The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-29
Ghe l)iroinia gtate Sournal.
MONDAY EvEN'G, SEP. 20, 1878.
A FEW FACTS FOR THE PEOPLE.

The following able article is from tie
pen Of leading lawyer of the Piedmont
region. 1t speaks for itself:
An important election for the interests oil
the commonwealth is at hand. Within the
next few weeks, the people of Virginia
will be called upon to choose chief execu-
tive officer for the state for the next four
years, upon which choice in great measure
will depend the future policy of the state
government.
Let every man, therefore, who thinks
himself capable of discharging the high du-
ties that devolve upon him as citizen and
voter of the state consider well the issues
and the men before the people before
coming to any conclusion as to how he
will cast his vote, and having upon reGec
tol made up his mind, let him not be de
tered from acting in accordance with the
dictates Of his judgment by any senseless
appeals to his fears, his passions, or his
preiudccs.
The world, nor any state, cannot be
governed by passion or prejudice, and
those who ride into power upon the pas
sions of the people will sooner or later in
volve the government and the people in
ruin.
Too long already have the preudices, in
stead of the reason, of the people been APP
pealed to by our so-called Conservative
rulers in order to keep themselves in pow
err; and let the fruits of that Conservative
rule in the state for the last four years
demonstrate the result of heai kening to
those appeals. Contrast the condition of
Virginia to-day with her condition four
,y,l,n ta4n thn,, Il
military rule. During the existence of
that rule life and property were guarded
and protected, and under the influence of
that safe and cheap government property
was advancing in value, immigration
coming into the state, and the material in
terests of the state improving. Now the
values of property are rapidly declining,
and have, under Conservative rule, already
deprecated to the extent of several mil
lions Of dollars, while thousands Of the
best citizens of the state are leaving her
borders to seek better locations elsewhere.
Such is the condition of things throughout
Virginia, that on every hand is heard the
inquiry, "what must we do to be saved ~
and, as usual, the Conservatives Qhough
themselves the authors of our woes) are
claiming to be the only means of salvation
offered to the people.
But, on the other hand, the opponents Of
these mis-rulers are claiming to offer better
terms for the improvement of the present
condition of things and it is now for the
people, in their wisdom. to decide between
the two.
A glance at the men put forth by these
parties respectively may aid in arriving al
the conclusion as to the duty of the people
in the coming election.
No one can deny that the great question
now agitating the public mind, and upon
which all minds are bent, is the question OF
RELIEF TO TIE PEOPLE.
Bound down with Indebtedness, public
and private, the people have been driven
well neigh to despair.
Looking at the past history of the two
men who are now so prominently before the
people, viz: Colonel Robert W. Hughes and
General Jas. l.. Kemper, as guide for the
future, of which can it most appropriately
be said that the people expect most in
ailording them to the extent of the ability
Of the executive that relief so needed by
them?
We take as part Of the public history
Of the times (and, therefore, as requiring
no proof that no man in the common
wealth of Virginia has done more to re-
leve the people than Colonel Hughes. He
was an early and most able advocate of
the amendment to the bankrupt law, to
allow to those bowed down with debts
relief thcrefrom to the extent Of the "H0me-
stead" first introduced into Virginia by the
Republican party, and soon thereafter
set aside by the Conservative court Of
appeals al Riclmond, and we believe it is
also part of the history of the times
that the last or declaratory act of Congress,
finally securing 70 debtors relief to the
amount of the homestead, was drawn by
the pen of Colonel Hughes, and its final
passage in great measure brought about
by his Jealous and persistent advocacy.
Thus it is, that while Colonel Hughes
was spending weeks in Washington, at his
own expense, advocating the passage of this
great relief measure, under whose benef-
cent provisions hundreds of homesteads
have already been saved and laid off to the
impoverished, and in some instances TO
suffering families of Virginia, General
kemper was at his home in Madison, grow
ing rich by obtaining judgments against the
people, and then DEGREES to sell them out
of house and home. But thanks to the
patriotic efforts of Colonel Hughes and
other Republicans, General Kemper's hands
have boea kept off of the homesteads of
many Of those for whose votes he and his
iriendsarc now begging to make him COVER
nor.
6 Get thee behind me, Satan," will be
the reply Of many Virginian this fall
when asked to help make General Kemper
Governor over Colonel Hughes.
A few days ago the following CONVERSE
tion occurred on a street corner in vii
lage, not thousand miles from Rich
mond:
Mr.. A." Well, Mr.. b., came by the
house of our friend G. this morning on my
way to town, and never 10 my life have I
seen such change in any mortal man,
or his affairs, as has taken place in the last
SIX months in q. and his affairs. No man
m our county since the war; as you know,
las been more oppressed by 'old debts
than z. He has a wife and number of
children to provide for. During the war
he was conscripted, and while away in the
army lost the bulk Of his personal pro-
pefty. Since the war he has been but the
shadow OF the man he was before
despair, depicted upon his countenance.
and he afraid to do anything lest his
earnings be taken from his family to satisfy
the judgments obtained against him since
the war. His farm grew up in bushes and
brIarc his fancac rnttn1 down and ~,