The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-09-14
FELLOW CITIZENS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.

myself as candidate to represent you in the
next Senate Of Virginia This call made upon
me would seem to demand, not only that [
should ipakea clear and plain statement of my
views as to prospective questions, but also that
| should render an account ofmy past steward
ship as your representative in the last legisla'
ture In discharging this latter duty, | shall
necessarily have frequent occasion to speak Of
what have accomplished for you in my leg
islatiye career. These statements, under
other circumstances, would SAVIOR OF egotism
and presumption; but as the case stands, you
have :. right 10 demand, aud | to make them,
siFitoas the imputation of any such offensive
| charge shall therefore as freely speak Oh
and canvass my own acts, as those Eof another,
holding liz ysef, at all times, ready to substanti
are my statements, either by record or other
proof.
TAXATION.
o. entering public Fife, as your representa-
tive at Richmond, found the State possessed
Of great manufacturing and agricultural re-
sources, as also mineral wealth far surprising
at Of Great Britain It was apparent too,
that the State ia respect of its geographical
position held very superior advantages, arts
ing from it's genial climate, proximity
to the sea, aud unrisalled harbor, forming a
base OF eonitncreial enterprsze reaching back
over one bali OF the West.
GA the other hand, owing to disastrou'
war, the hitherto umbemshed credit OF our
State abroad, was SO far impaired as to rem
der it hopeless for US to expect, in her then
condition. either foreign capital or inrmlgra-
| ~. -, 81 eoiufoiv poa1aI
FOR her Development Ia point OF fact, our
State with boundlcss. undcveloped wealth,
stood upon the very verge Of immediate and
utter ruin, unless upon an improved credit
capital and labor could be brought for
. ward 10 develop cur resources, which,
would not only meet our engagements
and sustain our cherished State honor
but would eventually make us the most
wealthy aud prosperous Commonwealth In the
l United States.
1t was with this view, and while inspired
with the hopeful bright prospects Of Virginia
which [ still cherish, that l. as chairman o.
tho Finance Committee, gave in my adhesion
to the Funding Bill; upon the express assur-
! enee O. the State Auditor, thas tax of fifty
cents Oh the one hundred dollars was ampl,
| SuliClGEb III uiCSb GhC Cui iCuL ca pcuoCS VI tGt
:, Goverdment-pay the interest of the public
debt, and provide sinking fund for it's event
ual liquidation. stated at the time, that this
was the utmost limit to which l would go
E and that [ would at all times and under al
circumstances, thereafter. to the whole extent
of my lfuence, oppose any increase whatev
er, on that amount, which was as much as, ii
my Judgment, the people could possbl.
, bear A proposition was afterward
made in the General Assembly to raise thu
tax from so to 60 cents on the 500, which
promptly opposed on tie floor of the House
: and the motion was Withdrawn. To this ex
0 tent. and thus far only, am [ committed tt
. the Funding Bill.
It is true that the recent assessments O.
real and personal property, in most of tbs
counties of the Commonwealth, have fallen I'M
, der the estimate made by the Auditor at the
Y time the Finance Committee was considering
the funding biIl-but this deficiency,
!nY judgment, can be met by rigorous re-
: tfenchmcnt of the expenditures of the State
It rather than repuaiate the obligations of the
: State, and bring dscrcdit upon her hitherto
umb'emished reputation, as we'll as disaster
aud ruin upon all her mighty resources,
/ shall favor, if it becomes necessary. in order
t to meet her obligations. reduction Of the
e salaries of all State officials and en-
D ployees to a mere living rate, and tht
per- diem Of members Of the Legislature ii
like proportion. I shall also favor reduction
Of expenses attending the punishment of crime
which heretofore have been an enormous
drain upon the treasury, and which in my
opinion, are double what they ought to be
At the same time it will be my purpose anc
= endeavor to enhance the State revenue b.
causing repeal CT the chartered exemptions
from taxation, now held by four-i fths OF the
railroad. and other wealthy corporations of thi,
(; State-which exemptions have been held in
other States to be illegal and unconstitution-
j: al; in this, that State cannot divest
herself perpetually of the inherent right Of
taxation; and should this position prove to be
true, there will result from this source a
revenue Of many thousands of dollars which
+ the people are now compelled to make UP
from their hard earnings, while the corpora
lions revel in wealth and defy the tax collec-
or with their chartered immunity from taxa
on IF the reforms and reductions that have
Indicated are carried out, am thoroughly
satisfied that the faith of the State can be
reserved without imposing any further bur-
IS on the people. AZ any rate, will not
.on sent to any increase Of taxation.
I succeeded near the close of the
last session Of the Legislature, after long and
obstinate struggle with the Bakers and Bro
Aers of Richmond, 10 getting the Fiuance com
III tee to report two bills which became laws
and greatly enhanced the revenue of the
Commonwealth. One was bill imposing
taxes upoa the National Banks that had
hitherto escaped all State and Corporation
taxation; this bill has already brought into
the State Treasury, twelve thousand dollars,
Aad into tic Treasury Of the Town of staun-
ton, fourteen hundred dollars The other
was bill requiring tho Richmond Banks
to pay interest on the public deposits; this
bill has already brought into the treasury of
the Sta.e ten or twelve thousand dollars,
and WILL before the ist Of April next, the
close Of the first year of its passage, yield
thirty-fye or forty thousand dollars revenue
) to the State, and [ am satisfied that other
subjects Of taxation can be looked up, which
will yield revenue that will, to some extent,
relieve the people Of the burdens Of taxation.
TWELVE PER CENT INTEREST.
Another cause that has operated against
| al j r. .bar of