The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-09-29
evening State Sournaf.


publican party has smoked the sly old
foxes of Democracy out of their holes, and
compelled them to come into the light in the
presence of honest, intelligent men. The
voters, and especially the property-holders
of Virginia, are at last aroused to the inn
pending ruin that threatens them but the
Enquirer undertakes to parry the attacks
made against the financial policy of the
Democracy all along the line, by the false
statement that our taxes have not been in
creased at all.
We state, that this is untrue, and again
aesert that the rates of taxation, up to the
coming in of this present detestable Demo-
cratic State administration, was thirty cents
on the hundred dollars, and that by that
administration it was increased, and it is
now fifty cents on the hundred dollars, and
not only so but this enormous increase will
leave deficiency of about one million of
dollars to be provided for in the future.
We appeal for the truth Of this statement
to the official record, and finally we appeal
to the Enquirer to confess the misstatement
stated, and to do SO speedily. For failing in
this act of justice it and its party, will re-
ceiye the condemnation from an outraged
people which their temerity deserves.
It has always been regarded as a lasting
disgrace to our Father Adam, that, when ar
rayed by infinite justice for his first great
crime, like sneaking coward, he undertook
to defend himself by saying, "The woman
whom thou gavest to be with me gave
me of the tree and did eat )" and it is
just this argument that the Enquirer tenders
in reply to the charge of the enormous out
rage perpetrated in the interests of the Gov
ernor and his associate STOCKHOLDERS, in the
provisions of the funding bill, that give those
bankers and brokers priority in payment
over every other class of State creditors.
practically says yes, it is true, the bill is
wrong, it does bleed the suffering people of
the State for the benefit of these mercena-
ries, but the Democracy are not to blame,
for Republicans voted for the bill. Now
we are glad that your backs do smart, the
rod has been long in pickle for you, and we
are glad to hear you offer such pitiful cx-
cuse.
You know that the majority in
Legislature is always, and justly, held re-
sponsible for all the vicious legislation, and
claims justly the honor and benefit of all
that is wise.
You have been teaching us that lesson
all along during the years of our suprema-
cy, and perhaps the most notable illustra-
ton of this, occurred when the test-oath
was under consideration, on the final vote
in the constitutional convention. A we'll
known and prominent Republican moved
to strike out the test-oath, but his motion
was lost, and the test-oath finally retained
in the constitution, by the votes of nine
prominent Conservatives, the very men
who had most bitterly denounced all dis
franchisements and test-oaths.
This wasdone, too, under the leadership of
the noted apostle of Virginia Democracy,
Eustice Gibson, and when your party were
charged in the campaign of 1869 with
retaining the test-oath, you replied
stoutly and satisfactorily that you
did not, ''for the purpose of making
the constitution as odious as possible" " and
asserted everywhere that this was one of
the recognized rights of a minority in poll
tics. This was the medicine You admins
tered to us, and, following your example,
you must now hold your noses and swal-
low your own medicine without grimace.
We are making Democracy odious, and shall
gpaatinue to do SO to the end of the chapter.