Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-08-27
, INV note tbat all ohieotions TO NV re.

in my note, that all objections to my re-
preventative course as a member OF the
Senate, and your representative course as
q member of the House. shall be discussed
before the people, in order that they may
arrive at an intelligent conclusion through
their representatives in Convention as
sembled. What you mean by advising me
to wait patiently-that if you are nominal
ted ] will have ample time afforded me to
vindicate my course before the people. L
am at a loss to conjecture, unless you mean
to intimate that | am all independent
candidate Ii this is your meaning, you
are entirely mistaken, for it II convention
is deemed expedient and held in the
manner advised by the Chairmen OF the
Executive Committee OF the State, l
certainly will submit my claims and
abide its action. If you are NOM
mated over me, would like to know
what good vindication of my course
would do either my friends or myself. it
would be enacting the farce of locking the
stable door after the horse had been stolen.
| do not fear you as an open opponent. and
simply ask ut your hands, that you will
not place yourself in such a position as
will make you a secret opponent.
You say must not quarrel with you for
what others are doing. l say. if you are
cognizant Of what others are doing, you
are as responsible for their actions as they
are. A relative of yours has been making
strenuous effort to array the grangers
and farmers against me. and to secure their
influence for you, on the grounds that
am lawyer and q town. man. 1t is true
| have been lawyer, and so have you, ii
that is a crime--but like yourself have not
practiced the profession for number OF
years | have no apology to offer for hay
L. II vyyI,sl fNnlxr tn n,fll
your attention to the fact that such an IS
sue is ,,eing made against me.
Very certainly have never been con-
nected with any rings, cliques, or combina-
lions, and if my legislative course has been
conspicuous for one thing more than
another, it has been my adherence to
the agricultural interests of the county,
and | submit it as unfair for your friends
to undertake to array this interes. against
me- haye served the people OF Augusta
for six years. have endeavored faithfully
land think with some success) to keep
down taxes and relieve them of unjust and
onerous burdens. [ have tried to repre-
sent, fully and fairly, all interests and
sections. Through my fundamentally,
the people of Augusta have been saved in
the last three years, twenty-three thousand
dollars, by re-aSSeSSment of their lands.
| labored for the passage OF bill which
became Il law, and is still the law, which
has prevented the sacrifice of much per-
sonal property at forced sales. | have la
bored to prevent the imposition OF heavy
taxes on the merchants and manufacturers
of the State, not only because what l fear
. has turned out to be true, that it would
| plralyZe and PROSTATE trade; diminish
values, and drive capital and enterprise
| from the State, but because | was satisfied
| it would result in the farmer and not the
merchant footing the bill [ drew and got
| through the General Assembly, two bills
| one imposing taxes on the national banks,
which had heretofore escaped taxation,
aud another requiring the repositories at
| Richmond to pay four per cent on the
State deposits, which together have brought
into the treasury of the State, up to this
time, as evidenced by a certificate from the
Auditors office, more than two hundred
thousand dollars, and which will continue
| to bring into the treasury every year, from
forty to one hundred Thousand dollars.
Through the influence of my friends of
Southwest, Southside and Tide Water Wiz
GINA, the Court of Appeals holds u session
at the City of Staunton. | have done this
! much, at least, and do not believe. as am
| tod you do, that the Valley Of Virginia
ought to shoulder the whole public debt,
even il it be true that Eastern and Tide
| Water Virginia, are unable TO pay any
part of it. Pray tell the people of Au-
gusta what you have done for them. In
seeking to supersede me, give them
some account of your Stewardship in
the House of Delegates. Do not
seek to brand me with unfaithfulness and
incompetency, and deny me even jury
of my countrymen to try the issue. All
ask is that you confront me with my &C
cusers, and give me an opportunity Of de-
fence before the grand inquest of the peo-
pie. Do this. and all cause of complaint
will be put at rest.
shall submit my claims to the people,
with entire confidence that they will do
me justice. Respectfully,
ALEX b. COCHRAN. .
P. ST. shall publish the correspondence
between us, and if you intend replying to
this letter, please do so at once.