The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-03-19
uov. Krmpcr's Veto Message.

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t1ov. Krmpcr's'VctO Message.
We publish, to.day, the message Of Gov.
Hamper. vetoios She Petersburg charter
", anticipated this result, and several weeks
since. in briefly 'aailuding to the character of
f.e legislation involved in tho passage of the
"ns-ter bill, erpressedthe opinion that Gov.
Hamper would d. precisely what he has done.
! &c Ssnete itself, after having been brought
+. n calm reconsideration Of its owa action,
ny sustained the veto, AMI thus rebuked it.
s'lf by the following vote taken upon the
q ,estion, "shaM tho bill pass, uotwithstand-
ing tho objections Of tho Governor ?''
AYrs--Mssers. .Critcher. Dufield, East
ham, Finneyi Holiday, Hundley, Kirkpat-
rick, Lawson, 'Meem. Nlofett, Patterson,
Smith of Nelson, and Terry-l3.
NoEs-Mes.rs. Allan. Clark, Cochran,
G,unally. Deacon, Eubank, Ecans, Graham,
Greever. Gri'nsley. HerRdon, Lakeland, La
ttrop, lNadaor. Massey, Newberry. Nowlin,
tridemore, Quesenberry, Raglana, Rue,
',mith of Russell, Stetens, Thomas and
Ward-25:
dyes. Noes.
Conservatives - 49,. IL Is
republicans 80 co. =
It is in no partiz,n sense that We oougrat-
''l.ts the whole people Of the State upon
s'is brave and patriotic act Of Governor
ksmqer. While much Of party feeling and
purpose was connected with the passage of
che bill, it involved questions Of coustitu-
,i,nal right and high public policy, that
place the motives which Influenced tho Gov
'rnor, far above cons ,leratious arising out o +
,.rty relations or ambitions. Under the
'4nctity of his oath of efice, and in the
light Of broad comprehension. .of the prio-
'ipes Of popular government, he could not
rave failed to have iuterpesea his veto to
prevent tbs. enactment into law of piece of
legislation pregnant with such dangerous
precedent. In meeting this serious emer-
scncy. thrust upon him and the State by his
own party. friends, with the genuine cou1 age
If statesman, he has won the esteem Of the
redecting men of all parties, and entitled
himself to the thanks and confidence of the
friends Of good government throughout the
Commonwealth. He has boldly proclaimed
that he intends to be the Governor of the
whole of Virginia, and not simply the agent
to record the elicts Of partizan legislature.
In this he has redeemed the promise of his
inaugural address .and given assurance that
shs manly utterancas Of that document
were not merely well chosen words to make
ap smoothe sounding sentences siguifyiny
nothing, but the maturei conclusions Of deep
convictions of public duty.
We arc the more free to express our ap
prevail of this wise act Of the Governor, be-
cause having opposed his e!ectioa, and hav-
ing formed a different opinion of his mental
cas-. from the speeches We heard him deliver
during tae last canvass, it affords W. an op.
2ortunity to do full justice to his true char
aetcr, az manifested both in his inaugural
address, and this veto message. There has
not bscn an act placed upon record by the
legislature or any high State official since
1865, whose tendency will be SO healthy for
originals interests, as this veto message,
fJhndea upon the reason assigned for its
preparation. It will do more to rebuke the
spirit Of sectional animosity, aud partc dis
temper, than anything that has yet been at
tempted, and will attract to Governor Kcm-
per the admiratio: and confidence of men of
all parties, who will recognize in him an Of
fetal above the reckless expedients Of the
partizan demagogue. What Virginia wants
to-day Is a more general diffusion through
her official representatives Of this manly,
patriotic spirit. Capital and enterprise have
been driven from the State, to our certain
knowledge. by the manifestation of party
higotry and intolerance, and the suborlina
lion of everything else to the behests of par
~ purposes. Men have refused to come to
the Stats and others have left the State, be-
,auss they could not exercise their honest
augment in political m alters and be respec-
ed. No people c.n prosper, unless they
cultivate the broadcast federation for individ-
,al opinion upon public question add party
policy. Governor Kempsr boldly announc-
- that he dares to differ with this spirit of
and do what he believes to be
right, whether he is supported by his party
friends or not. This signal and timely re.
bufe c,nnot fail to have healthy effect and
produce results the most bene6ccnt to the
State.
We do not regard Governor Ksmper any
ass Conservative for this praiseworthy act |
It shows that his Conservatism is Practical
md useful, and not m eaningless nomeucla-
ure. He is conservative in it. true sense,
od 10 the sense that Republicans aud D,m-
'crats, who have at heart the prosperity of
Virginia. will endorse. The reckless and |
lnfouuded assertions Of Senator HundIey |
hat the Governor was governed by consi1-
ratiops OF personal ambition and had De-
srrsd TO the wishes Of Gen. Grant in this
a alter, will not be accepted by any one who
elievss that J AMOS L. Ksmpsr is an honest
nan And who will say t, the contrary !.
l.