Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-10-07
NUMBER [.


mere provinces of the Federal Government. 1t
would be the Capitalization of all power in the
hands of that government. How can liberty
exist among a people whose whole judicial sys-
tenn is placed under the supervision Of another
government
We can stand the waste and extravaganza of
the Radical party, their excessive taxation. their
defalcations, their corruptio1s, their pecula-
tions and speculations. The State might sur
| vlve these, but il cannot survive the overthrow
of the judiciary
What does this resolution mean? 1t means
that all cases, civil and criminal, between white
| men and negroes, and between Conservatives
and Radicals, shall be tried in the Federal
Courts. Il means that juries in these courts,
three-fourths of whom are negroes, shall try
political offenses. 1t means consolidation Of all
power in Federal hands, It means the central
ization of patronage in the same hands. 1t
means turmoil, strife aud subjugation. 1t
means to saddle upon us as our appellate judges,
Underwoods Durells and Busteeds.
| We have seen one of these inferior Federal
judges overthrow State government, and eff
| feet revolution by bill of Injunction.
We would call your attentioksto another SUBJ
| ject, kindred to the one just mentioned, and
| second to it only in magnitude and importance.
| We only allude TO the active interference OF
Federal of6ceholders with the local elections in
the States. In proof of this we refer to the
election in Missouri when the Hon. Gratz
Brown was a candidate for Governor of the
State. Federal officials directly iDterposed to
control that election, and to that end exerted
| the whole weight Of the Federal patronage and
| influence at their command. Aud we have a
| more recent instance in Massachusetts,, when
combination of Federal oficeholders was organ
lied to control tie local nomination there. This
interference of Federal officials and their re-
tainer to defeat a fair expression Of popular
opinion was so open and fragrant, thatit called
forth the severest censure from the leading
men of that party, and from every Republican
Journal of reputable standing in the State 9th
er instances of this abuse of Federal patronage
could be cited, but these are sufficient to ava
ken your jealousy of the central power; and
call upon you, as you value the sovereignty and
independence of the States. to rebuke in the
severest terms this attempt to bring the patron
age of the Federal government in conflict with
the freedom of elections
Nor should we omit to call attention to one
Of the means resorted to by the Radicals to OBJ
tain control In the State. They claim to be the
party of relief-the only party that has furnish
ed measures of relief to the debtor class-ald
appeal to that class fer support in the coming
election. This pretenslon is nDtounded. The
Conservative party have shown themselves most
jealous in their efforts to devise measures ofre-
lief fer this large aud unfortunate class The
Conservative Legislature, which assembled In
1866 and 1867, passed the stay law, with view
to delay the collection of debts and to give the
debtor time to meet his Obligations, or to Dego-
tiate for further indulgence; and he same Leg
lslature passed an act to exempt the homestead
of families from forced sales. This act secured
to every householder or head of family, ex-
empt from levy, seizure or sale. under any judg-
ment, decree. Or other process rendered by any
court a homestead not excee ding Cne hundred
and sixty acres of land, including the bulldogs
thereon, ard not exceeding the value of twelve
hundred dollars" These acts show the earn
est desire of the Conservative party to devise
measures Of relief the Conservative party went
to the very verge of the restrictions imposed by
the Constitution of the United States on the
power of the Legislature La fact, the first
named act was declared Illegal by the courts,
and Judge Rves delivered the opinion of the
Court of Appeals pronouncing the law uncon-
stitutional. But the Radical party, in the 4th
section of the 1lth article of the constitution
framed by them. prohibited the Legislature
from passing any law staying the collection of
dehts and thus prevented The Legislature
from ras-og snY stay-law, if one cou!d be de-
vised obviatlug the cons,Iurional dificuties.-
And this same party, By the 6h section Of the
same article of the constitutIon, repealed the
act exemptiUg the homestead of families from
forced sales, and adopted measure of their
own.
The Conservative party have given further
evidence of their desire to pass measures of re-
lief in the acts regulating the sales of property.
By these acts IL is provided that sales of per-
sonal property shall be made on credit of
twelve months, aud that real estate shall not be
sold for less han three-fourtbs of its assessed
value, and upon a credit of not less than three
nor mole than sig equal instalments, payable
annually from the day of sale; and in the eff
forts to give indulgence to the debtor Glass; aud
to ensure the best price for bis property when
sold, they rave gone as far as the restriction In
the Constitution of the State and of the United
States prohibiting the passage of all laws i'm
pairing the obligations of contracts will permit.
How can they do more, when the Radical par
ty in the constitution framed by them, and un-
der which we now live, have prohibited the Leg
isature from passing any law staying the col
lection of debts or ''impairing the obligation
of contracts?" Thus showing the determina-
tion of the Radical party that no relief shall be
given by the passage Of any law staying the
collection of debts
And the pretensioos put forth by the Radi-
cal party that they have furnished relief by the
recent amendment to the bankrupt law, is
equally unfounded Mr.. Hughes himself has
the true version of this matter In letter
written Dy llm D0IOr6 liS recent speeches., ana
Immediately after the passage of the amend
ment-when the matter was fresh In his recol-
lection-he says: ''At his Judge Critcher's)
request therefore, drafted at his desk in the
House, the following hllP'-the amendment
and then adds: Thus you see this was not a
party measure in any sense. Worthy Repub-
licans and worthy Democrats We'd with each
other in the zeal and efficiency of their friendly
competition for its advancement"
When Mr. Hughes reads his own letter and
refreshes his recollection, he will doubtless cease
to treat this amendment as party measure"
and accord the credit of its passage alike to
worthy Republicans and worthy Democrats )"
and thus the relief furnished by this measure
is due alike to Democrats aud Republicans.
In conclusion, if you wish to exclude the Rad
ical party from power and to continue Conser-
vative rule in the State, you must adopt thor
ough organization Ia every county aud city
See that every voter is registered and adopt ef-
fective measures to insure his attendance at the
polls Vote for Conservatives and treat indepen-
dent candidates as allies of the enemy; and fill
all the officers with honest aod capable men, if
you wish to accomplish what we are struggling
to de- to restore the old State to her former po-
sition-to her honorable place among her sister
States-and make her in prosperity, what she
is in renowo, the peer of any State in the
Union. JOHN A. MEREDITH,
Chairman State Conservative Committee.
A One HUNDRED-THoUsAND DOLLAR Fox
L III ~