The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-12-16
THURSDAY.
DEFERRED MATTER.
A "Reminiscences.

While passing through the State Libra
ry one day this week met with Gen. j. D.
Imboden. The General was seated close
to comfortable fire, with his legs crossed
and holding in his right hand handsome
walking cane. This cane,p said he, WAS
voted to me by the Know Nothing City
Council in 1885 for services rendered the
party in meeting in joint debate RogerA.
Pryor. who came to Staunton to speak in
behalf OF the Democratic party. Roger
Pryor. continued Gen. Imboden. twas.
as ne is now. a great orator, and his an
pearance at Stanton was ANYTHING but
agreeable for the Known othings. There
was no one willing to meet him in Joint
discussion, and the leaders of the Know
Nothing party were at loss to know what
to do. Finally they came to me and asked
II would not take tilt with Pryor, that
they had asked several Know Nothing
speakers but none of them would consent
to meet him. | told them | would do it
upon one condition, and that was that they
should notify all the young men in the
country round about to be at the court
house by 6 O'Clock in the evening, and pack
1T so full that Democrat couldn't get in.
This was done. and about SO clock Roger
A. Pryor entered the court house and
walked up to the stand without re-
ceiying a cheer. After he took his seat |
entered, and the boys shouted like they
were going to shake the roof off the house.
They cheered and cneered me, no matter
what | said, but Poyor, who made grand
speech .didn get any applause. and stopped
before his time was up. His auditors were
as cold as an iceberg. but mine were filled
with enthusiasm. The Known othings,
of course, carried the day, because the
DpmnQrQfc 6idn3f bo,
managed to do it until long time after
wards While Gen. Imboden was talk
ing in the State Library, Gen. Roger A.
Pryor, who came down from New York
to visit relatives and friends, was chat
ting with the Governor in another part of
the Capitol. When | told Gen. Imboden
this he exclaimed, lis that so? Then I
am going to see Pryor. as l haven't seen
him but once in twenty years.
The above was given to the public by
the local reporter of he State. We re-
member very well the discussion between
Gen. Pryor and Gen. Imboden, and we do
not remember to have ever seen a gentle
man SO completely and thoroughly skinned
as was Imboden. Pryor's splendid ora
tory and keen and incisive repartee car
ried the large-audience as if by cyclone,
Know .Nothings and Democrats joining
in the vociferouS cheers which rang out
on the occasion. Although the Demo
Gratis were in a great minority, they were
by no means unprepared for the demon
STATIONS of their opponents, who came
with large sticks, clubs OF anything with
which noise could be made. The Demo-
Gratis were equally supplied. with the
means OF encouraging their champion,
and when the discussion closed, the uni
versal Judgment Was that Imboden had
been oyerwhelmed-a fact that he real
lied himself, as his countepance told the
story Of his notification
The Democrats in Augusta, in those
days, were few in comparison with the
Known othings, but they were true and
plucky, and many of them enjoyed their
winnings on the result between Wise and
Flournoy. They bought entire teams
payable wnensF lcurnoys was elected, took
III potatoe crops, foeks of sheep and the
whole years supply Of pork on the same
conditions The Abneys. the Baylors, the
Harmans, the Bickles, the McAlears, with
Dr. Glen Harris Col.sT. P. Wilson and
Thos. Burke, Esq. were among the lead
ers, land never faltered when the test came.
and Oh the occasion referred to by Gen m
boden, they stood manfully to their cha,a.
/ pion, who achieved a brilliant triusn i
here in the Know Nothing stronghold.