Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-09-26

equally against the will of the State Executive.
Nay, the President does not scruple to employ
it to manage primary political movements in
his own party, as was lately witnessed in the
city of New Orleans, when Radical Conven-
ton, supposed to be unfriendly to his ambition,
was dispersed by the United States soldiery,
controlled by his own brother-in-law, with can
non and naitrdilleuSes.
Military movements in force support the
raids of revenue officers against unlicensed dis
tilers, without the slightest warrant to be found
for it 10 their power to resist the execution of
the law. But when, In the past year, certain
negroes in unlawful possession (under the ac-
ton of the Freedmen's Bureau) of lands in
Virginia, resisted judgment in ejectment of
one of the State courts with force too strong
for the sheriff to subdue, and the Governor OF
the State, under joint resolution Of the Leg
islature had obtained from the commander of
the district small detachment of soldiers to
assist him, the President being informed Of
their presence, ordered them to be withdrawn,
and treated a civil request for an explanation
with silence or contempt; showing clearly that
it is not in behalf of law and order, but only
at the behest of party that even the constitu
tlonal powers of that functionary can be called
into action. Popular discomfort, provoked by
insolence and outrage which human patience
cannot bear, is seized as the OCCASION for the
sweeping exercises of the military arm, as we
witness in North Carolina at this hour. Men
of all classes and conditions, In large part Of
of that State, even ministers of the Gospel
the sick, the aged, and infrm, are seized on
warrants under the Ku Klug law, sigLed often
with the marks instead of the names OF those
who issue them, and hurried off suddenly, "uu-
der strong escorts of United States troops,
| their families unprovided for, and their crops
left exposed and in default of heavy bail are
crowded into noisome and filthy jais, where
they have to endure the pangs of thirst and
hunger, or are bailed to appear for trial at
distant court, where the judge informs the
grand jury that these laws Cypress nobody
They are intended neither TO disturb nor affect
any person who is not an enemy to the peace
and quiet of the State, and who is not himself
lawless.
Turning to the internal condition Of our own
beloved State we see much to excite our graf
itude and inspire US with hope. The laws of
our own making are purely administered and
| faithfully executed; her public revenues are
honestly applied, and quiet and order reign
throughout her borders. Yet it cannot be de-
MED that taxation presses with heavy weight
upon our impoverished people. The suffering
thus entalled is apt to engender popular dis
content, and no arts will be omitted by false
and INSCRIPTIONS adversary to foment and in
crease it. The funding bill is made point of
attack. By public resolution, these Radicals
| sincerely deplore the unjust and oppressive
legislation enacted by our late Legislature, and
earnestly enjoin upon all good citizens the ne
cessity of supporting such men for the next
| Legislature as will labor for the welfare of the
white people, irrespective of class But if
censure be due for this mode Of attempting to
resuscitate the public credit, on whose shoulders
| should it fall? The Journal of the House of
| Delegates shows that of the 100 votes cast on
the passage of the BILL only ttirty-seven Con-
sentative members voted for it, while forty ta0o
voted against it, and that Of the forty- l0o Rad
ical votes cast, every vote was for the bill, and
| not one against it, The Senate Journal shows
saCteen Conservative votes for the bill and nane
against it, and nine Radical votes for it and
one against it; Or to take another view of it.,
while in the two Houses .ftty-one Conservative
votes out of a total Of nanety.tiUe voted against
it, every Radical vote, to wit, Jyty-one, was
cast in its favor, except that of the colored
Senator from Cumberland, who stood out from
his party and voted against it. 1t is thus clear
that the Radical party in the Legislature had
it In their power to pass or reject the bill, and
| that they chose to pass it. Again, one-ffth of
the net revenue of the State, including the
whole capltation tax, amounting, IN the aggre-
gate, to nearly $500,000 is, by the act OF the
last session, set aside for free school purposes.
1t is the black Radical population whose condi-
ton is supposed to necessitate this expenditure,
to defray which they contribute almost nothing.
Add to this the local taxes for public free
schools, and school officers and teachers, school
houses and school books, made free will Of
| fering, in time of great public distress, to
| elevate and educate not only white, but black
children who would else be destitute of the
necessary means. and it will be apparent how
much this complaint of class legislation be-
comes the source from which it proceeds But
another pressure upon our resources Is too SEN
sioly felt to be omitted in this connection. -
| Township treasurers, supervisors, clerks, asses
sors, collectors commissioners OF roads, and
others, lin addition to the county officers for
merly held to be all-sufficient,) accumulate a
load of local ex pense which Radical Consti-
tuition renders necessary, to say nothing of the
expense and intoerable annoyance of eleeting
them all. We have no general statistics on
this subject but simple sum in arithmetic ap-
| piled to single county or city, and then ex-
tended to all the counties and cities of the
State, would farther demonstrate the weight
under which the State is staggering.
But no matter what there may be that is
painful and burdensome In our situation would
1t not be intensified thousand-fod should we
suffer our State to sink under carpet-bag and
negro rule? Look at the States subjected to
that most unbearable evil that ever was forced
on refined and civilized people. The soul is
sick with every days report of fraud and
wrong which comes to US from their unhappy
borders. Even in the matter Of State taxa
ton (by no means the most grinding oppres-
sion they suffer- the following statement, com
piled from reliable sources, will show that the
carpet-bag and negro governments who rule
| them, have, 10 three years. piled up debt OF
several hundred millions on a people whose
ability to pay taxes has been diminished over
half by the war:
Debt Present
in 1868. debt Increase.
S. Carolina Sc COO 600 ST., 450 900 ST., $50 000
Georgia. 6554 $50 20 737, $50 IA 283, 00O
| Florida ........... 523 $50 IA 999 554 4475 500
| Louisiana... 100000 404l6 1874 81, 4l6, 734
Tennessee. $685., 1853 1852 652 81, 527, 494
n. Carolina. .......... .........~ 1900 O0O
Alabama..... ........... ............. 600
Mississippi. =. .......... ............ 100000
$170, 1852, 926
To tie debt Of Georgia must be added $780,
| 000 0O0 for NOM ;scua If ilroad Subsidy hnudc