Year: 1878

held at Henrico courthouse yesterday to
hear addresses from the candidates for Con-,
gress. It was arranged that each one should
have half an, hour in which to explain his
position and to deliver honeyed phrases to
:i}1e ears Of his hearers, and that Colonel
John B. Young should lead of, beginning
at 1890.


Mr.. A. L. Holiday, county superinten-
dent, presided. The sovereigns got seats
near the doors and windows to catch the
breeze. A few OF them pulled off their
coats. All of them made themselves as COM
Portable and easy rs possible and listened
with great attention.


1t took


COLONEL JOHN B. YOUNG


some time to "warm up" to his work. but
he talked ssnse al the way through and
glided from the exordium into the midst OF
the issues OF the day smoothly. He declared
that now, eighteen months In advance OF the
time when congressman to be elected this
fall would be called upon to act, it was not
easy to tell the people how he would vote
on each question that might arise. He
could only lay down general principles by
which he would be guided. The Colonel
said, in his bluff, honest way, that he was
born and reared and would die in the school
OF the States-rights. doctrine; but that
nevertheless he would not put himself
in resistance to the logic OF events.
He was for the maintenance OF the
Constitution and against the unjust dis
elimination against tobacco, and opposed to
the present unequal tariff. " Had | been in
Congress would have opposed contraction
OF the currency with the rapiditY which it
has taken place [applausel. though believe
some contraction was necessary. IL was
necessary to take in sails, but not so fast,
said the Colonel. He would not have voted
for so early resumption. He would II he
could give to the country suthclent cur
rcncy, avoiding undue imitation. His idea
was that the circulating medium should be
kept sound and steady. The Colonel
thought that the logic Of events had settled
it that internal improvements were to be
made by the General Government, and that
we should have our share Of them, and he
promised that il elected he would turn his
back on everything else in order to make
himself a useful and effective representa-
tive.


COLONEL w. P. BURWELL,
who was the next speaker, gave running
sketch OF the country as it stands at pres
ent, and many facts and figures TO show





rulnous. and that with proper concert OF
action the Democracy will soon step into
power again. The Colonel doesn't like the
present protective tariff ut all. He prefers
a revenue tariff such as we had from 1917
to 1860. The hand that is to raise Virginia
from her PROSTATE condition is better
tariff and internal-revenue system.


The Colonel wants the national-bank
notes converted into greenbacks, but said
nothing to encourage The belief that he
would have the volume Of currency largely
increased.


The gallant Colonel was gradually drop
ping down upon bis favorite tobacco SUBJ
ject, when, warned by the fast-fleeting min
utcs that his time was nearly exhausted, he
gave the meeting q few oratorical flights and
closed.


MAJOR W. F. C. GREGORY


followed Colonel Burwell.


The Major first aroused the meeting TO
sympathy with him by one Or two effective
anecdotes. Then he told them that what
we want is more money. In that cOnclu-
sion there was no division OF opinion
among those who heard him. They one
and all desired more money. There is not,
said he, enough currency to pay the taxes
to the Federal Government for one year if
they had all to be paid at once.


The Major was understood to be In favor
of lnflation-so process by which lands
and labor would rise in value, and the mo-
ney Of the country have general circulation.
He dwelt also on the hardship Of The pre-
sent revenue laws, claiming that the city OF
Richmond alone pays into the Golfers of the
United States more revenue than all the New
England States. lie would have all that
euuallzed and the burdens OF taxation fairly
distributed. The Maio expressed the belief
that he ought to go, and in fact was going,
to Congress. He said send him and the dis
trict would have two representatives-him-
self in the hall and Colonel BurWell in the
lobby. [Applause.l .-...


Mr.. FRANK V. WINSTON, OF LOUISA,
was introduced to the meeting by the chair
man (as the other speakers had been), and
made speech which produced decidedly
good impression. lie had some pleasant
words to say for President Hayes; thought
that it was very unwise to fix day for re-
sumption, and dwelt upon the gross inius-
tice OF the tobacco tax. The greater part
OF the burden OF that tax is put upon the
producer. he maintained. Suppose, said
he, that SC per barrel is the price OF flour,
and the Government were to put on it tax
OF S24, making the price Of flour $50 per
barrel; how much flour do you suppose
would be sold at that rate? That is what
the Government is doing with tobacco. lie
represented that the production OF tobacco
in 1860 was much greater than in 1870, ana
that the depression OF the trade is not due
to over-production, but to this tax. The
present system has, in his opinion, been the
means OF destroying the tobacco manufac'
tories in the country towns, and will finally
overcome the Richmond trade in favor OF
the great monopolists OF New York and
Brooklyn.


JUDGE W. I. CLoPTON,


OF Chesterfield, whose turn came next,
thought the great want of the day was prac-
tical utilitarlan craftsmanship. He didn't
think Ran. Tucker had it. he joined issue
with Colonel Burwell on the tariff.
The Judge was in favor Of a modified
tariff. Under the present tariff q hoe, a
hammer, or plough-point can be bought
cheaper than ever before. To open our
ports to the manufactures Of the pau
per labor of Europe would be, in his opin.
ion, to ruin the industrial enterprises OF
| Richmond. It would cause her foundries
to be deserted. The unemployed artisans
would be thrown back upon the country to
find support; and then, after our manufac.
tories are closed, the prices of goods Will
go up higher than ever before.


! So the Judge argued that modified tariff
would not be to the advantage Of the agri.
culturists. Tt should be the wish of the
latter to build Richmond up. AS Richmond
increased in wealth and population so would
their land increase.


Judge Clopton's views We're that we
should attempt to secure the repeal Of both