Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-02-15
Thursday. February is, 1877.
Another Compromise.

Compromise yes compromise is the
rage Of the period. We once heard a
well known Virginia funetionary COM
menting in committee on public debt
compromise. Said he: Cummings,
they'll keep on till they compromise
every id principle out of the constitu-
ton" Such is the rage for compromise
Just now that fellow can hardly guess
whether he will have clean shirt next
Sunday. or be invited to compromise on
d collar. About two months ago some
newspaper sent out a sentence from
Burke, which has gone the rounds Of the
press, and the crop Of compromise
wisdom is enormous. Said Burke, :'the
most wholesome legislation is the result
Of compromise. This aphorisin has
gained such force from the splendid
results flowing to Us from a recent
monster compromise that the mania has
seized our state legislators, and they
bid fair to outriyal their Washington
prototypes in compromising every
id principle out Of the constitution :"
and that, toe, the amended constitution,
But compromise is absolutely demanded
by thu crisis. There are twenty-three
long term senators who cannot afford
to go out Of Office in order to redistrict
the state for reduction in numbers. They
feel that they have vested rights which
even the sovereign power residing il the
constituent body cannot diyest. and
their manhood reyolts at the idea Of
basely surrande.ing positions which
were made expressly for them. The
house Of delegates has, in revolutionary
spirit. declared that the Offices belong to
to the peeple- that there IS no right to
oaice which the people cannot by
constitutional provision divest, and
with only Is dissenting votes they
passed 3 bill to reapportion at once.
There-,gas danger Of collision between
the two bodies On this vital question.
The governor vas reticent and the First
oegin,ent Virginia Volunteers were
CHARTERED around the capitol. Events
were rapidly approaching q crisis, and
nen' were tremblingly contemplating
POSSIBLE consequences. What long-terin
senator would not die before he would
surrender 70 the Insignificant member ?
But for Hcrnaon they would all have
persisted. Herndon saw the Inevitable
conflict approaching and he rushed
between ire hostile arrays with the
fert zeal Of a Curtius and the sublime
courage Of a Decius. With the sword
Of compromise snatched from the
scabbard from which it was never to be
returned, he commanded peace, 6e
still!" Gentlemen Of the house retire
to your quarters. Senators Of the long
term, though your districts may be
enlarged to include counties you were
not elected to represent though Il IS
constitutional to redistrict at once !;
though it IS desirable TO retreuch now
# at all, yet there are certain inalieuable
rights which cannot be infringed, and
among themis your right to hold Office.
To alleviate public anxiety let the
arrogant and presumpt;ous house
partially reapportion this year and we
VIII complete the work in 1879. In the
language Of the immaculate and
immortal Moxy. II is better that this
senate sllaH'hold the destines OF this
state than that she should be given into
the power and control Of successors in
oaice.' So spake the rev champion Of
compromise, and thus the matter stands
N the senate.