Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-10-30
Maj. JnO. W. Daniel, Of Lynchburg, or
FOrcible REIMBURSEMENT.

At the opening of the Lynchburg Fair
last week, the address of welcome was
delivered by Maj. Jno. w. Daniel In
the course of his address, he expressed
his views upon the question of a "forci-
BILE adjustment" of the State debt,
front which are extract the following
''While so many circumstances are
combining to bring new prosperity
amongst us, | grieve to say that an i'm
pediment has been generated in our own
midst-and that certain persons have
been pleased to advise the rest OF man
kind that this is no place for them, by
warnings which are as sure to repel
them from u.s. as if we had set up the
sign "small-po here" all alons .6ut
borders. 1t had been suddenly dfscov-
cred by certain wise men-and just at
the time when they were quite anxious
for office, that Virginia was bankrupt,
and that the only nostrum which could
reach that disease was reputation. The
quack name with which the bottle con-
tanning this cure-all is labelled is ''forci-
bic adjustment" -.
Anybody who has been to an old field
reading, writing and arithmetic,U is
able to show that Virginia is not bank
rupt; and if he has had moral education
enough to hear about the ten command
ments. and pride enough not to become
a tramp" he knows that reputation
is the most miserable kind of thievery,
and that the everlasting cry for "re-ad-
justment" is one of the meanest and
most mental kinds of beggary, that ever
was engaged in.
What are the facts2 Virginia, of her
own will. contracted the debt. She got
the money and spent it to suit herself
Then, of her own sovereign will, she
went to war; and, much against her
will, got whipped. After the war, when
there was not IA carpet Dagger, scala
wag, or an American citizen Of African
descent in the Legislature, she recognize
ed, by her pure, Anglo Saxon, Virgin
ian representatives., the whole of that
debt, and made the payment of interest
upon it.
Then, in consideration of the fact that
West Virginia had been repudiated and
readjusted away from her, she cut off a
third of that debt, and made tia present
to that new State with her compliments.
1.-THE bloated bondholders," though con-
siderably thinned out by this operation,
acqqiesced meekly, and were thankful
to get two-thirds In greenbacks for three
thirds in gold.
Quite suddenly-just as some public
positions were to be filled, and the "dear,
dear people" needed stimulating-it was
cried out that the bondholders were
bloating up again on the two-third in
terest they had gotten, and needed taxi
ing down, and that the Common wealth
ought to be passed over to an assignee
in bankruptcy,
Ifyou "forcibly readjust' you will
save enough to buy you cigar or two,
or to buy you a free ticket to a Moffett
bell ringing ; and for these trifies, there
are certain wiseacres who are willing.
anxious, ready and waiting to sacrifice
their pressing private business, hold all
the offices il the Commonwealth, and
utterly ruin her credit, good name and
hopeful prospects.
| Now, farmers, mechanics, merchants,
manufacturers, professional and bust
ness men of Virginia, let me say to you
that if you are going to allow this eyre
gious attempted fraud to he committed
you had better leave this Fair, pack up
household goods, take wife and children
and quit this Commonwealth as soon az
possible, cpd go TO gome place Where
stealing has to be done at night time
and cannot be done in the broad light
of day. Your lands, tenements and
| Entertainments would be worthless here
if it is done; your names would spoil
any good paper they were endorsed up
on; your deeds would offend the nostrils
of Christendom and civilization no i'm.
migration worth having would darker
our threshold-no capitalist trust his
money TO you, and y0uf great and noble
State would be pillorled by the puresl
public opinion of the world. tt
This cry Is causeless and shameless
The annual productions of Virginia are
worth $40 100000, more than double bel
whole debt, and it is the height Of folly
and pusillanimity to contend that she
cannot bestow less than three per cent
of what she yearly makes tn eofnply
With her abiigatiAns, sha preserve hel
fame. In single year alone she coulG
if she would, pay her whole debt, aaf
have good living left.
In the name OF all who have eyes tc
see and ears to hear, repel the libe
that Virginia is bankrupt, either ir
morals or pocket. Inc dlSplay OF he
productions garnered around you, prove
|, that she is still fertile and productive
the npble forms and hppsst tacss befof
ME prove that she is yet The home of I.
) truly great race Of people; and wheI
this debt question is Thoroughly under
stood. have no question that the RICH
will be triumphant, and that the homes
populace will condemn thess WIZ hayt
dared TO tampeF with the'plblic faith.
: FAILURE OF THE SITTING BULL Com