The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-01-13
The Handwriting on TIE Wall,


State are getting restless under the expressions
and wrongs Inflicted by the Consei vative party.
Heretofore it has been content to echo the
slang Of the political nountebanks about car
pet-bag and negro rule, and excite the preju-
dices OF the people at the expense OF their rca-
son and Judgment. In this way party ends
have been accompiislled--tlIe Conservative fraud
perpetuatcd in power, and the people allowed
to groan ON under the burdens imposed by
Conservative extravaganza and profigacy. The
| twenty millions dollars of assets substantially
squandered; the public debt increased by de-
| faulted interest; the current revenues dssi-
patel; immigration driven away; lands de-
! preciated; business stagnated-thcse things
cannot be explained away. They come home
to the pocket and hearth-stones. They COM
bine to weave gloomy future, with no CLEAN
OF hope for better times under the manage
ment OF the same proscriptfve party policy.
The cause Of these ills 10 beginning to be UNI
derstood- and the masses are inquiring as to
what they gsia BY supporting party OF hun
CRY Office seekers, who care nothing for the
rights Or interests of the constituent body.
|
gins to get glimpse of the handwriting on
the wall, and in its last issue tries to direct
popular attention from the results Of Conser-
vative rule in Virginia, and hold responsible
for the condition of the State the national gov
eminent. But this jesuitism will not do. It is
too transparent. The merest tyro in politics
will understand at glance, that the people of
Virginia have none of the 100000 internal
revenue tax to pay, except what they volun-
tariy assume, as we have explained elsewhere.
As full answer to all the nonsense the Vindi-
Gator has strained itself to get off on this sub
ject, we will state that the sales of one Of the
Staunton whiskey manufacturers last year in
the Southern States, amounted to about Sc, 90
a month, or $4,000 year. OF course, the
manufacturer paid the tax primarily, but he
collected it again off the parties he traded with
in distant States, and the wholesale dealer
there off the retailer and the retailer off the
dram drinker, and he possibly off the hearts of
his wife and children. By this process was the
81, 100000 of internal revenue collected in
Virginia on whiskey and tobacco. 1t was paid
in here from other States and transferred to
ufacturess retained enough to make themselves
rich.
The people cannot be deceived by the spe-
cious reasoning OF the Vindieatos, which re-
fleets no credit either upon its intelligence or
its fairness. They are not idiots, that they
cannot understand that the internal revenue
tax ON whiskey and tobacco has nothing to do
I,xytE a
party. No one need pay one cent of this tax,
if he chooses to preserve his health and good
habits by refusing the use of tobacco and whs-
key. If he uses them it is his own fault, and
he should be made to pay for them-
The fact is, the people are awakening to
sense of the wrongs they have suffered in the
name of the Conservative party. AS was re-
marked to lbs few days ago by an intelligent
gentleman, who was = gallant officer in the
Confederate army and has acted with the Con-
servatye party up to this time, that he thought
it was about time the people of Virginia were
| showing some respect for the national govern
ment, recognizing the spirit Of national laws
and adapting themselves to them-that we had
tried the isolated policy OF the Conservative
party long enough; it did not work we'll; it
was doing us harm every day, and that if Vir-
gina wanted to get lifted out OF the deplerable
condition into which she had been plunged by
bad legislation, she must 'loosen up On the
subject of politics-show more liberation, more
national sympathy, SO that people could come
here with their money and their enterprise,
let their political sentiments be what they
might, and feel at home in expressing them.
Such expressions coming from the gentleman
| they did, surprised us-we told him SO. He re-
marked that he had talked to 4 number Of in
fuential Conservatives ia the eemmunity, and
they had given him to understand that they
fully agreed with him-that it was suicidal for
the people OF the Valley especially, where there
are so many inducements for desirable immi-
| grafton, to follow the lead of the political
lemagogles who had been inkaming the pas
sions and preiudices OF the people about negro
and earpct-bag rule-that whether the Repub-
lican or Conservative party was in power, it
would not affect the rule Of Virginians, the
name not changing their devotion to the State.
| They had tried the Conservative party, and the
result was before us Stunned and forsaken by
| the very class Of people wanted. because of the
narrow prejudices that were cultivated, and
that the Republican party, made upof Virgin
ians, would make IL no worse, but would only
show to the people Of the whole country that
our citizens were in sympathy with national
laws and national institutions, in spirit as well
lis word.
! This is the tone of the sentiment that is
/ cropping out all over the Valley of Virginia
thc rapid increase in the circulation of the
VIRGINIAN is the surest evidence of this. and
we have good ground to believe that great
change is going on among the honest masses.
| It is this sentiment that the indicator is en-
deavoring to counteract, and hence its resort to
the bald deception it attempts about the OPP
| preston OF the national government in the
| method of collecting the revenue. There could
not be devised system less oppressive to hon.
est industry than that adopted. The govern
ment has to be supported-the huge debt con-
tracted by reason Of secession and war has to
be provided for, and1f this can be done by taxing
injurious luXuries, and relieving substantial
morality and probity, what virtuous citizen
ought to complain? If the people do not drink
ardent spirits or use tobacco, they pay but lit