The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-03-10


lion of Judges learned in the law, for the
old County Court Magistracy, and theappoint-
mcnt of all the Judges by the General AS
sembly, instead of their election as hereto
fore. We believe, too, that the extension Of
the rate Of interest will prove positive ad-
vantage, The old law has, of late, been
practically imperative, save to increase the
per ccntum by the risk. The subject, in our
opinion, is best regulated by the laws Of trade.
The Common School, fixture is great
bug bear. Truoit is Objectionable, but under
the Constitution it is susceptible of improve
ment. And in the recent election of VIM
II. Ruffner, as Superintendent we have as
surance thatit will be judciously systema-
tied, and managed to the best advantage for
four years TO come. The great majority of
our population are unable to educate their
children. Wessmust either establish schools
at the public expense, or leave them in ig
norance-all to exercise the elective franchise
and no means of appealing to their judgments
Our neighbor State of West Virginia assesses,
for this purpose, a special tax of ten cents
on the hundred dollars. The proprietors
taxed for educational support may expect, in
time. to realize their investment in the en-
HANGING value of their property. Our con-
tempt for the yankees" should not cause US
to reject what is useful because they have
invented it, And Common Schools are not
their invention. We believe they orr gina-
ted with the Scotch. t,.
The Homestead Exemption is not high in
favor with the creditor class But the prin.
ciples of justice are immutablc, and they need
apprehend no deprivation of their rights
under contracts in the past. The future will
take care Of itself. And they should rcmem-
Der, too, that the same instrument has reiey-
ed them from the incubus of the Stay Law.
This is peculiarly time for the exercise of
moderation and forbearance between fellow
citizens of state just recovering from a
common disaster. We are not among those
who believe that cruel, grasping spirit is
one Of the universal effects Of the war upon
our people, or that the restoration of legal
remedies will result in such universal distress.
The statistics of judgments and executions in
our Conrts is no fair exponent of the temper
Of our people ; nor does it exhibit a debit
and credit account between them. Many
creditors have sought, in that way, to secure
their proper prioritics, who, instead Of push
| ing their legal advantages, arc now compro-
missing on generous terms. One debt paid
will meet another, until the aggregates of
Indebtedness, which have been 50 paraded be-
fore our eyes, will be reduced surprisingly
Notwithstanding the rcverses of the past
season in an agricultural community, we are
very far yet from that condition Of hopeless
insolvency which a stranger might infer from
our public prints. We of the Valley are
less involved than any other portion of the
State: We are less paralyzed b. Emancipa
tion,, having been for years comparatively
independent of the negro laborer. Interssot-
ing lines Of railway, projected and begun
with proper encouragement from us, will soon
give us reduced freights and competing mar
kets for onrproauco. We have genial skies,
a generous soil, and a thrifty, industrious
people. The future of such people, under
such circumstances is not subject for des-
pondency or doubt. a;sa $40