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Staunton Spectator: May 19, 1868 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

[No Title]
(Column 04)

Summary: The school at Mint Spring held closing exercises with a number of entertaining and educational "dialogues, declamations, charade and etc., which were as well performed as if the persons had been practiced actors." This reflects well on Mr. John Pilson's direction of the school.
(Names in announcement: John Pilson, Lavelette Swink, Alice Atkinson, Maggie Atkinson, Bettie Eskridge, Calvin Swink, Milton Swink)

The Conservative Ticket
(Column 05)

Summary: The article introduces the men nominated as Conservative candidates for office.

Origin of Article: Petersburg Index

Church Property
(Column 07)

Summary: Article alleging that a clause in the new state constitution regarding church property is designed to transfer property owned by the Methodist Episcopal Church South to the Methodist Episcopal Church North.

White Man's Ticket
(Column 01)

Summary: The paper announces the conservative ticket for state offices: Col. Robert E. Withers, for Governor; Gen. James A. Walker for Lieutenant Governor; J. L. Marye, Jr., for Attorney General; and Col. Marmaduke Johnson for Congress for the State at large.

The Lexington Outrage
(Column 01)

Summary: The paper denounces "mean, low, dirty white men" for making "incendiary" speeches in favor of the Republicans. An incident in Lexington that resulted in a shooting in which an African American man refused to give way on the sidewalk for a white woman is used as proof of the damage such men cause.

The Conservative Candidate for the Presidency
(Column 02)

Summary: Claims that the North should select a candidate for the Conservative party capable of winning the election, and that Southerners should support this man, despite their own personal preferences.

Full Text of Article:

The question, who is to be the Conservative candidate for the Presidency, is beginning to occupy a large share of public attention. In view of recent events, it has become a question of great political importance, and one, on the wise determination of which the welfare of the country mainly depends. It is now obvious, that if the Conservative party act wisely and patriotically, discarding all mere personal preferences in the selection of a candidate, and looking only to the choice of the man who combines the largest elements of popularity, success must crown their efforts. But if, on the other hand, they fall into contentions and strifes and bickerings, as to who shall be their standard bearer, defeat, and four years more of disastrous misrule, must be the consequences of their folly.

The great battle for the Constitution and free institutions is to be fought in the North, and by the people of the North. The South is powerless, and must continue to be so until she is restored to her rights in the Union. It is therefore proper, that the North should have the right to determine who shall be our candidate. They can judge better than the people of the South, who is best calculated to ensure success in the North. The Southern delegates to the Convention, should, therefore, say to their Northern associates, "deliberate calmly, cautiously, and dispassionately -- make your selection of a candidate, and we will cheerfully sustain him."

So far as the South is concerned, we wish it to be distinctly understood that we have no preferences and no prejudices, in regard to men -- we will sustain any sound Conservative man, whether he comes from the North, the East, or the West. All we ask is, give us the man who is strong enough to win. We go for success. -- What we desire above all things, is a release from racial domination. The man who can most certainly accomplish that end, is the man of our choice. We go for results -- we care not for the means, or the men who are to achieve them. We will go for Pendleton, Hancock, Doolittle, Seymour, Hendricks, or any other good man. We indulge in no narrow sectional or personal jealousies. We seek to gratify no personal partialities. Victory in the coming contest is our first object.

The signs of the times are all auspicious. -- They show that we can be successful if we act wisely. And what a burning shame it would be, if we were to hazard the result by petty squabbles about men! The issues are too important for us to stop and quarrel about the merits of this or that candidate. We should cultivate the broadest and most catholic spirit. Everything for the cause -- nothing for men -- should be our motto. The split in the Democratic party between the friends of Breckinridge and Douglas, brought all the trouble on the country. Let us not repeat that folly. Lincoln was a minority President. The combined votes of Douglass, Breckinridge and Bell, exceeded those cast for Lincoln by nearly a million. The Conservative vote now, if united, will outnumber the radical, by probably more than a million.-- Shall we now by discords in our own ranks allow Grant -- a minority candidate, to be elected? We trust not. When we hear a conservative say, I will not support Pendleton, or Hancock, or Seymour, or any other good man, we are disposed to set him down as a radical ally. It matters not what his motives may be, or how much he may profess to hate radicalism -- he is practically giving aid and comfort to the Radicals and seeking to hold the South in subjection.--When New York men say they will not support Pendleton, or Western men say that they will not sustain Hancock or Seymour, what is it in effect, but saying they go for men and not for principles -- for their favorites and not for the cause.

Let us then have no more of these idle declarations. Let us remember that the constitution -- the cause of civil liberty -- the great interests of the country are in peril. Let us remember that our first duty is to our country, and our first obligation is to redeem it from tyranny and misrule. Every feeling of personal partiality must be subordinated to this great end. Redeem the country first, and then consult private inclinations afterwards.

We hope the Conservative Convention will come together in a spirit of mutual concession and conciliation--comparing opinions honestly and fairly, with an eye single to success. When victory is accomplished--when the conservative party is established on a firm basis, it will be time enough to consult personal preferences for men, and contend for particular lines of administrative policy. Now, the question is, not how the government is to be administered, but whether we are to have a government which is worth preserving. We must rescue that from ruin, and settle other matters afterwards. We care not what our candidate may think on this or that question -- the great inquiry is, can he win the battle? Has he the capacity to beat the radicals? In other words does he profess what John Randolph called, "the turning out faculty?"

County Canvass
(Column 01)

Summary: Schedule of political addresses by conservative county canvassers to take place in towns throughout the county.
(Names in announcement: John Echols, George Baylor, James Bumgardner, Bolivar Christian)

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: George Baylor and Maj. Y. Howe Peyton will deliver speeches against the proposed constitution in New Hope and Mt. Meridian.
(Names in announcement: George Baylor, Maj. Y. Howe Peyton)

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: Mr. and Mrs. Fry, assisted by Miss Lewis, will give two vocal concerts in the town hall.
(Names in announcement: Mr. Fry, Mrs. Fry, Miss Lewis)

Memorial Celebration
(Column 01)

Summary: Staunton's Ladies' Memorial Association "will perform the sad and tender duty of decorating the graves of the fallen, heroic dead, whose bones lie mouldering in our midst, with wreaths of roses and the myrtle" on June 13th.

West Augusta Base Ball Club
(Column 01)

Summary: The young men of Staunton have organized a base ball club, with R. W. Baird as president. They hope to play "neighboring organizations."
(Names in announcement: R. W. Baird, Charles A. Gladke, D. R. Ackerman, A. E. White, Jacob Scherer, E. T. Kinney)

County Canvass
(Column 01)

Summary: Praises the efforts of canvassers, particularly Messrs. Peyton and Phillips, and encourages other local Conservative leaders to organize and energize the citizenry, including women.
(Names in announcement: Peyton, Phillips)

Full Text of Article:

Our canvassers are at work with an energy which shows it will not be their fault if the people do not appreciate the vital importance of the crisis. The whole burden of the canvass for the common cause, should not be left to fall upon the appointed "canvassers" alone. There are other gentlemen who should share it with them, who have equal ability, time and means to devote to it. So far Messrs. Peyton and Phillips have rendered efficient aid.

Let, too, the superintendents of districts, the chiefs of fifty, and the leaders of ten, co-operate by urging the people to attend the meetings so as to awaken a general interest. When the speakers go to the trouble and expense necessary to get to distant points in the county, they deserve to be welcomed and encouraged by good audiences.

The ladies, too, should attend. Heretofore there might have been objection to ladies taking part in politics, because it tended to create controversies and feelings between neighbors, when they were divided between opposing political parties. But now all ladies are on the same side and can work together in mutual sympathy for a cause in which they have the most vital concern. If the ladies appreciate the dangers of the hour to themselves, there will be few men who will dare to be laggards at this election.

Marriages
(Column 02)

Summary: George W. Greaver and Miss Eliza Jane Mizer, both of Augusta, were married at the residence of the bride's father on May 7th by the Rev. A. A. J. Bushong.
(Names in announcement: George W. Greaver, Eliza Jane Mizer, Rev. A. A. J. Bushong)

Marriages
(Column 02)

Summary: William N. Wilson and Miss Mary V. Poague, daughter of James Poague, both Augusta residents, were married on May 7th by the Rev. Frank Bowman.
(Names in announcement: William N. Wilson, Mary V. Poague, James Poague, Rev. Frank Bowman)

Deaths
(Column 02)

Summary: Mrs. Susan T. Berry, wife of David Berry, died on May 7th near Waynesboro. She was 49 years old. "The deceased had been for over 20 years a professed Christian and died trusting in the merits of the Savior's blood."
(Names in announcement: Susan T. Berry, David Berry)

Deaths
(Column 02)

Summary: Estelle Sophie Ide, daughter of Prof. E. Louis and Sarah Ide of Staunton, died on May 12th. She was 4 years old.
(Names in announcement: Estelle Sophie Ide, Prof. E. Louis Ide, Sarah Ide)