Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-10-25
THE LAST BEFORE ELECTION
DAY.


THE HAULING DOWN OF MAHONE' MANI
BY THE SPIRIT OF THE vALLEY-MA
HONE TO BE CALLED TO HARRIsONBURG
EX-SENATOR LEWIS POSITION CAN
NOT BE MOVED-S. S. TURNER, EX
SENATOR RIDDLEBERGER, JNo. t. HAIR
RIS, AND F. P. FOSTER SPEAK FOR TIIF
DEMOCRATS, AND COL. WIN. LAMB AMI
JOS. BARBRIERE FOR THE REPUBLI
CANS.
&C., &C., sc.
[Reported for the Staunton VINDIcAToR.l
HARRIsoNBURG, Oct. q.
Harrisonburg, was marked in my NOTE
book as a point that ought to be interest
esting to-day. There were two reasons fol
the interest; one was that it was the
last court-day before an election-an
occasion which the Rockingham people
usually celebrate with much polit
ical enthusiasm and a liberal
amount of drinking; the other reason
was that on Friday last the Spirit of tht
Valley, the Oldest Republican paper here, and
edited by d. S. Lewis, son of ex-Senatol
John T. Lewis, and late Republican County
Chairman of Rockingham, hauled down the
Malone State ticket and announced that
it would oppose the head of it for the posi-
ton of Governor. Apart from the influ-
enee of his paper Mr.. Lewis is personally
strong here, and but a short time since was
elected Town Treasurer over popular
Democrat. His position since Gen. Ma
homes nomination has been a trying one.
Openly and vigorously opposing his nomi-
nation for Governor, he yet felt bound by
party ties to support it after it was made.
and hosting the ticket at the head of his edi-
torial column, proceeded to say for it all
that man in his position could say. The
harness did not fit him, and half the time
it looked as if he had one leg over the traces
ready to kick out. The utter. lack of con-
ciliatory policy by Malone; the impolitic
and cOntemptuOuS treatment exercised
towards the anti Malone wing, and an as
sertive spirit of independence in the editor
himself, made the support as far as Malone
himself was concerned but half hearted.
But, for the Republican Legislative ticket and
for Republican principles, the paper has
been enthusiastic. On Thursday afternoon
the rumor got out here that the next morn
ing the paper would haul down Malone S
name. The Malone men were furious and
little knots of the managers could be seen
discussing the report. Friday morning
brought with it a confirmation of the news
the proof adduced against Malone in eX.
Governor Cameron's recent letter (which
was published in full in the INDICATOR
having filled the measure of Mr.. Lewis
cup. Talking to some prominent Malone
men this morning, they seemed to
have adopted two modes of treat
ing this sudden explosion of dynamite
under their bark-one was to pooh
pooh it altogether, and another was to con-
graduate themselves that it had 'Eoome too
late in the campaign to do much harm. ,
Anti-Mahone Republicans on the other hand
say that the pulling down the ticket by the
paper, in this vicinity alone, leaving out the
effect it will have after the paper gets
through the county, will cost the head Of
the ticket fifty votes. Being stranger
here / could not decide on the value Of the
local effect, but when Malone MAJ
told me that they hoped to get General Ma
hone himself to speak here on the Saturday
before the election, l was convinced thai
the pooh-poohing of it was affected. Wher
the Dean of the Faculty has to be sent fol
the attack must he a critical one. The tall
is, resting on what authority [ know not
that Malone is to speak in HarrisonburG
on the Saturday and in Woodstock on thu
Monday preceding the election.
IN THE COURT YARD.
There was large, but not unusually
large attendance here to-day-much less
than I expected for the last court-day be
fore election. The crowd was sober and
with but little enthusiasm OF excitement
seldom seen a more sober crowd. l had {
good deal of talk with Malone men, anti
Malone men, and Democrats. They made
the usual conflicting claims about carrying
the county for Mckinney and for Malone
but on one point there seemed a remarka
BILE, though not general, agreement-tha
is, that DR.. Webb, Malone candidate fo1
the legislature, will be defeated, and Mr.
Funk the other Malone candidate for the
legislature will be elected. Nobody seemed
to be able to explain this, save by saying
that outside of the well defined circle Of
Malone adherents DR.. Webb had few
friends.
EX-SENATOR LEWIS.
A figure on the court green that inter
ested me more than any other, was that O
ex-senator John F. Lewis. Tall, straight
with hair gray but not stoop in his shoul
ders, he walked around the edge of tn
crowd, OIL sat on one of the benches talkin
to the little knot of people that inevitabl
gathers around him as soon as he is still
Perhaps there was never a man who ha,
held so many high public positions who
more easily approachable OF comes nearer t
the popular description, ''as plain as a
old Shoe" He is not at all reticent abou
his intention to vote for Mckinney flo
Governor next month, and you may stay O
the court green all day and you will not Sc
the most warlike advocate of Malone at
tempt to call him to account for it. L
me it looked as if the ex-senator was the1
to see if anybody would like to try it. |
conversation with a gentleman, land referrin
to his intention to cast the first Democrat
vote of his life, the ex-senator said:
''If Patrick Henry were to rise from til
dead, with all his eloquence he could nc
change me. Party fealty is good thing
but when it asks me to vote for a man thu