Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-10-06
ADDRESS OF THE STATE CONSER.
VATIVE COM hITrEE.
STATE CONSERVATIVE COMMITTEE,

AliaA II Sc<N'biNf AL = N'hlhI Ii III,
Septeu Der 80 1878. /.
To tie Conservative Voters Of Virginia.
GA the 81 day of November next an election
will be held throughout the State for the choc.
of members of the House Of Delegates and of
one. half of the mcmbcrS of the Senate. The
election Is an Important one, aud should call
out full vote of the CONSERVATIVE party That
party has held control --.-Ae State since its re.
atlops to the Unou we44-NG@-.r ored, and through
its wisdom aud energy the affairs Of the State
have beeu managed by the Intelligence and tx
perience Of her people; and all laws, State aud
Federal, have been administered with an im-
partial eye 20 the rights OF all men, regardless
of class cnlor, nativity or political opiuipp. 10
continue his aScendancy, 1t is necessary that
the Conservative party should secure mninri
ty in beth branches Of the Legislature. This
is The most important department Of the State
government l. yields vastly more power than
the tx cutive aud ,dica departments com.
biued, and its acts operate directly upon the
business and interests OF the people II fills
the judiciary by lis own selections, and with a
| power by twnthir;:, vote to override the veto
OF the Executive, II practically controls the
executive power of the Safe. 1t passes all
laws affecting our civil rights. and all laws al
tGctne the prlvlcg and lmmInlles which
| belong TO US as citiZ rs Of tue StGte. 1t COO
trolls the whole educational system as prescrlb-
ed by the constitution, and is entrusted with
the administration of The fluids raised by taxa
ton for educational purposes l. is clothed
with the power to impose taxos, AMI 10 dis
burse the taxes when collected and determines
how much money shall BE- raised by taxation,
and from what sources The whole internal
Improvement policy Of the State, her railroads
| and nan mails ard tho
| the interest on that portion Of the public debt
assumed by the State, are subjects that will
engage the attention of the legislature aud
call for the exercise of the highest qualities OF
craftsmanship. The subject Of he public debt
is alluded to not for the purpose Of discussing
the merits OF the arrangements by which the
| State assumed this portion OF the debt. 1t is
! enough Tor US all who respect the laws Of the
State as construed by its highest legal tribunal
| to know that the Supreme Court of Appeals
of the State has sustained the validity of this
arrangement, aud declared that to the extent
it has been accepted by the creditors, it is a
contract which the Legislature had the power
to make; that it is binding on the State and
that there is 20 power in the Legislature or
elsewhere TO repeal, annual or modify it, And
it is IN Difference to the opinion of this high
tribunal, which all liw abiding citizens should
uphold oud defend, that the Legislature has
| heretofore eudeavorcd to pay the interest on
the portion of the debt thus assumed by the
State. And now that its efforts 10 this behalf
appear likely to be crowned with success and
the interest paid, it would be the heighth of
madness to make it the subject of an angry
discussion within the ranks Of the Conserva.
| tive party. La pursuance OF the policy hereto.
! fore adopted by the Legislature, and BY means
of the present rate Of taxation, the State is
now paying about five per cent. on her portion
OF the debt, and by nIeans If the Sinking Fund
annually paying off a part of the principal,
Leaving about OUe per cent. of the interest to
| be provided for. Your commi;t,e believe that,
by rcas m OF the rapidly Increasing taxable val
| ueS throughout the STATE, that the additional
amount necessary to meet the full interest on
the public debt can be raised if the present as
sessment law be enforced and the commission
crs of the revenue will do their duty, without
increasing the rate of taxation on property or
merchants licenses. But should this fail, then
the additional sum can be raised by the sccc
ton Of new subj cts OF taxation, which, if ju-
dciously chosen, will threw the addI;ioaal tax
on those best able to bear the BURDEN and
whilst it will avoid any increase IF the rate of
| taxation on property and MERCHANTS licenses,
will maintain the homer and Integrity OF the
| State by meeting her obligations aud will for.
ever remove this disturbing element from the
| councils OF The Conservative party. 1t Is be-
causc So little romGlnS Ia be done to nav the
interest on the public debt. aud that this can
be dooe by the rre-"u rates OF taxation, that
| your committee dcprecatr the introduction ct
this >ut! ct into the present canvass An em-
Filtered discussion OF this sui jet on the hust-
logs is not calculated to prepare the minds Of
members for the calm cons Iteration OF this
grave question wbeu they shall assemble at the
! Capitol
We have referred to soma of the vast powers
welded by the Legislature. Ii would be diff
cult, II not impossible, to enumcrate all the
powers ofthat body, as it exercises all the legis.
latlve powers which reside in the people 10
their sovereign capacity, except so tar as it is
restricted by the Constitution of the State and
by the Constitution of the Ulltcd States This
reference to It's leading powers is uade simply
for the purpose OF calling The attention OF the
conservative party 10 the importance of the
election about /" take place, aud to urge them
TO an earnest effort to secure the control of a
body entrusted with such gave and responsible
duties.
No Conservative is willing to see the Legis.
lature pass luto the hands OF the Republican
party. For short time this party held power
10 the State uuder the Il construction laws,
and as au evidence Of their fitness for govern
mcnt they gave us the Underwood Constitution.
BY this Instrument they proposed to dsirauchse
thousands and tens of thousands of our best
clt'zcUs, AMI ny l> test oath would have ex-
| cludcd nearly every white man from office in
the State, aud have coufucd the lection to
the 'gnoraut and Incompetent. through the
lnslrumentaIity Of the Conservative party the
Sta escaped this sweeping d>trauchsement of
her people, and achieved signal victory over
Wells aud his party. That victory gave her an
honest State government, pure Judiciary, aud
Tree school system superior TO that ia mauy
OF the Northern States; taxes levied for the
actual expenses Of the Government, collected
aud honestly accounted tor; her Institutions of
learning sustained aud prosperous. ADD her
credit at home and abroad sustaired, and the
material INTERESTS Ut her people if slowly, yet
surely, improving. These are Some Of the add
vantages Virginia has aimed through the eff.
forts OF the CONSERVATIVES Dartv N nonfr,ct