Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-02-16
To the Taxpayers Of Shenan
doah County.

Believirgf TO be one oil our nignes'
obligations. as honest aai truthful journ-
1fists. to watch every interest Of the PEG :
Ole, and TO adv Use them of the right. and
to warn them OF thSeatened danger and
deception. We have, and shall continue to
ca II their attention to the fraud aud art.
full practices in the scheme TO rem owe the
present county seat, Under the deceisfu
rfy of "no raxatfon !" when, in ruth, il
il measure initiated by misrepresenta-
.tions, to involve the county in enormous
taxation which must necessarily carry
Bankruptcy in its train. We propose
reviewing the entire plot. without fear or
favor, and ask an honest perusal aud at
teLtion.
The FIRST iutination the citizens of the
rounty had in regard to this scheme, was
the holding of several simultaneous
meetings. expressing their sense that the
appropriation of $25O0 for repairs to the
court house was iuopor tune at til is time.
But, when these parties came to examine
the matter, ana hear ing the report of the
Examining Comm issee, they became full
ay aware Of the necessity OF the repairs,
and generally concurred in the appropria-
ton. Indeed, some of the members OF
these meetings expressed themselves out
ragged at the Interpretations made of
the condition of the county buildings ;
and several of the best citizens withdrew
from one of these meetings, upon the
ground that they believed it to be q
scheme to remove the county seat. and
not to complain of the appropriation of
$2500, which the result has proven.
Severa. parties from Edinburg then
called, through the medium of the Super
visors, special meeting of that Board
for the purpose of delaying their action
but on a vote of the entire Board.
they refused to delay or suspend,
on account Of the urgent necessity for the
repairs to the courtroom, reported dan
gerous by the Examining Committee.
The next step We were called to notice
was an application, to our Circuit Judge
by several gentlemen of Edinburg, for
an injunction to stay the proceedings of
he Supervisors IF the County, upon the
ground that they had aaenrcrialized the
Legislature for special act requiring a
vote of the qaalshed voters of the county
upon the question of removing the county
seat to Edinburg. Which application ,oas
dismissed by his Honor, JUDGE TURNER as
having no sufficient ground for complaint.
In the meantime petition was circula-
ted, principally through Madison and
Ashby Townships, acting forth that Edn-
burg was more cen trial point in the
county, and had finer water co,veniencos
and facilities, and that the citizens of
Edinburg and vicinity would build suit
able necessary county buildings by pri-
waite contribution, and actthout amy cost or
~rpense to the citizens Of the county
After reveral months canvassing, the
petition was sent to Richmond with only
872 names. and some of them signed two
and three times. These names were sign
ed to the petition which guaranteed no
cost or trpemss to the signers. Let us
proceed further in the in ves,igation
At Richmond We found A PETITION,
praying the Legislature to give certain
parties ut Ediuburg the legal right to sell
<he present. county buildings, belonging to
the people of Shenandoah county, and the
right to appropriate the amount rea lized
from such sale to aid in building suitable
necessary buildings at Edinburg.
We believe We could safely vouch that
not one of those signers. except the party
who copied the names to tia: petition, had
ever signed petition asking any such
act of leg islation /; and We believe those
names copied to that petition have been
FORCED as to that request.
Lake all citizens. frugal aud thrifty, aud
willing to escape taxation. those signers
were induced to place their names apon
petition in which certaia parties obligated
themselves to furnish necessary county
buildings, pithout any cost TO themselves,
bat never agreed to surrender the valua-
bic public buildings of the county for that
purpose. Those buildings belong to the
people, and to appropriate them for that
purpose without full remuneration. would
be eEtailing an enormous cost on them,
and defeat the pledges and promises made
to the people, in most shameful snanner.
Your names bave been Transcribed from
petition which you signed to relieve yoar
selves from cost and expense, to petition
which entails certain aud unnecessary
exPease upon you. Without your con-
sent they sign your nance to petition
asking the Legislature to give the@ your
property in buildings and lots, which
could not be replaced for less than thirty
,hosssnd dollars. Is this forgery !? Is this
a fraud practised upon yea ? Is It down
right theft of your property
No PETITION FROM EDINBURe.
Nots itstanding the statement 10 the
.onAaarn IA Al Gnnafoe Smifb,s Rili