The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-10-28
s.Exigencies Of tho Canvass.

nExigencies Of tho Canvass. =
Tie following circular has been sent out
" Judge W. A. Hudson. chairman of the
Democratic County Committee, to large /
lumber of persons, without regard to po-
iticai Identification. or the vote they will |
EAST ON Tuesday next. 1t is evident from
The number which have been directed to
and others who will not vote
for Capt Bumgardner, that the V.adIa-
tor's estimate of political tendencies in
this county has been accepted by others
than the unsophisticated editor of that pa
per. The circular reads:
STAUNToN, October 1886.
The exigences of the canvass ha We
prevented me from addressing. the people OF
Augusta county in public meetings. I. there
fore, take the liberty OF making personal ad-
dress to you, and of requesting you to render
such aid as may be in your power to secure my
election as member of Congress from the 10th
District of Virginia. The nomi-
nation was given to Augusta by the convention
at her request. The Democrats OF Augusta
county have the power, by the simple effort Of
turning out TO the polls and casting their bal
lots. to elect the nominee of their own choice.
AS that nominee, request OF you that, as
I1am0CrAt 1nCereSJeQ
and as a special favor to myself, you will render
all the assistance in your power to bring out
the full vote of your precinct, and especially
that YOU will go to the polls on the day of cleo
ton and vote for me as the acknowledgements OF
wy Very truly, yours, &C.,
JAMES BUMGARDNER. JR.
Thus Capt Bumgardner abandons his
own county to the tender mercies Of the
numerous young lawyers who have been
delegated by the County Chairman to in
struct the farmers and workingmen as to
their duty in this canvass. These same
young men, or most of them, have played
the role of teachers to the people many
times before, with what profit the oft-de-
luded voters are capable of judging for
themselves. It is odd, at least, that the
candidate himself is SO impressed with the
"exigencies of the canvass, +" that he can
not meet face to face his own people. and
explain to them his position on the Tariff,
the Blair Bill, and the repeal Of the Inter-
nal laws. His cause has been committed
to young lawyers of diverse views on
these questions. Some of them are for
free trade and opposed to the Blair bill !;
others may entertain modified views on
these subjects, but none of them, we think
it safe to say, are in favor of protection as
a principle, or are willing to commit them
selves to the constitutionality of the Blair
bill, or the expediency of the repeal of the
internal revenue laws, at least as long as
the Democrats are in power. 1t is little
singular that at the close of the campaign,
when the Republican nominee is canvass
ing the county and speaking in direct and
positive terms to the people on the ques-
lions at issue, that the Democratic candi-
date should absent himself and entrust
his interests to Hon, Eustace Gibson, of
W. Va, who was defeated for renomina-
tion for Congress in his own district, be-
cause of the free trade tendencies OF his
views on the tariff question, as evidenced
by his vote for the consideration OF the
Morris IN Bill, and to others who know
very little about the tariff or any other i'm
portant question affecting the administra-
tion Of government The Republican
candidate has been and is DESTROYS to meet
his opponent in joint debate before an
Augusta county audience. Indeed. he
would be grat1fed to canvass the entire
county and speak in every portion of it
with his competitor, but it seems that the
''exigencies of the canvass" will not allow
this, and Capt. Bumgardner forsakes his
native heath to roam among strangers.
who probably are not SO wide awake and
intelligently alive to the legitimate issues
of the contest as are his own people.
The naked factis, The Democratic speak
ers are afraid to meet the Republican
speakers in joint debate, not because they
cannot speak or are less talented than their
opponents, but for the reason that their
position on the central issues of the con-
test.is not in sympathy with the convictions
and sentiment Of the people. But their
lodging and maneuyering do not deceive
the voters. Rather is it confirmation
strong that their cause is wrong, and that
the candidate who represents non-commlt,
tallsm is not the proper person to speak
for district that calls for the practical
application of certain principles or poll
cies, which are in conflict with Democrat
ic record, and the beliefs of the Democrat
ic candidate. That is about the sum of
it, and the people so understand it.