The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-07-26

7 and confusion held sway for little while
} and finally
JUDGE j. III. M'CUE
obtained the floor. 81 repudiate repudia
ton, and so do ninety-nine hundredths o
= the people" began the Judge, and the GROVE
, cheered Justify. He then went on to say
that the people had received a fair compen
sation for their outlay, and were now en- joy
ing the benefits Of the money expended.
Here the Judge was inter- upted by tht
arrival OF the Committee, but after the read
ing OF the reports and five minutes yell
ing by the crowd. he resumed by saying
that Virginia had been severed by Fedora
power regardless of precedent, and that the
same power could have cut off the city OF
Richmond and Henrico county, and. calling
it the State of Virginia, looked to it for the
payment OF the original debt. Could any
man claim that that little State would have
been morally bound for the debit
Ia voice-Go it, McCue You are on the
right track now! By God ! I thought you
were wrong all the time !''l
Judge McCue cont nued There is no mo-
raj obligation resting upon the State to dis
charge the debt Of old Virginia. Those who
want adjustment are not regulators, but are
seeking to do all they can for the benefit Of
the State. In conclusion, he advised the
people to act not hastily, and the debt would
adjust itself, and the bondholder would come
forward and ask a compromise.
THE RESOLUTIONS.
Upon the arrival of the Committee, which
interrupted Judge McCue's speech, Mr.. Koi-
ner presented the following preamble and
resolutions as the work Of the majority of the
Committee
WHEREAS, Recent declarations with re-
gard to the State debt, on part OF the few.
NAV be construed to tend to a violation Of
| the Constitution of the United States, which
| denies the right to any State to make law
impairing the obligation Of contracts to
| disregard and notification of the decisions
of the Supreme Court Of Appeals of the
State; to reputation and stubborn refusal
of continuance to try to meet our contract
with the public creditors to dlshonor, revo-
luton and rebellion against our State rs
| we'll as Federal authorities; to ruin and
/
social and pecuniary.
| AND WHEREAS. A decent respect for the
opinions of mankind, as well as moral and
| legal obligations, demands continued, pa
tent effort to meet our obligations, until our
ultimate inability to pay shalt be fully de-
monstratcd, Gf such shall unfortunately Be
the case.)
AND WHEREAS. If the State still has the
sovereign power to dictate terms to her Gre
ditors, she may repudiate large accretion
of interest as well as the existing amount;
or the whole debt, thereby suffering no de-
| triment by lapse of time; therefore be it
Resozved, By the people OF Augusta coun-
| tv insfull meeting assembled. that while we
feel and fully appreciate the weight Of taxa.
| ton on every interest and section of the
State, and are always ready and DESTROYS of
concessions and Attachments from the public
creditors yet, we cannot approve any line 1
of policy which tends to demoralize the citi- |
zen by intoxicating feeling of opposition |
and hostility to the fundamental principles |
of society and government, and which are |
the very palladium of our liberty. |
Resolred, That in our Judgment the severe |
ordeal through which our social and political |
organization is now passing demands from |
every citizen firm and unflinching adher-
ence to the fundamental principles laid down
by the Fathers of the Republic IS the bull
wark of our defence in such times OF trial,
when unrefecting men would fly to ills they
know not of for temporary relief, at the .haz-
ard of all the blessings OF peace, content
ment and social order.
Resolved, That we still have confidence in
the manhood and integrity Of the Virginia
people, and in the value and attractiveness
of the great natural resources OF our beloved
Commonwealth, and that we will never con-
-. Is <~1o TO- - |
mortal renown bequeathed 60 us by the
Washingtons, the Madisops, the Lees and
Jacksons, for a mess Of outage to satisfy the
Resoloed: Thas We viii trust to safe mug
sions and abatement Of t,eir claims against
the State, after we have I'LL proof of our
strength in time of prosperity as well as
adversely to fulfil our CONTRACT, with them
and that the true mode Of dealinA with them
is that of frankness, fairness and honesty.
Resolued, That the safety Of Virgisa now,
as heretofore, demands harmony, folbear-
ance and unity in tile Conservative party,to
insure that rigid economy and honest admins
istration which the times 60 imperiously de- I
mand, and to preserve us rom misrale. ex-
travagance and oppressive taxation.
Cheers were given when the reading was
concluded, after which Jno. H. Crawford,
for himself and Col. S. A. East, presented |
the following as minority report, which |
was received with loud cheers: 7
Resolued, That the prosperity OF the State |
demands and every principle of equity and |
Justice and reason entities her to a solution |
Of the State debt question upon the basis of |
her own self-preservation.
Resolred, That we are the Uncompr0mis- |
ing opponents of the g Funding Bill, y and !
will favor any policy or any movement that |
promises to secure permanent and fair re- |
adjustment Of the public liabilities. in which |
our creditors may all fare alike, and for the |
redemption of which the State should pledge |
in good faith her taxable resources, beyond |
what is necessary to an economic admins
trati0n OF her own government.
Resolved, That we respectfully ask the |
cooperation OF farmers, mechanics. mer-
chants, and the lahorilg GLASSES whose in |
terests are all involved, throughout the en-
tire State, in securing these reforms by the |
selection of delegates to the August Con- |
vention who will support no man Tor Gov
ernor who is not committed to the policy OF
readjustment.
When Judge McCae had taken his scat,
there were loud cries for "Qucstion y
Hanger ~ 6 Waddcll y Bumgardner !"
Capt. Jno. N. Opie said that many Of
the farmers were compelled to leave on the |
three O'Clock train, and as it was now half
past two, if the vote was not take n, they
would be deprived of participating in the
meeting. Had the vote been taken at that
time, the minority report would undoubtedly
have been adopted, but the yells and boots
and cries of the crowd drowned the voice OF
the chairman, and some half-dozen gentle
men stepped to the bar and tried to make
themselves heard,
Presently there was q lull, and
HON. MARSHALL HANGER
commenced. He said that this was no po-
litical question, to be decided by passion and
party furorc. 1t was one that appealed to
the earnest inquiry, and the calm, cool, and
deliberate judgment of all honest people.
He was debt paying man now, and always
had been. [Cheers.l He voted for the Fund
ing Bill, and never had regretted 1t. In his
opinion, it was the best arrangement that
could possibly have been made under the
| circumstances.
The entire debt Of the State was recog-