Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-10-10


nee rather titan surrender. NV patti
ence Is exhausted when | encounter an
editorial from across the line presuming
TO tell Vlrglnlans how to maintain the
nonor and far fame of their State.
lhhty years ago Sy dney Smith held
pennsylvania up to the contempt of the
world torrepudlating her debt outright.
ana today size carries another OF over so
millions at 4 per cent. Dabney III.
Maufy IS one who seems not to know
That tins was the Reputation referred
10 ID the quotation from the cynical wit
ana equity political preacher, with which
he began his late letter on the debt.
1t i'll became subject OF the govern
ernment that ran It's princess creditors
out Of Liverpool under an alien act and
sunk them at the Noire to rebuke
Pennsylvania. Vnginia's name should
be sacredt to such and their state relI-
gion prevent their taking 1t in vain.
Its difficult, almost impossible. to
talk or write on this question without
digressions. General Walker has un-
dertaken to prove that we can stand
an increase CT taxation by showing
how lightly we are taxed in comparison
with other states. He did not 90 into
tie internal revenue, nor did he 90 into
anything else but reckless assertion.
ne assigned us. there are but two states
in the Union that pay higher rate Of
taxation for state purposes. Those two
are New York and Nevada. Of the
one l have given enough to show the
difference in ability to pay, and the
other has more dollars of either of the
currency metals than we have Of paper.
The carpet-bag states OF the South have
been paying more than we, but within
the last year they have generally read
iusted and repudiated fraudulent fund
ing bills until even they are less OPP
pressed than Virginia, considering the
advantages Of cotton production over
wheat. Indeed Nevada is so well of
that She is about joining her forces with
those ofNew \ ork against legal tender
silvcr-declaring that the payment ola
debt with silver Is epudiation, lest a
period shall be put to gold gambling,
Stockholders coerced into honest rur-
suits, and the South relieved Of a small
proportion Of her tax burdens.
L have exceeded reasonable bounds with
this letter, but cannot forego the notice
of one other point. In reading after
most gentlemen holding views opposite
to ours I notice that they always speak
OF a contract under the funding bill,
never say a word about contract with
the ''peeIer" holders, and always eX-
press their sympathy with the widows
and orphans. Poor widows and
orphans! l struggled hard for four
years to pay them interest on their
bonds. never failed to vote for meas
ures that would raise revenue and pay
interest enough to reach the ''peeler'
debt. l knew that was the debt held
by the widows and orphans,- they
were taxed upon their bonds and got
nothing. Iolercd the bill that passed
the assembly in liz to pay interest
on the debt. Wehad surplus on hand
that reached to the ''peeler'' then; but
they have gotten nothing since. Cou-
poEs get ii all. By reference to our
code YOU viii see that receivers were
aud are required to invest funds In
State securities. 1t was the rule before
the war with them, and other fduclarles,
to do this. When the funding COM
menced these securities remained un-
changed because the receivers, guar
4ss.4-7---- - .zaauId not assume respons3S.
oaity Without oroavr-0fa-cvurt. Il ere {<<
%tleia- ti2a--s .nSelers' could have been
found until taxing them wfefIos.e f,s.,a;--sz
any interest upon them forced our
widows and orphans" as they got
possession OF them, to sell on the stock
market at 80 to So cents. l know this
to be. the fact from observation here,
and from personal concern and effort at
the request Of our late receiver, the
lamcuted Col. D. H. Walton. Hon. K.
N, t. Hunter, state treasurer, IN let
ter published only few weeks ago on
reimbursement, makes the same state
ment. No contract here, says Mr..
Barton. theoretically. We may. read
lust this widow and orphan debt, but
the coupon debt is sacred. How dimin-
utiye the technical lawyer becomes by
the side of the broad minded Pendleton
in Call.or Robertson in Grattan!
1t is the rule so generally with our
adversaries on this question to arrogate
everything to themselves that even Mr..
Stuart. usually fair, tells how we have
lost revegue by the last legislatures
meddling with the bill ola finance COM
mite taxing railroads, canals, steam
boats. express, insurance, sleeping car
COMPANIES sc which, with other subjects,
increased the revenue three or four
hundred thousand dollars. l never
heard before that this bill accomplished
so much. Now that Mr.. Stuart has ap-
nrised me oft 1 shall take occasion to
saw that the humble writer Of this letter
introduced that bill the first session Of
Mr.. Stuart's craftsmanship Of finance.
That committe kicked it out. | had it
printed at my own expense, covering
number of pages, and offered it in the
bouse ofdelegates as a substitute Tor
the old stereotyped committee bill
which never amounted to anything.
The committee fought 1t to the last, but
tbe house finally passed it, after the
committee. through Mr.. Dooley, had
succeeded in reducing the arbi-
trary assessment per mile on rail-
roads from $4,000 to $4,000. Suisse
Ioucntly they gave the companies power
to assess their own property and the
bill became a nonentity, and Mr.. Stuart
saws the State must again do the assess
ing. merely mention this to show
tbatnot all the credit ofreyenue raising
belongs TO anti-readiusters-
The last disturbing question IS, what
will we do with the whiskey tax ii the
debt be readjusted? The treasury is now
empty. the appropriations not paid, and
our charitable institutions, lunatic and
deafaud dunlb asylums, neglected and
borrowing. Here is an investment for
all that whlskey can bring into the pub
lie Golfers. Almost every jail in the
Commonwealth has its felon's cells oc-
cupied by unfortunate fellow beings
guilty ofnothing but lunacy. In our
own Jail we have three dragging out
miserable lives, without medical treat
ment or hope of recovery. There they
have been for from one to three years
letters bringing the response, mo ac-
/ commodations, no money" One OF
these is a young woman sane ten
months in the year, and wants only the
treatment, perhaps, OF an asylum. In-
telligent, chaste, attractive in personal
anneoronce. no fault but her mistor-