The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-10-14
The People against the Rings.


The People against the Rings
The rebellion that is now going on and
spreading through every portion of the COM
monwealtll, against King Caucus, presages the
overthrow and destruction of the despotic re-
gime that has contributed so largely to the
prostration and paralization Of the best inter-
ests of the State. From almost every section,
commencing in the capital, the indications are
that determined effort is to be made this fall
to emancipate the people from the tyranny OF
the political rings. that have ruled heretofore
with rod of iron, and assumed to do the
thinking and substantially the voting for the
masses. In Richmond, Petersburg, Amherst,
Nelson, Albemarle, Pittsylvania, Roanoke,
Botetourt, and throughout the entire Southwest,
independent candidates. representing the voice
of the people. will be or have been presented
! for the suffrages of these who will not yield a
willing obedience to the corrupt rings that
have, with supreme impudence unparalleled,
ever since the war, lorded it, with relentless
dogmatism, over the people. An awakened
sense of individual right, of the obligations OF
citizenship and the responsibility that attaches
to the elective franchise, has opened the eyes
of the people to the folly that has heretofore
governed them in permitting the caucus ma
nipulators actually to control the legislation OF
the State. The deplorable condition of the
monetary affairs Of the Commonwealth, the ar
bitrary enactment of a law 2that fastens fifty
millions OF debt upon the property Of the
State, with no reference TO or consideration for
the losses sustained by the people by reason OF
the war, the inexcusable and reckless extrava-
gance that has squandered twenty millions of
assets, aud exhausted the current revenues of
the State, until now we are compelled to bor-
row money to pay the actual expenses of the
State COY eminent, have aroused the concern Of
the tax-p ayers and voters, and they have de-
termined to sternly demand reform and
change.
It has be zen the custom heretofore for few
expert wiz epullers and schemers about che
Court House to fix their plans, call conventions,
pack the de legates in the interest of selected
men, and then put them forward as the cal d-
dates OF the people as represented by party.
and demand that they be supported and eiec-
ted, whether they be acceptable or not Fail
ing to recognize the justice and the right OF che
few designing politicians to- rule the people in
this way, the penalty has been that the recalci-
trants were read out of the pa.ny-placed out OF
the pale OF Conservative recognition The
people have borne this until forbearance has
ceased to be a virtue. They have allowed
themselves to be dragooned and bullied into
this sacrifice Ct their manhood. their rights and
their individuality, until they fin,d that longer
subseryience and abject slavery will be utter
ruin, and they have determined to vindicate
that manhood, and show that the fiimsey and
corrupt machinery of party no Ion. ger has ter
rers for them, nor will they longer willingly
bow their necks to the oppressor's yoke.
What does the high privilege to vote mean !?
1t is the method provided by fundamental and
statue law, for the people to participate in gov
ernment-to give expression to their opinions
as to the laws that should be or should not be
enacted-to indicate the character of legislation
they want, and to have their will Incorporated
into the statutes by which they have TO be gov
erned.
What has been the practice in Virginia for the
last eight years? Why, few men have consti-
tuted themselves ring-masters-have taken the
management of public affairs away from the
people, where it belongs by the sanctities of
law, and have controlled the machinery of
PARTY to either keep themselves in Office, or
place others there as subservient tools. What
question of State policy, affecting the rights
and property Of the people, have they been
permitted to express an opinion upon? Not
one. Suggest the policy of discussing the best
method of adjusting the public debt, and get
ting a fair expression of the will Of the people
upon it, ''Oh it will hurt the PARTY. 1t will
never do, for it will disrupt the PARTY Or
ganization ~ And yet this very party organi
cation is only used to grind the people to the
earth with taxes, to rob them of their hard
earnings. to drive away capital, PROSTATE in
dustry, depreciate lands, dishearten the young
and active youth of the State, until they pack
their carpet sacks and travel to freer and
more liberal and enlightened community, leav-
ing the older citizens to struggle with the mis-
fortunes and burdens this party organization
has inflicted upon them.
The people are beginning to understand
these things-they begin to comprehend how it
is, that the commonwealth, rich in all the ele-
ments OF natural wealth, is going back and
back every day-their obligations growing lar
ger and more unbearable-th lands falling
In price-she public debt increasing reve-
nues being squandered, and their oppressors
and plunderers ''laughing at their calamity"
There must be a stop to these things, or ire
trievable ruin will be the doom of the people,
The independent thinkers of Virginia must
take the management of their own affairs in
their own hands must defy the party caucus,
and send men to the legislature, who feel and
think with them, and who will try and relieve
them Of the wrongs that have been piled upon
them. 1t is q shame, burning shame. that
the people have so long allowed themselves to
be ruled and mastered by few designing
elemagegues-that they have been led like sheep.
dumb, to the slaughter. and had their substance
taken from them in the name of party, without
Il single compromising good.
The signs are omnous for ring masters. In
dependent candidates, sustained by the voice
of the people. are presenting themselves for
the Legislature all over the State. The masses
feel that something must be done-that party
leaders and party schemers must give way be-