Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-01-08

sion. and she responded by passing, on ths
l7th of April. 1861, her ordinance of Sc
cession. uniting her fate to theirs. It was
under this conduct on the part of the non.
slaveholding States. and after every etfor,
to preserve the Union which our ancestors
Bad formed, had failed. that our Conyen-
ton felt itself constrained to take this or.
ganic and final step which denounces our
separation and holf them, as we hold tbt
rest Of mankind, enemies in war, in peace
friends, This ordinance was also sab
mi,ted to vote fthe recple, who. with a
rare and noble snantnify. approved it, and
in support Of it, pledged to each other,
"our lives, cur fortunes and our sacred
honor"
! have thus referred to one Of the great
causes Of our unhappy difficulties too
briefly, perhaps, fer perspicnisy too much
1T length for such al occasion as the pres
eut; and yet trust Of sufficient fnllness t.
clearly show that the sentiment OF the
Northern aiua has waged incessant VA
upon enc Of tbs great compromises OF the
Constitution, producing thereby the irrita-
tion and injustice which lave destroyed
those pleasant and happy relations which il
was expected the Union would establish
and assure, aud which has eliminated ia
the frightful and bloody war! While the
South evinced her love of Union and her
anxiety to preserve the works of our Fa--
theirs in the compromises she had made,
and in the wrongs aud injuries to which
she had submitted lin the great forbear-
ance she has practised, and, finally. III her
numerous efforts TO avoid the dread alterna-
tive which vas presented TO her Of uncon-
ditional submission or manly resistance =
The war. then, which is now raging. was
not sought by US lit was forced upon us
aud is the last and most fragrant of that se-
r,es Of wrongs which, commencing with the
government, is to be resisted 20 the last ex-
tremity
Invoking the Divine Will to enlightei,
my understanding, and to guide me to that
!, stem of measures best calculated to pro
vide for the exigeney which is upon US. and
to pi onote the true Interests Of our couD-
try. | proceed to suggest what duty, in my
judgement, requires, aud what generous
-9-i
patlfNsm vii <~reeriully accord.
First. then, it is cf the greatest u,oment
that our minds shouti be trained to allow
that the entire 1annood and property of the
country, for the purpose of this war, be
longs to the State The men who are
called into the field to join in battle with
our enemies, the taxes w.h;eh are levied and
the insprossments which are made, for
their support, are but modes Of appropcia-
ting the tesontess OF she country. and
should neither excite murmurs nor Jisoon-
tent The man vino, BY tricks, evasions
or subteffuges, seeks to avoid the taxes III
tended to be collected, from hial, is III heart
both knaye aud traitor. It is the duty of
the laH maker to provide the auapless pun
ish,nent for such. malefaetions. and every
good citizen to bring them Is Justice, and
to hold them up to PUBLIC scora and con
tempt And what should be thousht OF
those who grumble abont the prices paid
for articles impressed, to feed and clothe
the ARMY that army which stands between
them and ruin--that army, composed, IS il
is, of their own SONS and Of their own kith
and kin, and'which may be disbanded for
want Of the necessary supplies, while they
are higgling With the Government agents
for higher prices than those established by
the Commissioners chosen equally by the
State aud Confederate authorities. aud ac-
tually appealing to the Courts Of Justice
for protection against the alleged wrong
and injury Of which they complain They
ard uot content with prices fixed By citizen
farmers, chosen for each State. Of sound
5udgmeu anu lofty patriotism; they must
haze jury Of the riainage, composed Of
men, ike themselves, al sn-;aus ~ vii!
oo5 say .i}siagl5 bat .ap2sous, TO vr;: :
from he.r bleeding and saferi--x country
, !, last dollar which can be obtained. /
20 aoe ae@-..'ato 60 say thai such mode Of
assessment would, within SIX months. drive
our armies from the field and utterly an
initiate public credit, unless We established
most enormous system of taxation. or the
Confederate Government should proclaim
martial law The country must not be
ruined BY the rapacity of tie people, and
the Government will not hesitate, J. am
sure, to exercise all their constitutional
powers, whom necessary for our safety. |
am pleased to say thai the people Of Virgin
la have, With some EXCEPTIONS, SheeffulIy
accepted the max lmum, while not oae has
been hardy enough to brave public opinion
by de4andiag any ether rdle Of assess
men5s
" ale .ao@ever she people Of The State
have aeeuiesced 10 the priees Fixed by the
public commissioners others have been uu
willing to accept them. in consequence Of
higher prices being offered by spectators
and others. This very naturally produces
discomfort on the part Of the more liberal
and patriotic portion OF the people, while
others resort to boarding, hiding, and other
d;sreput#ble shifts and evasons, to avoid
their contribution to the support Of our
gallant army Ills state Of things is very
demoralixipg and may, | ;hiuk, DO easily
corrected by the establishment Of State
maxmum. which. taxing the Confederate
maximum as basis, shall be extended to
all the productions Of human industry.
| know that this proposition has always
met with the most detertliiaed opposition.
and yet It has alAays prevailed in times Of
public trouble i know It is said that
France tri,d aud France gave up this policy.
And yet she first tried it upon corn, then
enlarged it. but never made it general; ad-
hersd to it through al tho dark hours Of
her revolution, when she was rent by In
testine dissensions and engaged iii WaA With