Year: 1869

Z ID. D.D.DoOpLAoc, AMI OluEhc.


observation-disclosures in Page.


LURAY, PAGE COUNTY, June IT,, 1869.


AS soon as speaking was over yesterday at
Front Royal our party had to leave, in or.
der to reach this point in time for the meet
ing fixed for tomorrow. The consequence
was that l have had no opportunity until
now to give you an account of our success
full meeting there. We came from Manassas
Junction to Front Royal by special train,
and on our arrival, about dinner-time, found
that the people had been addressed during
the forenoon by Messrs. Liggett, Walker,
and Roller, all of Rockingham, for the State
Senate, from the district composed Of War
rem, Rockingham, and Page, and by Messrs.
Samuels and Turner, of Warren, candidates
for the House of Delegates.


In the event of the failure. of Colonel
Walker TO arrive, it had been arranged that
Judge Harris and Mr.. Robert Gray, candi-
dates for Congress for this district, should,
after dinner, favor the people with one of
their inimitahlc gladiatorfal encounters,
which resembled nothing ever before wit
messed in this or any other State between
aspirants for high position.


AN AMUSING CONGRESSIONAL TILT.


Sure enough, before Colonel Walker
reached the courthouse Mr.. Gray found m
opportunity to charge the Judge in his
peculiar way with having recently been
closeted with the President of the Harri-
sonburg Union League and with having
had a protracted confidential interview with
Wells on the occasion Of his recent visit to
Rockingham.


Judge Harris, who is an adroit politician
and an elective disputant, reiterated his
intention in good faith to support the
Walker ticket, and threatened to have his
opponent examined by commission de
tunatico inquirendo if be didn't stop his
foolishncss. He got the laugh on Gray,
when the superintendent of the county,
Captain r. II. Turner, came forward, ad-
journed the congressional tilt, and intro
duced


COLONEL WALKER


to the large audience in attendance, who
cheered him with an enthusiasm which at
once showed that, though they had never
seen him before, they had predetermined to
give him a hearty support for Governor of
Virginia. The reception seemed to inspire
our candidate, and though Gatigued by con-
slant travel and early rising, he spoke with
Il spirit and feeling that made this effort
one of the best and most effective Of the
canvass. He commenced by happy
allusiou to the bout between MessrS.
Gray and Harris, which, he said, while it
afforded him no little mcrriment, gratitcd
him exceedingly, as it was most encou-
raging sign for his success when two candi-
dates for Congress found it profitable to dis
pute as to who first got upon the Walker
platform and who intended to give him the
most cordial support. lie only hoped that
the whole people would at once engage in
Il generous rivalry in regard to the same
point. The name of their county town,
Front Royal, he hoped alike argued propl-
tiolisly for the success of our cause, and he
wanted. it on ccction-day to reverse itself
and present a g Royal Front " for the ticket
now battling for the emancipation Of the
white men Of Virginia and the restoration
of the Commonwealth to peace and prospe-
rity.


For four long years, said he, the people
Of Virginia have been living under q govern
mcnt not of their own choosing. After va
rious notifications and changes 1t has
reached that point that is neither purely
military nor purely civil, but, sort OF ln-
congruous mixture, which, for want OF a
more expressive term, he would call semi
military and scmi-carpet-bagger. If purely
military we might he justified in remaining
idle and trusting to the magnanimity of the
shoulder-straps but then, while we are
now subject to orders issued by General
| Candy as commandant Of the First Military
District, we have the civil department. of
government administered and directed by
most uncivil and incompetent agents.


Now, an election has been ordered On the
9Th Of July, and the people Of Virginia will
have at last an opportunity OF resculng the
government of their State from the clutches
of men who have no sympathy with them,
and who have administered it simply for
| their own benefit. ....


There is no question as to their having
the power to accomplish this desirable
result, and it only remains to be seen
whether they have enough Of energy, life,
and spirit, left to do it.
| At the last registration the white men OF
| Virginia had clear majority OF $4,000, and
it is estimated, even by Radicals, that new
registration will give them 25,0o0 more.
| With such an overwhelming majority, II
they permit their State to fall under the con-
| troll of organized pauperism and ignorance
they deserve the dire fate which such re-
suit will intlict upon them. He had no fears
that this would be the case, because he had
too high an opinion Of the Virginian charac-
ter to suppose that they would remain su-
| pine and inactive when all they should hold
| dear is at stake. His journey through South
western Virginia, the Valley, and portions
of Piedmont, had convinced him that the
real people are aroused TO tne mOmenIous
importance of the occasion, and Will turn
out on eection-day en- nadSSe to save the
Commonwealth from the degradation and
ruin which the triumph of those who are
seeking, through oath-bound leagues, to Sc
cure the Goyernorship and Legislature
| would entail upon her.


In Eastern Virginia (his own sectlon),
where the danger is more threatening than
in the Valley and Southwest, owing to pre-
ponderance in many of its counties of negro
votes, the people are thoroughly alive to the
dangers which beset them, and are prepared
to do their whole duty. He here took up
the constitution, and urged everybody to
vote for striking out the test-oath and DIS
franchising clauses, and reiterated the
views expressed elsewhere in regard to the
county organization provision. lie gave
the reasons in detail which would induce
| him to vote for the cXpurgated constl-
tuition rs Il necessity, not RS Il cholce,
and they were so conclusive lhst L
hear of scores who had intended to
vote down the whole instrument who VIII
now follow his example and vote for 1t with
the obnoxious clauses stricken out. All OF
the other leading issues Of the canvass were
reviewed with force and clcarness, ana WIN
unmistakable effect. | hazard nothing In
| saving that nota word was said or an opinion
expressed during the time our candidate
was speaking which did not meet with The
hearty concurrence of the people present,
NOT ufimaut was uttered Which