Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-05-25
Meeting To Consider Adjustment. :"


CONFERENCE OF FARMERs-DIFFERENT
OPINIONS ABOUT THE STATE DEBT--AN
INDEFINITE PREAMBLE AND REsO-
LUTIcNs,
Some weeks ago some gentlemen i'll the
county sent around circular to the far
mers of the county TO attend meeting IN
Staunton to consider the question OF the
State finances. In answer to this circular
about seventy-five farmers attended, IN
Guiding such men as Hon. A. Is. Llghtner,
Capt. A. NJ. Bowman, Capt. E. A. Full
cher, VIM. Il. Peyton, Samuel M. Prison,
Jas. Henderson, Wash. ShueY, Thos.
Burke, Col. II. D. Williams, Col Samuel A.
East, John Hamilton, j. j. Shuey. VIM.
Gilkeson, VIM. Gamble, W. e. Gilkerson,
L. W. Conner, Thos. Mcclure, J. NJ. Bay
| lor, A. A. McPheeters, Geo Seawright, I'll.
II. Teaford, Benton Conner, A. Blauth, r.
| A. Curry, Jas. Borden and E. f. Vincent.
The names selected will represent the char
acter of the meeting, which with few ex-
ceptions was composed OF solid and indus
| trious farmers.
The Assem- bly, was called to order by Col.
Samuel A. East, Of Parnassus, who ex-
planned it's objects were to get the views of
! merchants, mechanics, farmers and Ia
boring men, on the financial embarrass-
ments of the State, to confer as to the ORR
gin of the present hard times and to see if
some concerted action could not be brought
about to relieve them. Mr.. Thornton Ber-
nv was then called to the chair and Messrs
Geo, Seawright, S. Brown Allen, E. A.
Fulcber, Robt Harnsbarger and Col. II.
D. Williams were appointed to draft reso-
lutions for the consideration of the meeting.
These gentlemen whose views regarding
adjustment" have been understood as
favoriDg 1t, went out and promptly repor-
ted the following
PREAMBLE AND RES oLUTIoNs.
Affer several wears OF most unexampied de-
nressiou in all departments of business, except
| in the business Of shaving and extorton, the
ro,uIar heart begins TO be cheered by signs of
4 return of prosperity to the country al large
THIS revival from our langIishing con diuon
would in no wise be due 10 any powers OF SELF
e cupera;ion. exertipg themselves smong US
1t home but would be due to causes acclden-
/ tai, extraneous and operating from abroad.
= he embarrassments in our Sta tie affairs are So
Heighty, and complications so intricate,
| that we may not possibly realize all that THESE
t signs promise. We speak sobery snd truly.
u we think, When we say that it will require the
- almost vigilence and the most earnest efforts
10 If the farmers to secure to themselves falr
d hare of these promised benefits. We think 1t
would be cuipa,le remissness if our people,
should rest satisfied with the visions, However
l. fright, that looming up over tie land
II The fruit so fair to look upon may turn out to
if he ike the dead fruit that may fall to ashes
upon our lips. Virginia is in truly deplorabie
condition. Our State laws need revision and
J., Improvement, and the practice of the law,
70 groHn into an enormous abuse calls loudly for
= reformation The most luitful source of ex-
D listing evils, beyond all question, is the frag-
d nentaly, unsystematic series of laws on our
10 statute book inaccessible to the great body If
~ the people, often irreconclable or unntelhglble,
'' acquiring vast outlay of money to find out
where they are, what they are, and to have them
he properly interpreted. Add 10 this, maladmin
VI istratton, perhaps necessary concomitant OF
AZ every system Of human laws, and we see In THIS
o. alone enough to weigh down and paralyze the
energies of any people. The people ought to
Y demand rescodifcation of the laws, by the
. n4nd Of some master OF the English Language,
Il the style and wording OF he acts in the Code
d. Of 1919 might be model who should leave
n, out all the trash, the slpshod system OF plead
49, ing included, and make al general laws III :
yo chen BILE for definite time, to be specified
a aad fixed 1t would, indeed, be q most Craze
Id full act if men O sound les rning in tie legal
-. profession would set about and carry thi oue b
io t.s work of much ee2ed reform. They would
ed en- title themselves to the gratitude of the
- try by restoring tie law its pristine dignity
Il as science, and the practice OF the law to its
~ place as one of the most honorable OF profes :
sions The State debt seems to be no nearer
- re adjustment than it was in o74, when Gov
II ernor hemper pronounced the Funding bill q
- disastrous 5zunder The same discrimin alton
at exists between the two classes of bondholders,
" and tie tax~receiyable coupons pay nearly all
hent is in a Without Inc esouces
and he lfa 10 I'D of
w Reputation or an indefinite increase OF taxa.
ton. The railroad system OF Virginia has
h. ceased to be a Virginia interest at all Thou
, sands of ac:as of the most valuable mineral
1t lands in the Valley have been bought up by
II parties outside of the State who have blast
rs furnaces. rolling mills, machine Shops and
work shops Of their own that they thus keep
Is supplied They find they can mine iron in
g Virginia and get il North cheaper than they
i eau get it i'll Pennsylvania OF on lake CHAINS
. plain These Northern railroads offer them il
=" needed facilities. Under this system the vast
S resources OF Virginia not going to help to
q build her up but as far as her true interests are
concerned might as we'll be set down to the
D credit of other States Then if the farmers
e should sutf-r them to place representative
! railroad man in the Guhernaterial chair, he
. would be III a position where he could do the
y work efectually for their slavery and ultimate
degradation. Toese railroad owners in Vir-
e gina are as much silica to her interests as if
fear from the influence of foreign gold and for
eign bonds in shaping our State policy Tee
e manipulate these roads in certain WAYS muse
they not mani pulate the State government? So
far we have endeavored to view the bright side
? of the picture. The other side has darker
Shades and is the one, perhaps which we ought
! to look upon, but we forbear. Contenting
ourselves with the foregoing brief review Of
the situation as it appears to US from our stand
point, we, the farmers of Augusta in general
meeting assembled, DO resolve as follows:
lst. That this crisis of their fate, as thew
value their liberties, it is high time that the
farmers Wete giving more of their attention to
the vast interests, peculiarly their own, but
which II point of fact when properly viewed,
are no less the interests of ell OF her classes SO
far as they are affected by the laws of the Ian q!
and State governmental policy
End. That what the farmers want is not So
much any positive legislation to advance their
interests, as the let-alone policy, they having.
proved themselves fully capable of atten ling to
their private and domestic affairs in which
they would be eminently successful were it nos
for the clogs and Instructions impeding their
progress at every step, and the misrule from
| which there seems t. be but little hope of es-
| cape.
| 3rd That IS farmers, we.will assert our rights
to air share OF representation in the General
Assembly; whatever that share may be, and
will see TO it that, SO far as depends upon u.s. no
man representing the railroad interest in this
State, or any ring combination whatever,
shall fill the Office of Governor.
4th That we claim to be conservative in the
true sense of that term, but that, as farmers, We
| reserve the privilege of free thought and indie
pendent action, according freely TIE same,
right to ell others determined hereafter to
truS. dearest interests to the exclusive keen