Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-10-22
Letter from I.OudOUn Go.

CORRESPONDENCE of the Alexandra Gazette.
LEEsBuRG, Va, Oct 2l.-Thc jury in the
case OF John Brooks, (ca!led commonly Brook
ms who was indicted tor shooting George
Jackson with intent to kill, brought in their
verdict about sunset to day, asccIlal!lng his
term in the pcnitentary at live years. Gen.
Huntop made a very ingenious speech in de-
fence of the accused, but the evidence, that
of the Commonwealth alone. was too conclusive
to admit OF the doubt, which he tried to per
suadc the jury existed.
| The lands sold at this Court would probably
have brought 40 per cent more live years ago;
| the interest accumulated has been 80 per Ct
| making di ffcrcucc to the owner OF 20 per CT.
| in the paying price OF the land. This Is the
| fruit of stay laws, relief laws, and all other
shifts adopted by the Legislature Of Virginia
IN aid Of the debtor Interest. La addition the
debtor is FIVE years older, with energies para
| lived aud mauhoud shorn oi the dignity Which
would have attached To the man WHO gives w
all to his creditors willingly aud bpgus the bat
tie of life anew. OF course do not speak OF
individual cases, but OF classes. Land will not
readily become more valuable until money be-
COMES cheaper, aud money cauuot well become
cheaper white government interest Is so hlgh.
believe the main portion Of the British debt
is il 3 per cent consoIS, aud the result is low
interest to private pcrs,n@. Is not the true
remedy for the high rac OF interest Oh money
to be ionnd in the Issue of the j. IS convertible
bonds, and the letting of The return 10 specie
payments regulate itself. Ii was necessary III
war to have high interest to stimulate patriot
ism, but the peace policy should be- 10 brlng II
down; let property advance again, debts viii
then be paid, confidence will ticn be re cstab-
lislcd and then specie payments will follow.
So it seems to me. Land in Virginia has been
held too sacred to be- put at the dlspUSa! o! The
lust creditor. | believe it ought to be at the
control of the Sheriff. as personal property
used to be: that is subject to execution. The
policy that has prevailed has driven our young
men trom Virginia, and will continue to do 50
If persisted TO- but give young Mao here a
chance at forty acre farm, reasonable
credit, and you will 5000 find him settled here
aud building up Firginia's interests More
than that, you will see the Industrious ciDl-
grants pouring into the State, and bringing
their skill, labor and money with them.
A hopeful sign here is the fact that 10000
sheep have been brought into the county of
Loudoun this fall. Our dog law (spccla;j gives
protection to the sheep, having paid S73 per
cent. of the value of those killed last year,
while the year before it paid all. and nearly
81 900 to school fund besides. Another hope
full sign is the immense improvement in our
roads; new ones have been laid our; old oucS
graded until almost every principle read beyond
the Kctuctin Mountains. Is ready Tor the Nc
| Adam material This has been done at some
expense, but to the immense profit OF the
farming community, and is, | think due in
good measure to the Township system, which
makes every community the regulator OF It's
Own local concerns: to Improve It's roads, lis
school houses and It's general interests, or not,
as it may seem proper to itself without inter
| ference from other communities, which, und"r
the old holch pot system, had as much lLfu
euce for 400 voters as 500 10 another cuul-
munity Ln our county Lovetsville can m-
prove, and has improved its roads vastly with
out calling on Broad Run Township to help it,
and in so doing has given employment 10 labor
which otherwise would have been unemployed,
while Broad Run, by her penny wise pound
foolish" policy of bad roads, has refrigerated in
the last five years 60 back to the old system
and you will see the wheels Of progress cIogged
if not stopped, and Virginia will stand still or 60
backward. Let the cOuuty organization alone;
if the law now gives ceuse for any extrava-
gapce, correct it, but do not change the organic
law to do that, which an intelligent Legislature
can do by enactment.
read an article signed Culpepcr, praiSing
Mr. Barbour for bis Unonsm. Was the wicr
always so warm in his praise, or do circum-
| stances alter cases? Gen. Hutton differed with
us in 1861; he thought he was right; he risked
his life for his opinions; he shed his blood for
them 10 the war, and since the war he has been
consistently, firmly and honestly with Us.
AILQUIS