Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-05-28
If there is one duty more imperative than
another nat this time, it is that Of Registra-


ton.
Tn a shost time the revision and correction
of Registration lists in this State will tax
place Many failed to register heretofore
others have chan ed their localities, som
ara voters now who were not before, and al
the old voting precincts are re-establlshed
IT is therefore absolutely necessary for eacl
and every man to sec that he is properly reg
istcred ut his voting precinct, IN order tina
his r;obt as voter can not be questioned.
1t is vitality important to the interests o
the State that every voter should be regis
tered properly Those who failed to regis
ter before from lurkewarmness or other cause
must not longer fail to register
Tho ;xsue is one of life or death to thu
State and their votes may turn the scale
constitution is to be presented to the peo
r,e IF the State, which, if adopted, is likely
10 ;mpoyerish her people by the immensely
increased burden of taxation. There can
therefore. be no reasonable excuse given by
any for further lukewarmness. 1t that con-
stitution be adopted and the votes OF those
who fail to register would have turned the
scale the responsibility will rest upon them
We are satisfied that mono would like TO pear
the onerous responsibility of the adoption Of
a proscriptive Constitution and one which
will sap the prosperity, if it does not lmpov-
erish every. individual in the State AS an
evidence that we do not ezaggerate the case.
we quote the following from the Richmond
Enan,iaer 4 Enquirer:
.Wc beg leave to invite the attention Of
the voters Of the Commonwealth to the con-
s;dora,;on Of the enormous field for taxation
which the Underwood constitution opens up.
The State poll tax as fixed by the constltu-
zion cannot exceed one dollar on every male
citizen, twenty-onc years of age; and the
county poll tax cannot exceed htty Genus -
In 1867, by an examination OF tae returns
in the Auditors Office. it appeared that only
about one negro in four had paid his poll
tax and the entire poll tax, State and coun-
ty, that will be paid by the negroes has been
estimated at about $4,000. All the rest
Of the taxes will come out Of the property OF
the State. and out of the whites. 1t will be
at least four times what it was under our oid
State government. They have been estlma-
ted as high as SO, 0OO, 900. The free schools
r. he established will alone require double
the taxes which we formerly paid. Then
the swarm of county officers are to De palo
nv taxes wrung from the whites-magis-
trates, supervisors, assessors, collectors con-
stables, township clerks, school trustees
road commissioners &c. &C.
There is no escape from this if the sex
nurgated constitution" with the County or
ganization and Free School clauses contain
ed in it be adopted. twill fall heavily on
the owner Of property and the burden will
not be light one on the poor man who rents
He must pay the rent, increased greatly py
the increase of taxation, consequent upon
the adoption of the "expurgated Constl'u-
tom This matter looks you in the face
and is sufficient to appal. 1t calls upon
each and every one to do his duty and his
whole duty--t9 register and cote do''n tn
U,,derrood Constitution. Better military
ruler for all time than the expurgated Con
stitution, With Wells. or Walker, or With.
ers, or any one else for Governor. The cry
of making the best of the situation, in the
hope of modifng Objectionable features
hereafter is most fallacious. We will not
be permitted to do SO having adopted it
The Lynchburg Neus thus pointedly shows
up this fallacy:
nNo one who reflects moment on the
ayowed causes which prevented the subms-
sion Of the county organization to separate
vote can agree with the views enumerated in
our city by Col Walker on the occasion o.
his recent address It will be remembered
that he then advised the acceptance OF the
residue of the constitution on the ground
that the Legislature having the power to
propose amendments TO the constitution
could originate such movement, and post
poning all legislation looking to the con-
summation of the county organization and
school system until the result of such pro-
posed amendment could be ascertained
could thus avert the threatened evil. To
our vision this only looks like an effort to
cheat the Radical party out Of the substan-
tial rewards of their scheming; and we need
not say how utterly futile and vain are hopes
founded on such basis Why the very
cause assigned for retaining this feature Of
the constitution is the fear lestthe education
al interest of the negro might be endangered
if their plan embodied in the constitution
should be Defeated How. then, can it be
expected that Congress will ever permit re.
construction to be accomplished unaccom.
panied by the fullest guarantees Of negro
equality and free mixed schools Should thu
Conservatives succeed in obtaining contro
of the Legislature, and attempt to play any
such game as was indicated by Col. Walker
in his speech ut Martins warehouse, who Sc
blind as not to see at once that Congress
would refuse its consent to the admission o
Virginia until these interests should have re
ceived ample protection.
This is pretty bad picture thus far but W
are compelled to add to it, however unplea
SAINT it be- The school question is not t
be ignored 1t particularly concerns ever.
poor man in the State and we request on
and all to consider the following from tn
Examiner d Enquirer on this subject
By the Bayne-Underwood constitution
the question whether the public free school
shall or shall not be mixed schools, wher
white and black children are to be laugh
under the same roof. and in the same room
is RENTED to the Legislature. The conven
ton rejected the proposition to provide sen