Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-20
THEY SPEAK PLAINLY
CANDIDATES ELLETT AND LAMB
MEET ~ JOINT DISCUSSION.
REVIEW EACH OTHERS RECORD.
The Congressman Tells what He
Has Done and Nay DO In Congress,
Original SIIyer-Nan.


Lamb. the two candidates for the con-
gressional nomination I'm this district
met I'm joint debate. in the presence Of
about four hundred OF Church Hills IN
terrified Democrats. and dealt largely
in personal criticisms.
The two candidates were somewhat ce-
layed I'm reaching the hall, and in the in
terim Mr.. G.. ". Wallace made a strong
free-silver speech.
II was o'clock when Colonel Elicit
opened the debate and it was arranged
that both gentlemen should consume 10
minutes each. and have five minutes
additional to reply TO the other In. but
both occupied very much more time than
this. and both created great enthusiasm.
In the outset Colonel Elicit said that IL
was right unfortunate for a man who mad
been I'm office 10 have TO stand forcriticism'
but that was politics. be supposed. anu as
IL was rough. roll ana tumble fight. he
was ready TO stand TO his guns ana get
the best be- could
The Congressman then rendered an ac-
count Of his stewardship. but preiaced MS
account by saying that ~ was not 10 be
expected that a congressman would per
form very much service during his first
term I'm the halls OF Congress. and that
a mans usefulness there depended largely
on his length Of service.
LAMB WAS INACCURATE.
colonel Elicit told OF how he had SEE
cured an increased appropriation for
James-river Improvement. and referred
10 the various bills he had fathered lie
told his auditors that IL be was returned
20 Congress. he would be made chairman
of the Committee Of Interstate and For
eign Commerce, the third important
committee I'm the House, and then de-
fined his position on the currency ques-
tion He first spoke encOmiastically OF
Cautain Lamb. and then said that his
U.amb'o statement that he OElletO was
eiehteen months ago a silver man, then
a gold man. and now a silver man. was
inaccurate He had distributed Coins
Financial School" eighteen months ago,
but not as a silver man. 81 was never
a gold monOmetallist. 7 spoke In my
last canvass for the coinage OF the
seieniorage. / ola telegraph when 1 was
sick TO Alr. Tucker to record me as ne
voted. against the Dingley free-silver
substitute BILL and when / took that
stand / took 30 FOR what / thought was
the best interests OF my constituents. /
When I returned from the Chicago con-
vention the reporters OF the press called
upon me for statement as TO my posi-
tion. They announced that 10 would be
forthcoming. and 80 bankers, brokers.
and railroad men called upon me and
besoueht me to declare for the single
standard Mr. Joseph Bryan told me
that he would rather write my epitaph
than 10 announce that was free-silver
man. and i replied 10 him that he
would never write my epitaph, az when
I died l wanted only q good, true Demo
crat TO write my obituary.
no APOLOGY 10 MAKE
"The only question which asitated NE Do
the consideration OF the platform Colo
mel Elicit continued. was whether /
should accept the plank providing for the
coinage Of silver at q ratio Of l5 10 1
without international agreement de-
cided in favor Of the plank, and so an
nounced. and Il you now denounce my
position you endorse the voters who have
bolted from our ranks.
II never made a political promise / did
not keep" the Congressman went on TO
say, "and I never promised an Office be-
fore election. When / said / would stand
on the Chicago platform. / meant IT,,
and no man within the sound OF my voice
believes / lie. ] will work for free silver
and vote for II as ardently as would VIII
liam Jennings Bryan were he In Congress.
If YOU think i stand by the Democratic
party simply for the purpose Of going
back 10 Congress. and not for the purpose
OF UNFOLDING the autonomy Of the state,
don't vote for me. Captain Lamb has
been Wanting himself as the original sill
yer man. and is making big capital Of
a. H. a. OIL aF
silver men as good. Captain Lamb moved
here two years ago and did not appear I'm
the convention which nominated delegates
20 the stanton convention. l know that
he represented Greenasviile county az
Staunton. and. therefore. he must be a
citizen Of Greenesvile. He now poses as
the mighty champion OF free-silver and
claims as such the sufrages Of a people
who never before heard OF him. l believe
that / am $500 stronger in this district
than he or any other man.
CAPTAIN LAMB SPEAKS.
Colonel Elicit took his seat amid loud
applause. and was followed by Captain
Lamb. who was greeted with vociterous
cheers. Tie spoke first Of primary and
credit money. and then promised TO an
swer his young friend seriatim. He
took up first the proposition that IL was
not customary TO speak before the noml-
nation was made. and showed that
Colonel Elicit had himself N a previous
campaign spoken before teh nomination
was made.
Leaving this point, Captain Lamb
said: "It is for you TO say, my friends,
whether YOU win select a man who has
been i'm harmony with your views for
years. or young man who Is but a tyro
i'm the dicussiOn Of the questions Of
monometalism and bimetallism. He, II
nominated. would enter the race for the
election handicapped by lack OF know
ledge OF the vital issues Of the campaign.
In The hands Of "a skuled stump-speaker
on the opposition side he would have
10 consume his whole time apologizing
for what ne didn't know, and explaining
how he was converted after the Staun-
ton and Chicago conventions. / tell you,
IL YOU nominate him, he viii need help.
/ promise. however, 10 90 along with him
and keep him from falling from grace.
I am as certain 10 90 To- Congress as
Won are that YOU are sitting here. ! read
a determination I'm your faces 10 send
free-silver man there
EIIETTS POOR MEMORY.
Captain Lamb replied 10 Colonel FL
lett's charge that he was rlghtfully q
CiULen OF NitfltNfHi'f anu o'i's 1--WE
ne not know that | have resided In Hem
rico nine years; that eight years ago /
stumped the county for Samuel Z. Wad-
dU and Is his memory so short that he
does not know that at the solicitation OF
his brother-ln-law and his father. ! was
az the last congressional convention and
made the seconding speech Of his nominal
ton?
was at stanton representing the
Creenesvilie people. with whom | have
business interests. but l only represent
"a them because they had no delegate.
IA oeked me TO serve I'm that CAPACITY.