The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-10-22
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE.
FOR CONGRESS,
Hem. JOHN +. LEWIS,
OF ROCKINGHAM
Beware of Wolves in Sleeps Clothing"

'haNo"S cc1OIe, ana enaDlc us 10 prepare lot
ssAt which otherwise might approach us una
Nae g. II has been transpare1sfsSs the careful
no~errer Of political movements in Virginia,
aass all insidious effort was being put forth,
And = stealthy scheme devised to destroy the
sssenec OF the present State Constitution, by
sFiping out all the liberal portions which opcr-
ate to the advantage NJ the masses. The APP
3r5i!ttncnt 1T a Committee by the last Legisla-
eure to revise sltat instrument, and to report
sacl changes As their deliberations might sug-
= st, was the iirst open and undiSguised step
towards the accomplishment OF the object we
hare mentioned. It will be remembered that
this committee met at Orkney Springs last
susnmer, and by = unanimous vote recon-
,aetsied raslical innovation upon the Consti-
tuition ~ it nov stands. This was q part of
The programme, following Us it did, the action
ut the legislature submitting the two amend
tnents to the Constitution to be voted on at the
November election, the same time that Con-
kressmcn are elected. They relate to the coun-
" and township organizations; the substance of
which is sunmonizcd by IN exchange as fol-
4ows:
''At the Congressional election on the Bird Of
November next, the people Of Virginia are also
called upon TO vote upon two amendments to
the Constitution OF the State, submitted by the
Legislature. relating to their township and coun-
ty organizations. lJader these amendments,
adopted, political Offices will be filled by fall
eaectfonA and all other offices by the spring
elections. or appointments. The sheriff, At
sefney for the Commonwealth and county
treasurer holding Tor the term of four years,
rf.ms.sn ii,
Nx years, together with so many commissions
ers of the revenue rs may be designated by
law, viii be elected by the people in May. The
superintendent OF the poor. county surveyor
and superintendent OF schools will be appoint
I'D under special legislation. In the magiste-
iial districts, corresponding with present town
SLIPS, there will be elected in May one super
visor, ono oversecr OF poor, three justices and
one constable: to hold office for two years.
The school district system is not touched, but
the road district system is abolished and left to
future legislation.
II they be ratified, all the county officers,
clerks. sheriff, treasurer, commissioners of the
revenue, commonwcaltll's attorney and coun-
~ surveyor will be- elected OH the 18th Thurs
day IN May next, and the present incumbents.
clerks sherlffs. CONFERENCE.-The attorney, &C..
Will hold their officers until the LIST of July,
1875 The fall election then for county and
circuit court clerks will pass for naught-for
the statute submitting these amendments,
which passed the Legislature. with marked
u',animity, provides that the illegally consti-
tuted officers OF the several counties and town.
ships OF the State, at the date OF ratification of
these amendments by the people shall continue
10 discharge tile dates Of their respective Off
ces until the officers provided for by these
amendments shall have been elected or APP
pointed and qualified; and the amendatory
clauses which become operative from date Of
ratification declare the SUCCESSORS OF these shall
not be installed before the l.t day OF July
next. And the officers elect at the date of rat
ihcations are not therein referred to because
those, under existing law, could not qualify be-
fore the first Of January, and therefore could
not continue" from date Of ratitications ''to
tlscfarge the duties OF their respective offices"
Il the amendments are ratified, Augusta coun-
~ wall lose six township clerks six assessors,
ak commissioners of roads, six collectors and
IL number OF constables and overseers of
roAds.',
1t is not SO much to enter our protest against
tAe amendments proposed, as to warn the peo-
pie against the spirit that animatcs the propo-
sitiol. It will finally strike at the Free School
System. That is the feature of the Constitu-
sion that the people have to guard and against
which! the most insidious assaults are to be
made. II the people allow themselves to be
sedueed into adopting amendment after amend
ment to the Constitutions, before they are aware
OF It, they will have veted away one OF the
$restest boons ever conferred upon the masses
OF the State. and which weighs down every
distssteful provision OF the Constitution.
The indicator last week published gonna
stattztics presented by Z. S. Dcanc, Of the
Nettoway county Grange, showing the expen-
1es OF three townships in that county, and es-
stnxting, from this data, that there will be a
saving to the State ct 5000 63l .25 by the aboli-
tton OF the present township ana county Or
EAnization systems. We are sure that this
SHOWING is very imperfect basis from which
TO ealculxte. It is reasonable to presume that
some townships will expend more than others,
and very probably exceed the expenses of adj
sninistration of county affairs under the old
system. But we venture the assertion that
cake it As a whole, the present township system
Is not as expensive as the old system, and to
sustain. The assumption we produce the official
figures OF the comparative expenses OF the two
:eystems as operated in 1868 and 1873, in Au-
4ssasta county.
The amount of all accounts. public allowan-
YES, &C., in 1868, under the old system, for ALL
1usta county, was $2l, 447.54. The amount of
all allowances, &c, Tor the year 1873, under
the new system, in Augusta county, exclusive
Of the public free school levy, was 4l6 1893. 81,
showing large diminutfon OF expenses iii run
ming the two systems, amounting to $A9l7.52,
or $Sl9.5S for each township, in the county,
over and above the present system. As there
are four hrndred and twenty-five townships i'll
the Stase-pursuing the method Of argument
adopted by Mr.. Deane and endorsed by the
Tindicotor-we would have an excess of ex-
penses under the old system, as compared with
the new. Of $34s, 321.50! AS we have stated
above. this does not include the levy for public
free schools. This in Augusta county, town.
ship aud tstfich anounteel, in 1873 to $40, S7S.-
~. Nor sacaad this be included, for it is rea-
ssaable to suppose that this much, at least is
saved to the people by the operation of free
schools. 1t is not As aasch as they would 9TH
efwisc pay.
It is quite probable Mt Deane did not sx.
. ,de the school levy from his calculation. and
II that be so, it shs~s the iMsidious spirit that
It ,xyestcd the puhlicstion OF the figures. and
All appeal upeR tken to the Grangers Of the
Stat. tn yote fesr the aix pdrnantS IN t,a r,o,,