The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-02-24
For the Valley Virgnian.
To tie Members Of the StAunton Bar.

A natural love of fair play has long been
urging me to whisper in your cars word of
caution.
have been delaying, not from any want
of sincere desire to beflicud you, but because
did not know how to reach you There
was not time to visit you all in person, and
when | thought of writing to each of you
privately, was Informed that there "were
ouly twenty-nine stamps left" trust that
the present method lit only requires one
stamp may not be Objectionable, aud that
the information [ am about to communicate
may reach you in time.
There is being formed against YOU a con-
splracy which aims at your dearest interests.
The country people generally-the oil people
particular y-and the young people especi-
ally, are implicated in it with but rare ex-
ccptions, and they are terribly in earnest
They are going to abolish you. You may
| shake your lawful heads and doubt this state
ment, but have been initiated and know.
They are the worst abolitioEists you ever saw.
They have abolished slavery-confederat
money. and have almost abolished greenbacks
They have abolished magistrates Cor had it
done) -they have abolished 'the good old
times" and now they are going to abolish
you. Of course if l were in your place,
,couldlt't be abolished, and [ wouldn't stov
abolished, if I mere abolished.
Of course you wont think me rude for
speaking plainly. Perhaps had better make
a clean breast and disclose to you the argu-
ments and plans of these thick headed rustics.
They assume that as politics can claim no
aff t1ok ~ H.
spirited man and woman ought to be turned
to business interests and then their propo-
sition is that the country is on the verge Of
bankruptcy. And they say that this condi
ton is attributable to four things LIST. the
1 cid credit system. I'd, the vast amount Of
litigation resulting from it. Bird. that, when
| property once gets into litigation, it never
comes out-achole; and 4th, administrators
say, they can never settle estates in their
| lifetime, on your account. Now this is very
unkind in the people, not to say ungratefM,
| to talk in this way besides being very un-
fair to lay all the blame on you; but then,
you know, people aciH talk, and ac'N lay the
blame on Somebody.
They want law passed (and you have a
monopoly in that business) to prevent people
HUN SOlhS lHLO OcDt duQ into law. But
then, you don't want that, you know.
They say, that estates are administered en-
tircly too much-and want a law to prevent
1T This, / admit, is ridicuous-but then,
they make serious threats if you refuse them
such a law-such as these That they will
either quit owmiag estates, or administer be-
fore they die, or quit dieing altogether
Either would be disasterous to you.>s might
add, that there are few insurgents, who de-
nand that the laws should be plain enough,
and Court forms simple enough for common
people to understand, but this party is uninn-
portant in numbers aud influence, and the
absurdity of their demand is so patent, that
it receives little or no couutenance even among
the initiated
Now. gentlemen know there is to be
big row about this matter, and I want 10 be
on the ,einnung side-thcrefore am vss.sr
friend, for | have often heard that the law
yers were 800 many for the people" Hop
ing you may have no trouble in crushing this
little rebellion. am ready Ito give you, if
you wish it, further details Of this iniqui
tous plot. Address, postpaid and marked
private, the