Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-10-05

| FELLOW CITIzENs.-The call made in the
| last issue of the Shenandoah Herald as vel!
| as a similar one, made in a more private
way by several of your number will involve
| to come extent resume of my course as
| your Representative in the last Legislature,
| which is my reason for directing my re-
Spouse TO you.
With refer ence to the request that 1 an
| nounce myselfa Candidate for the Genera.
| Assembly, l will state that | am in luced 10
| Withhold any such announcement at present.,
b. the fact that a Convention has been cali
! ed by the County dperintendent for the
purpose of considering the propriety Of
| nominating two gentlemen to represent this
county. If the people, through their repre-
| sentatiou in that convention, determine to
make a nomination. and select me as Que of
| the individuals upon whom to confer tae non
| or certainly sha II net decline it.
On the other hand if the people fail to send
delegates to a convention and oy that means
indicate their disapproval of such course,
or if having sent them, they determine not
TO make nominations, and my friends still
| desire it, will comply with their wishes.
| The question of the most absorbing interest
| at this time is the State debt. The last Leg
islature undertook to reduce and settle 1t by
| passing what is known as the Funding Bill.
After ascertaining the whole amount of the
| public debt-wh ch in round numbers is fifty
millions, they subtract from it one third of
that amount, which it was claimed should BE-
paid by West Va, ana provided for the issu-
ance of new bonds, TO include not only the
principal, but the interest due upon the old
ones.
1 was opposed 10, and voted against the
| bill from us inception to It's final passage, a
few of he reasons for which / will en-
deavor to give. One the compromising
Of interest, another Was, that while one
third was adjudged as the portion TO be paid
by Yves: Va, the IN ttter was not settled
finally. for in the event that that State re-
fuses, or from any cause, fails to pay, the
holders Of the bonus will still have resource
| upon this State, and still another, and by
| far the most potent reason, was that the
| people in the impoverished condition TO
| which they had been reduced by the war
| were not able to pay such an increase of tax
| alton as wohld be necessary to carry out the
provisions of the bill. And finally, that 1t
was premature legislation, that 1t did not
| provide for the payment of interest until Ju-
| ly 1872, which would give ample time for
| the next Legislature, fresh from he people,
to caact he very same law if they. the peo-
pie so desire it, Now that the bill has pass
| ed the inquiry is, what is to be dones To
which would answer, rescind it, and pass
another, no. revoke tais and all other laws
relative to the State bill and stop there, there's
| by accom- iishing reputation, but pass law
founded on justice aadequity, one that will
neither rob The creditor nor ruin the debtor.
| have not the exact figures, but know thai
| | am in bounds when 1 state that
| n ineteen twentieihs of this debt is held by
| foreign capitalists, Europeans, and citizens OF
other states, purchased by them at from 'hir-
| ty to forty-five cents ON the dollar. If there
is a bill passed securing to these creditors
| three per cent. interest, or fifty cents on the
dollar with six per cent. interest, the State s
| interest in the various works of improve
ment sold, and the expenses of Government
reduced, and the money applied to the debt,
| there will be no necessity for an increase Of
taxation, on the contrary they may be brought
down, equity done, the debt paid. and in
| the language of the ''lamen.ed Lincoln" no.
body hurt. There was another bill
passed by the Legislature which excited NO
little, in my opinion-righteous indignation.
| The one known as the conso lidation act, 1
regarded it as tantamount to giving away six
millions of the public money, therefore voted
against it. | also opposed the bill changing
the peni,entiary Guard into a military compa
ny, and the one prop osing to salary Agt.
Genl. Richardson, because l believed they
| involved an unnecessary expenditure of
money In short fellow citizens, 1 claim to
have voted in way to secure the greatest
economy. For the proof of which [ respect
fully refer you to the record. l favored the
revocation ofthe II per cent interest clause in
| the Constitution. l am also in favor of get
ting rid, at the earliest praciica, moment, of
that instrument, and the multiplicity of of
| fees it entails.
| The land Scrip, think, should be divide
| between several such schools as the one at
| New Market in this Co.. rather than heaped
| upon the Univers ity which has drawn thous-
ands upon thousands from the State Treas
ury and is still out of reach of all except
the wealthy. regret that want of space has
compelled me TO give matters of importance a
mere notice, and to entirely ignore others.
In conclusion Fellow Citizens, allow me to
return my sincere thanks for the honor al
ready conferred, and to add, that let your
verdict in the coming election be what it may,
l shall ever holdNin grateful remembrance
| the favors heretofore bestowed.
Very Respectfully,
Your Obedient Servant,
J. L. CAMPBELL.