Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-09-21
Some Reflections for the Citizens
of Augusta

Some Reflections for the Citizens
of Augusta.
Editors Vindicator.
As one of the citizens of Augusta county
I propose to state, briefly, my views On the
situation and the tendency of some Of the
popular theories proclaimed in our commu-
nifty on State affairs.
And AS several ADLER men with much
larger experience have in well written es-
says set forth the true condition of the
State debt. 1 shall say little on that point
now. further than that l by no means re-
gard our condition as hopeless.
One of the theories is that Virginia is
too Door to pay her debt, or the whole in
terest thereon, now. and therefore the
creditor must be bulldoZed to give up part
Of the principal SO as to bring the amount
of accruing interest on what is left to him,
down to such Sim as may be left in the
| treasury after first paying out as govern
mant expenses all the sums that the change
able and dissatisfied portion Of our people
MAY call for. Not stopping to argue the
honesty or practicabillty of this absurd
proposition, / will try TO show some OF the
evil effects Of such teaching on the Com
mOnWealth.
First, nothing has tended more to make
us poor than this cry Of poverty and ina
bilitv to meet our just obligations-it puts
down the value of property, it disheartens
ignorant honest men SO that they become
! Incapable Of prosecuting their private bus
mess pursuits with Vigor and success, it
emboldens the reckless and eXtrayagant to
be Still more extravaganza, for say they"We
will deny ourselves Of nothing that appetite
OF pa passion may crave, nor will we exert our
selves to improve u property OF make it
more valuable because Colonel Talkative,
and MI. Positive tell us we are ruined any
how"
1t Woul be impossible to calculate the
sum total of the ruin to individuals, and to
the Commonwealth for the Common
wealth is but the aggregate Well-being and
well doing Of the whole people, brought
on by the reckless and needless determina-
ton to escape legal and just taxation, by
I0toeriug the assessment Of real estate with
out regard to its intrinsic on marketable
worth. Many Il debtor, whose judg-
ment creditors were resting quiet and sat
istied, While he held property Of al assessed
rdlle sufficient to make them safe, after his
property appeared on the books assessed at
d far less sum, his creditors then feeling
not safe and suing out DEGREES to sell him out
had to look on and see his land sold for
three-fourths of its assessed raIue. And
this cry of poverty and lowering Of ASSESS
ments reduced the price Of lands in the
general market. so that land owners who
would have gladly sold part Of their land
could only do so at great sacrifice. Now
who has worked all this evil as above de-
scribed, the man who tried to encourage the
people in q vigorous effort to retrieve their
own private fortunes by industry and self
denial and the credit of the Commonwealth,
CT those men WHO have all the time been
throwing difficulty in the way, and per-
SHADING the people that il they find it diff
cult to perform d public duty they have q
right to disregard it? No people can ever
be q vigorous. prosperous and happy peO-
pie who lightly regard their engagements
and obligations; and God has SO fixed it
in the nature of man that, every act, men
tai, moral and physical tells on him, by
making him either a stronger, purer, and
nObler being, Or a weaker, more vicious
and unhappier creature. The same holds
good Wit States ard Nations.
Take the case of the individual, who by bad
management or misfortune, has gotten in
debt and instead of seiiilg part OF his prop
erty, and by economy and industry satisfy
ing his just creditors. begins to cover up
or waste by extravaganza what he has,
buys u little here and a little more there,
Which he evidently never intended to pay
fOr-dCe- such individual ever improve his
private fortune? Does he win respect?
Does he secure more happiness for himself
and his dependents than if he had obeyed
the eternal law OF truth and honesty ?
Mol! he lives by chance. from hand to
mouth and dies regretting his departure
from rectItuQe. So is it with a State; |
mean here bysthe State' the soul, the
spirit, the aniuuS, as we'll as the physical
power OF the whole people.
w. 7. r.
Augusta co., Sept. Sth.
GUILLOTINED AT DAYLIGHT.-Vitalis
the murderer OF AK, in France, who killed
Nine. Boyer in her shop with a knife
brought to him by his paramour, her
daughter Maria, has been executed at
MarseiIles. This was the fifth execution
at Marseilles in twenty years, not one of
the eight culpritS executed having been a
native Of the city. Vitalis had to be
brought from AK, where he was imprison-
ed, the Journey occupying from II PM. to
3.45 AN. The fact that his appeal had
been rejected and that he was being taken
to MarseilIes to suffer dea th was carefully
hSpb Hull biIC ~ toOI1Eis WIZ Nbo liltttlC GO
believe he was being removed to a more Sc
cure prison. When he entered the hall and
found it lighted and filled with officials
IL priests he was Stupetied by the shock,
and thereafter did not have amy conscious
ness OF what was passing afouuld him. He
was deadly pale, his eyes were CLASSY and
fixed, his jaw had fallen. He was unable
to speak. His agony was short, and he
was born to the scatfold. his head covered
with the black veil or Cap reserved for par-
rIcideS. An immense crowd had gathered
at tie place Of execution, but the guards
drove the curious folk away to a distance,
and as the execution took place before day
break all that the hundreds who had paid
fancy prices for seats in windows and on
the roofs could see was q little knot of
shadows moving round the tall masts of
the guillOtine, down which a moment
later rushed the great white blade of the
axe.
MARS Notwithstanding to an anna
teur observer, Henry YoungS, OF Goshen,
n. Y, who writes to the "Herald,'' any
body can see the new moons of Mars with
out the aid of y telescope. 4 looking glass
is all that is needed. Mr.. Yeungs says Il
took up Il small hand looking glass to re-
fleet Jupiter in it to show my wife its moons
which can be readily seen in that way; and
then. merely by accident, turned the glass
to reflect Mars in it, when to my surprise,
[ saw y satellite to it. Handing the glass
to my wife to observe it, She said "WhY
there are two. one the other side yerV close