Staunton Vindicator

The Meeting on Monday.

The announcement through the columns of the Vindicator, that several distinguished speakers from a distance had been invited by the friends of Breckinridge, and were expected to address the people of Augusta on Monday last, and that Dr. Moffett would also speak on that day, together with other proceedings contemplated by the friends of each of the Democratic candidates, drew to the Court-House a large number of citizens from town and country. Immediately after the adjournment of the Court, the friends of Douglas and Johnson took possession of the Court- House, organized the meeting, transacted their business, and gave way to the friends of Breckinridge and Lane, who did likewise. After this the audience was addressed by Messrs. Smith and Leake, friends of Breckinridge, and Dr. Moffett, a supporter of Douglas. By agreement these gentlemen abstained from discussing the views of the two candidates and directed their efforts to the harmony and unity of the party in the coming momentous contest. The tendency of the speeches was pacific and we are sure a more pleasant and fraternal feeling pervaded the Democracy at the close of the discussion than before. While it was very clear that the friends of Douglas and Johnson numbered as four to one of the supporters of Breckinridge and Lane, still the majority manifested that same spirit of conciliation which has characterized the action of friends of Judge Douglas and the regular organization of the party, in this District, since the adjournment of the Baltimore Convention.

It is gratifying to us, occupying the position we did heretofore, and now do, in the unfortunate Democratic intercine contest, to find the great bulk of the honest, unsuspecting, and dispassionate and practical thinking masses coinciding with the views we have advanced and now sustain. We are fully satisfied that the Democracy of Augusta county are favorable to the election of Judge Douglas to the Presidency, by an overwhelming majority, and that they firmly and unalterable believe him to be the nominee of the only Democratic Convention authorized to make a nomination, and as such are determined to support him.

The disappointment to our opposition friends was most cruel. With laughing faces, and hearts beat on a rich treat at the expense of Democratic unity, they placed themselves conspicuously in the Court-house so that everything that passed might be seen and heard. But, "alas and alack!" for their calculations. As the speakers, especially Messrs. Smith and Leake, began to develop the record of Bell and Everett and clinch down the evidence of their hostility to the constitutional rights of the South--piling fact upon fact to force the conclusion that they were unworthy of Southern support--the galled jades winced, twisted, turned, cursed, "not loud but deep," and finally swore out right that they had been bamboozled, cheated into the exhibition by forged bills and had not received the "worth of their money." It was, indeed, to them a sore disappointment, and convincing proof that the Electoral vote of Virginia will not so easily fall into the hands of the friends of Bell and Everett as they had imagined.

From the manifestations on Monday, we are lead to assume that at least in Augusta county, this canvass can and will be conducted without crimination between Democrats, and that a spirit of fraternal regard will be observed, even should the Charlottesville Convention refuse to adopt the compromise tendered by the friends of both candidates on last Monday.

It is proper to state as a fact connected with the proceedings on Monday, that the friends of Douglas proposed to go into a general meeting and for the majority to determine whether delegates should be sent to Staunton or Charlottesville. This proposition was peremptorily rejected by the friends of Breckinridge.

Democratic Meeting

At a meeting held of the Democracy of Augusta favorable to sending delegates to the Democratic Convention at Charlottesville, upon motion of Jacob Baylor, Wm. A. Abney, Esq., was called to the Chair and H.B. Michie, Jr., appointed Secretary.

Upon motion of James H. Skinner the following resolutions were adopted unanimously:

Resolved, 1. That we, a portion of the Democracy of Augusta, cordially endorse the nominations of those distinguished Democrats, Breckinridge and Lane, and with equal cordiality the platform of principles upon which they were nominated, as an exposition of the true principles of the power of Congress and the Territorial Legislatures over the Territories.

Resolved, 2. In our opinion that it is very desirable that the divisions existing in the ranks of the Democracy of Virginia, growing out of the several nominations for the Presidency and Vice Presidency recently made at Baltimore, should be healed, and that unity of action should be brought about, if this can possibly be affected upon terms which may be honorably accepted by all, and understanding the Convention which is to meet at Charlottesville, on the 16th of August next to be called for the purpose of effecting, if practicable, this union upon the terms aforesaid, therefore

Resolved, That the Chairman of this meeting be and is hereby authorized to appoint fifty delegates to represent us in said Convention.

Under the above resolution the following gentlemen were appointed delegates to the Charlottesville Convention:

Abney, Wm. A.; Abney, U.V.; Alexander, Moses; Alexander, John Jr.; Armentrout, Charles; Baylor, William S.H. Capt.; Baylor, Jacob; Beard, David; Berkeley, Thomas Dr.; Byars, John D. ; Caldwell, William; Clark, Hatch; Cochran, Alex.; Cupp, John; Davis, Columbus; Dickie, R.O.; Fisher, Richard; Harper, Samuel C.; Harrison, Henry; Hill, R.D.; Hunter, Wm. J.; Johnson, Thomas; Jordan, Wm.; Kenney, John Jr.; Koiner, Cyrus; Koiner, Solomon D.; Koiner, Martin; Koiner, George; Koiner, D.W.; Lightner, Thomas; Long, Joseph; Lynn, Wm. H.H.; Marquis, James; McChesney, Wm. N. Dr.; McCune, Givens; Michie, T.J.; Michie, H.B.; Opie, H.I.; Peyton, Wm. H.; Points, B.J.; Pork, Wm. F.; Shaw, Daniel; Shmucker, P.; Shuey, John; Simms, Richard; Skinner, James; Spack, David; Walker, Alexander; Walker, B.F. Dr.; Watts, John B. Maj.

Upon motion of Jacob Baylor, Esq., the following resolutions which had been previously agreed upon by the friends of Breckinridge and Douglas, and passed by the meeting of the Democrats favorable to Douglas and Jonson, were offered as a proposition of adjustment and accepted without dissent;

Resolved: That we recommend to the Convention to which our delegation is appointed, to agree upon the following form of compromise between the two contending wings of the Virginia Democracy, viz: that the Virginia Democracy shall vote for but one Electoral Ticket, and that he Electors if elected shall cast the vote of Virginia for Breckinridge or Douglas according as it may elect either of them, if that election is possible, but if it will not elect either of them, then it shall be cast for Breckinridge if he has a large electoral vote outside of Virginia than Douglas, or for Douglas if he has more than Breckinridge.

Resolved, That Messrs. Moffett, Smith, and Leake are recommended to speak to the favorable consideration of this proposition.

On motion the meeting then adjourned.

Wm. A. Abney, Ch'n.

H.B. Michie, Jr., Sec'y

Richmond papers please copy.

Western Virginia.

We extract the following from a letter written by an intelligent gentleman of this county, now travelling in Western Virginia. It is dated, "Charleston, Kanawha county, Virginia:

"We had a pleasant trip, and enjoyed it very much. Judge Brockenbrough traveled with us. He is an exceedingly affable and agreeable travelling companion, and the hours passed away delightfully as we glided with the swiftness of thought almost, through valleys, hills and mountains, enchanted by the majestic beauty of nature which invited our willing gaze from every side. The Valley of the Kanawha is the finest country I have ever seen. The corn oats and grass, are the most luxuriant I have ever witnessed in my life. It does a farmer's eye good to look at the beautiful growth of vegetation of all kinds.

Politics are very dull here. I find that the lawyers and office holders are for Breckinridge and Lane, but the people are for non-intervention and Douglas and Johnson. I saw some men from Putnam and the other counties adjoining, who inform me that the people are almost unanimously for Douglas. Keep the ball rolling. I see you are to have a mass meeting in Staunton on the 16th of August. That is as it should be. I saw the address to the Democracy of Virginia. It is right. I endorse the whole of it." Yours truly, M. A. K.