The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-10-11
THE VALLEY VIRGINIA.
sTAUNToN, VIRGINIA.

] /
first insertion, and fifty cents for each subsequen
Insertion
Liberal discount made for quarterly, half yearly
and yearly advertisements.
Conspiracy Against the State.
There is cor spiracy on foot. the purpose 0
which is to cause the paralysis of the State o
Virginia that she may be dishonored in her help
lessness. Cunning tricksters have planned it AM
put it in operation. By exciting appeals and b.
false representations part of the people are in
volved in the plan and induced to favor it, al
though not understanding it, and not suspcctine
the selfish motives of the agitators.
1t is intended shat there shall neither be re
trenchment on one hand nor increase OF revenue
the other, until Virginia is paralyzed, helpless
and dishonored, and the demagogues who have
predicted her utter insolvency shall force reali
cation of their predictions. and have possession
OF the places of honor and profit in her SERVICE
Richmond Dispatch.
The above was written in the interest Of
those who are opposed to change in the
present method of managing the State
finances, and who favor the policy that has
brought the Commonwealth to her present
lamentable condition.
We can imagine no deeper or more fla
grant ''conspiracy" against Virginia than
that which secures default in the interest
on the public obligations within six years to
the amount of over five million of dollars !;
diverts, in violation Of the Constitution,
near 100000 of the public school funds,
and withholds from this public benefaction
over seven hundred thousand dollars; which
fails to provide for the interest on ten mil
of twenty millions the entire interest-the
former held in many instances by widows
and orphans, and the latter, in most part,
by SPECTATORS; which has prolonged the
sessions OF the Legislature to 100 days, at a
cost of nearly 100000 annually for every
year since 1871, without accomplishing a
single good for the people.
These results have been brought about by
professional politicians and agitators, who
have felt no sympathy for the, people, and
selves position and power. When attention
was called to these fragrant wrongs perpe-
| trated against the people, the complaints
have, heretofore, been silenced by the clamor
of sspa,ty," and resort to epithets to excite
the fears and arouse the prejudices of the
masses, and thus divert their minds from
the great outrages that were being inflicted
| upon them. The discussion of the public
| debt, and the reproof of those who were en-
trusted with the management of public af-
fo; hvyt no MOI fu laoJo
and thus, year after year, has the policy
been pursued which has eonsummated the
substantial ruin OF the State.
Because the people, now, have determined
that there must be stop to these wrongs
that the policy which works out default in
the interest on the public obligations-which
robs the school fund-which discriminates
against one class of creditors and favors
another, and that by means recognized as
corrupt, and consumes the substance Of the
people in idle wrangle for four months i'll
the year, must cease, it is called "con-
spiracy" against the State by the mouth
piece of the very class Of men who have been
the instruments in cffecting these disastrous
results.
The people of Virginia have fully deter
mined that there must not only be change
in the character of the men who have here
tofore so fearfully abused public trusts, but
readjustment of the financial affairs of the
State, so that the wrongs justly complained
Of will be corrected, credit restored, and
honor indicated. And it is because OF this
determination that the clamor about "con-
spiracy," sshonor," and like expressions,
from the very class OF men who have infict-
ed the wrongs, is rung out day after day.
The people have been reluctant to move in
this matter. 1t was only when it became
apparent that longer continuance of the
policy heretofore pursued must result i'll
bankruptcy and reputation, that they were
aroused to action, and impressed with the
necessity of seeking relief before it would be
too late. They are the parties who must
feel the evil effects of any further State deg
radiation, ard it is to arrest policy that
tends to such humiliation that they have
banded themselves together for their own
preservation. 1t will not do to charge the
people of Virginia with conspiracy y
against themselves. Their sin heretofore
has been one of omission, arising from an
indisposition to take active part in political
movements. The politicians and ring man
ayers have had everything in their own
hands, through the agency of the caucus,
deluding the people with fair promises and
high-sounding speeches about election times,
until they have brought about a condition of
things that threatens the very existence Of
the State. Men who have never taken Lart
in political affairs have been stirred to &C
ton, and throughout the entire State tlie
great mass of the taxpayers are moving as
they have never moved before. There is an
earnestness, a determination and energy
rarely ever witnessed in political contests,
now being manifested everywhere, which
promises revolution in the manner Of ar
ranging and managing the affairs of the
State, no less than in the character of the
men who will be entrusted with the direc-
ton of public affairs.
There is no trick, no secret device, no de-
ceptive plea to which they will appeal to aid
them in their work. They will go about it
like earnest, honest men, dealing with an
impending calamity, and put forth every
effort TO ward off the threatened ruin.
It is this that has frightened the political
traders and trimmers who have lived upon
receptions and battened upon the very life.
Of the Commonwealth. And it is this that,
inspires the cry of conspiracy from those
who themselves have conspired to Cypress
and wrong the people, and prostitute gov
eminent to the basest ends OF political
schemers and place-hunters.
GERANIUMs WILL DRIVE OFF SNAKES.
Every species OF snake may be perma-
nently driven away from an infested place
by planting geraniums. In South Africa
the Caffir people thus rid their premises Of
snakes. A missionary of South Africa had
his parsonage surrounded by narrow belt
of geraniums, which effectually protected
the residence from any kind of snake. A
1 IL