The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-09-21

U!I prdctlcaly auOilSitnS an oo"i '""'5 ''.Ho
had passed the Senate and come before the
House for its concurrence the discussion OF
which enabled me to ventilate and expose the
oppression of the IL per cent clause. The usu-
ry bill was overwhelmingly defeated, and IN
quick succession the abolition of the II per
cent. clause was inaugurated Itwould seem
unnecessary to add that if reelected [ shall do
all in my power to bring about change Of this
odious law.
PAY OF JURORS.
I have reason to believe, that somewhat thro'
my efforts, bill depriving jurors of any com
/. pepsation, which had passed both branches OF
the legislature, during my absence, on &C
count of sickness, was defeated by the Veto of
the Governor Had this bill met with the APP
proyal of the Executive and become a law, you
would have been dragged from your plows
and orkshops-compced to sit for days and
weeks without any remuneration for loss Of
time and expenses necessarily incurred for
board &c, and all this before saariel Judge,
Commonwealth attorney, ana feed lawyers.
further affirm that principally through my
efforts the only measures for the relief Of the
debtor class passed the legislature. | am
sure that you are satisfied that even the mea-
gre relief aGordedby these bills has prevented
much sacrifice Of property and suffering.
VALLEY RAILROAD BILL.
Although an earnest advocate Of internal
improvements, defeated, in the House OF
Delegates, bill authorizing vote upon a
subscription of s300,0Uo by the people of Au-
gqsta to the Valley Rail Road. My reasons
for opposition to the bill were purely Of a rep
resentatiye character-I was satisfied as sub
sequent events proved that the people of Au-
gusta were bitterly opposed to the subscrip-
ton It was question affecting their pro-
perty, and deemed it to be my duty as their
representative to carry out what / was salts
!, fed were their wishes on the subject. After
the defeat of this bill in the House, tho friends
of the Shenandoah Valley Rail Road united
with those Of the Valley Rail Road, and got
bill through the Senate by unanimous
vote authorizing subscription to both roads.
The prestige Of the vote by which it pass
ed the Senate and the combination Of the
!, friends of both roads, made defeat in the
House next to an impossibility. Under these
circumstances assented 10 the passage Of the
bill, with proviso, that the people were to DC
relieved Of all expense attending the vote, aud
with the further understanding that the sub
: mission should be fnallty Of Rail Road sub
: scriptions SO far as the people Of the county
Of Augusta were concerned. Another reason
that induced me to accept Of this compromise
! was because the Shenandoah Valley Railroad
had right by bill previously passed, to
submit a question Of subscription to that road,
: to the people Of Augnsta-and by the terms
> Of the compromise they waived, forever al
u terward, the right of submission. [ know
) that my position on this subject has been
9 greatly misunderstood by the people of Au-
= gusta, and that at the hands Of some, have
;, received much censure but really, after the
: combination Of the friends Of both roads apd
the unanimous passage Of the billin the Senate
opposition was useless, and all that was lei'
j to me, was to obtain the best terms that
6 could be had, or in other words to take a hall
+ loaf e.. e. the expenses Of election) rather
Z than to get no bread at all. Had | obstinate
$ ly held out, and subjected the people to tbs
expense Of this Railroad election, would
: not only have subjected them to unnecessary
;. expense, but would have plainly violated The
u old maxm-no less true in legislation thar
/ in other business matters-"f you cannot sc
) ali you want, take the next best thing you
can get"
u CONSOLIDATION.
I have also been greatly misreprcsentc(
# on the question of Consolidation. This ha
=, been held up to you as huge monster, a raw
f. head and bloody bones, when, in truth, con
> solidation had been made fixed fact befor
IL I ever reached the Legislature Of Virginia
le and that, too, by the votes of your entire del
,a,.,o, oP ~ vro.oo1;,or cacciop fFhn onl
20 vital issue growing out Of the bill passed
,e while was member of the Legislature wa
Id the question as to what amount OF com
" pensation the State should receive for re
y linquishny her interest in the Southsid
j, Roads of Virginia. You have been told tina
to I voted to give away five millions Of dollars
at although, the ablest opponent Of the bill scat
10 ed on the floor Of the house Of Delegates tIa
o. he considered the compensation ample. I'h
m interest held by the State in the entire road
T. at its nominal value, was something less tina
20 five millions Of dollars, and consisted of dc
j. preciated claims and stocks worth, on th
O. market, not exceeding one million Of do
.. lars. The present value Of the consider
Va alton given BY the consolidated roads amount
10 to more than two millions Of dollars pay;
,e Bile in State bonds, Or money, at the OF
- ton of the consolidated roads
OF The consideration, in my Judgment was an
,c pie and in yiey Of the fact that the Stat
10 had surrendered to Roads on the North sid
m of James River nine millions OF dollars, Will
out receiving any consideration at ALL it W;
&c not unreasonable to sell the State Interest
j. Roads on the South side, FOR its legitimat
rs market value especially when it was sold
n. Virgnians, engaged in great enterprise fc
VS. the development of the resources Of the Stat
he But, fellow citizens are you aware Of the fa'
10 that the opponents Of this measure, to wit
al the friends of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ia
N Road, who hayc raised al. Of this clamt
to against me- have, by their efforts, taken fro
70 the State Of Virginia oyer Five Millions
n, Dollars, to wit: the entire Covington an
CIR Ohio Rail Road, without paying one sing
Ks dollars consideration therefor; and have ais
lis taken her blue ridge tunnel, that cost her
Of little less than two millions Of dollars, for tt
* paltry consideration Of six hundred thousan
he dollars, payable in State bonds, which the
Ia bought up at from 40 to so cents on the do
ne lar? IF you are, [ think you will agree wit
b. nae that they are the last people on God
ch earth that ought to talk about robbing the Sta
g. Of anything. Bat, besides all this, there W
a dagger concealed in the bosoms Of the O.
Douents of the consolidation bill, that was i