him. The peo-
pie are in no humor for mimic cavalry
parades nor for the revival of war passions
and measures. They want a candid dis
cussion of their interests, and the Repub-
licans had tried to get such a discussion
and been denied. He was here as a Re-
publican, (cheers), not an original Re-
publican; not such Republican as the
black man is who got his liberty by that
party-but he was Republican because
he believed that p arty was the best for
the country. He bad changed? Yes he
had, because he had learned something
that made him change. He was Repub-
lican because of that party s views on Pro-
lection, Finance, liberal construction of
the Federal Constitution, national curren-
cy and its opposition to State sovereign
ty. He was born a Democrat, but he was
also born baby. His father was Dem
ocrat, but, thank God, had lived long
enough to say of that party in Virginia
that it had ''out-scalawagged the scala
ways and out-carpet bagged the carpet
baggers," lapplause). The only reason
that Democrat could now give for be-
longing to that party was "by - am a
white man." White mans party, where?
In New York? Cleveland when Cover
nor signed bill for mixed schools. In
Ohio2 Hoadley, the Democratic candidate
for Governor there had been opposed b.
cause he asserted the utm est iberality to
the colored men and urged the repeal of
all laws making distinction on account
of color.
They said be had changed, but could he
have changed more than a Democracy
that was led by Greedy, and had elected
Cleveland by the aid of the votes of
Beecher and Roscoe Conkllng?
THE BLACK MAN.
He wanted the vote of every black man
present, but he wanted to be plain with
them. He was not in favor of mixed
schools, and if there was war between
the white man and the black man he
would be for his own color just as they
would be for theirs. (Applause.)
FLATrERY OF YIRGINIANs.
He protested against the fattery of Vir-
ginia audiences by the Bourbon orators, as
engendering conceit which leads to de-
generacy. They tell what a, great State
Virginia is; why, the apple crop of Ohio
would buy the State of Virginia. While
there are 10 white men in every 100 in
Virginia who cannot read. there are only
taUo in Michigan out of hundred.
THIS CAMPAIGN.
The Democracy say this campaign that
they will get more colored votes than they
ever got. They say that because they
mean to stuff the ballot boxes. About
Danville, Mr.. Wise was very brief. saying
perhaps not fifty words about it. In the
fifty were, "At the time these negroes lay
there shot in the back. the cry went out
that the men who had shot them we're de-
tending their homes" 1t was this sort
of talk that fooled many an honest white
man into voting the Democratic ticket.
They were swept off their feet by the ap-
peal to their race feelings. Mr.. Wise
forgot to State what "swept them off their
feet" in 1884 when there was no Danvilie
riot and when the Democrats carried the
State by 5000 majority.] When the Dem
ocrats got the legislature they had bare
majority, bat the Bourbons boldly an
uounced that they were going to have two
thirds; Smith of Fauquier, Said II have no
conscience which will permit me to vote
against my party" and Gibson said,
"We'll do no work until we get two
thirds.' They turned out Breckenborough
a wounded Confederate soldier, and put
in Wingfeld, a Republican in his place.
(Mr. Wise forgot Sullivan, the one legged
Confederate doorkeeper who the Republi
cans turned out and put Negro in bis
place] They put Waller R. Staples to
revise the code and he is now stumping
the State. Where is Attorney General
Blair?l
THE DEBT SETTLEMENT.
Mr.. Wise said the Democrats were
pledged to let the debt settlement alone.
but interfered with it by amendments
and now we are right where we were On
that subject. This claim of M. Wise and
the other Republican orators is SO
groundiess that we give the vote on the
measures supplementary to the Rlddleher-
ger settlement. They were voted for by
Republicans and Democrats alike. We
quote from pamphlet by Second Auditor
Ruflin: