Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-09-04

some thirty or forty present, may have
declined to vote at all.
AS soon as the Funding Bill was a.
dopted by the Committee, gave it my
support. That it was good bargain fol
the State, l did not doubt then, and dc
not now; and I thought it better for the
creditors than no action at all. If the
latter accepted, and funded their bonds,
they thereby agreed to the compromise,
ana the State was relieved from the
obligated to provide for the outstanding
one-thlrd, until West Virginia should
please to pay the portion due from her.
Inc feature OF tax-paying coupons was
an essential part of the measure. With
out the certainty Of getting the interest
on tWo-thlrds of their bonds, there would
nave been DO inducement to creditors to
accept the provisions of the act. Other
wise, without guarantee, which it was
supposed could not fail, they might as
well have held on to their old bonds and
taken the chances, and thus the State
would not have been relieved of the
burden of the whole debt. knew then,
as well as L know now, that tax on
property OF 80 cts. on the 500, with one
NTH OF that appropriated to public
free schools, would not suffice to carry
on the State government under the
FUNDING Bill but with the then exist
ing assessment of property, it would not
have fallen very far short of the neces-
sary amount. The coupons. it was be-
lleved, would, even before maturity, be
backs or Bank notes. This being so, the
N h<, e.
ing taxes than any other currency, and
the State treasury would not be gorged
with them. Our people, as formerly,
would be disposed to invest all their saw.
ings in State bonds, and the ''consols''
would soon be held almost exclusively
among themselves. These results, the
supporters of the Funding Bill had a
right to anticipate. We shall see by
what means they were disappointed.
1t has been charged that the Funding
Bill was carried by fraud and corruption,
and the charge is still reiterated day af-
ter day. If SO, where is the proof? Who
bribed members of the Legislature p
and what members were bribed? 1 be.
lieve, without boasting, that I did more
to promote the passage OF the bill than
any other single member of the Legisla-
ton will not secure for me any popular
favor. I worked for the measure day
and night, believing I was doing the
State good service. I believe so STILL
Whether / was a man to bride, or be
bribed, l leave the people of Augusta to
say. 1t has been insinuated, if not open
ly charged, that Gov. Walker used cor
rupt means in behalf of the bill I do not
believe it. Gov. Walker needs 10 com
mendation from me, but will say that
he exhibited during his administration,
wise craftsmanship, unusual financial
ability, and, as Ear as know and believe,
perfect integrity. But say some, how
was it that the Republican members of
the House voted one day in body a
gainst the bill, and the next day, for it ?
do not know how it was, nor am pre-.
pared to believe that whole party was
susceptible Of bribery. For one promi-
nent member of that party, think i
can vouch-I refer to Mr.. r. G. Greene
Senator from Petersburg. He was a
member of the Committee on Finance
and was thus in daily intercourse with
him. Although differing widely on all
strictly political questions, we agreed
fully in regard to matters of finance AT
my solicitation, he went among his poll
tical friends of the House of Delegates to
electioneer for the Funding Bill. after
having made speech in support of it in
the Senate. I know nothing of this
gentleman except what saw while in
Richmond; but nothing could surprise
me more than to learn that he was a
corrupt man, or that he used any means
with his political allies other than legiti.
mate argument and fair persuasion.
After the passage of the Funding Bill
number of persons sought my assis.
lance in funding their State bonds
Let me refer to one of these in particu.
lar. She was an old lady who had saved
what was to her little fortune out oil
her salary during long term of service
as nurse at the Western Lunatic Asy-
lum. These earnings she had invested
in State bonds, and hearing of the
Funding Bill she came to me to ask my
advice as to her best course of action
| explained to her that by accepting the
provisions of the bill, she would proba.
bly, be giving up one-third of the amount
due her, but that she would certainly
receive the interest on the remaining
thirds promptly. I advised her te
fund, and she followed my advice and
asked me to attend to the matter for her
Anu o emis o ns 4 taoy SO meeh anu amlaole
n VS. oa abo,,t, ne 90 ny rooAs We near sc
~ ,ears SUo ~ .S no was ~ "lIehuaIeo
~ ,ppe e,5 ,4 4na aIe ueu IL uanger ol
~ l..eo1.n . .tasloI, ysI she was oht
n,ioSt ta,, ~ ~ 49, nnu .nsn
san .6 VI an o1ne peisths OF the
sannbt and reoo;u nu uesci nln;, "ne
fo onS5;nr . tho;r ST. Ky as'is'ance II
~ nn+;ng1 a .lI m n;de ooTu ~ coule
Stountnn ~ ; miuEws III VI 'ne ,oWn o
the State Of Vireinia and son eaa, f rs o. :.
hav;n~ it'll 90 1890; amo I s3ne e " tnSn
wor nsoa ao tho;r S to4a bs a1' a1.er tnt
t;t;on boJ ' 4bn h nSn.H oofus, whose pc.
the Senate n,aA '0 no' VI presenting u
Rnt in answer to 81, +bis - ,,,.,, !,
said that non" If hi; &C. a,o o 80 ~ o nay ~
now hold Stoto hnnd LAS. 49, y. our peeps
snecnIators hold them al ana nd' th wta W.,
mo nnrchased than fnr r' .snt tr; taa' nav nav
can afford to lose them 10 i. sns, 'nes
tent this NAV be tho nosa on nene en tx
;tis ,tis trne !, for lo T mo aHu n;tl
.hone defarrad y nanu ;mn ,onS Mi1l
creditors have No dnnht baan oo ,o.isme,
Nv dire necessity, 70 salI the;r bn'Ia
whatever thew Gould cot for tbam nu 1,' a
in NV indwnent this naLo. M ,,; Rus
ence II matters not VIC hol di1 th