Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-12-14
The LEGISLATURE.

FERtD BY SENATOR PAUL-NEW DIS
CovERlEs ABOUT THE OLD STEAL,
&C, &C., &C.
The Il gislature has not gotten fairly to
work, but we see enough in the re-
ports to show that Mr.. Barbour, the
expected leader of the Adjusters, has lost
his grip. and that DR.. Moffett has come to
the front as a leader. We give below a
summary, made from the Richmond papers.
SENATE
In the Senate, Mr.. Koiner, of Augusta,
was appointed Chairman of the Committee
on Enrolled Bills and a member of the
Finance and other Committees and
Of the Committee on Constitutional
Amendments. In the House Mr..
Hanger was appointed Chairman of
the Committee on Privileges and Elec-
lions and member of the Commute e
on Rules and of the Committee on Propo-
sitions and Grievances, Gen. Echols was
appointed Chairman of the Commit tee On
Militia and Police and a member of the
Committees of Finance, Asylums and Pris-
Mr.. Vanlear was appointed member of the
committees on Claims, and Agricultural
| and Mining, Mr.. Hiner. of Highland. Wa
appointed member of the Committee on
| Labor and the Poor, and of the committee
on Counties, Cities and Towns, and Mr..
| Frazier, of Rockbridge, is Oh the commit
tee on Banks, Currency and Commerce.
The work began in Senate by the intro
duction Of resolutions looking to the relief
of the sufferers by the flood ,retrenchmeut in
the government until the current expenses
are reduced to 100000 per annun,
thorough reorganization of the offices Of
the Treasurer, Auditor and other capitol
offices, and reduction of 20 per cent. in
all salaries, except the Governor and
Judges. A substitute for this general cut
ting down So as to exercise discrimination
was advocated by Mr.. Koiner. Senator
Fulkerson opposed any reduction of sala-
ries until the unjust State debt Was ad-
justed" and Senator Paul also objected to
the sweeping, cutting down Of salaries.
The motion was finally referred.
THE ADJUSTERS PLATFORM.
On Monday Senator Brooke, of Fauqui-
er offered the preamble of the plat
I form of the Conservative State Convention
scorning to repudiate The States obliga
tions, resolving to preserve inviolate her
public faith and credit and pledging itself
to use all means to get an honorable ad-
| justment of the debt, and with the pream-
BILE resolution appointing joint commit
tee to report bill arranging for a confer
ence with the creditors. TO this Senator
Paul, of Rockingham offered as a substi-
tute the following resolutions which we
Judge from the favorable comments of the
Richmond 'Whig'' constitute tie Ad-
justers programme for the session:
Be 1t reso'ued by the Senate (the House of
Delegates concurring:)
1. That the present rate of taxation on
real and personal property is as high as
can he borne by the people of tie state.
2. That our system Of public education
must he fosteled, developed, and projected,
and the fund dedicated by the Constitu-
ton tn this purpose must not be encroacll-
ed upon for any other.
3. That the expense of the state govern
ment should be reduced to the lowest
amount consistent with All efficient admin
istraton Of the affairs of the state and of
the business of the people.
4, That the state debt must be readjust-
| ed on terms not dictated 10y the creditors
of the state, but in accordance with the
sovereign will of the people. and such a
rate of interest adopted ~ will enable tie
| state, after providing for all the expenses
of the state government, public institu-
| tions. and free schools, to meet certainly
it's annual Requirements without increas-
| ing the present rate Of taxation, and also
provide sinking fund for the eXtinguisli-
ment of he principal sum of the debt.
s. That tie present unjust discrmina-
ton in favor of the hoi.ers of the consol
| bonds. resulting from the operation of the
| funding act of March 81, 1871, must not
| be perpetuated, but after p;''viding for the
| support Of the state government, public
| institutions. aid fee schools, the residue
of the revenue arising from our present
| rate of taAutian shall be dedicated to the
payment of interest alike to all classes of
the states creditors, and such laws
! should be enacted as may be necessary to
| enforce such distribution.
| 6 That will we are anxious am deter
MIMI i" 'av to She creditors OF the state
| ;.i that the diminished resources of our
| :.cnple will justify, and We relel and utter
| iv discard lie idea of population, yet We
| Il. e de.ernii. ed by ali legal and constl u
| iona! mems 20 resist nd defeat the opera
| ion of the funding act and to reassert the
sovereign right of the state to control her
| own revenues.
HOUSE.
| In the House a large numter OF local
matters have been introduced, among them
a resolution by Mr.. Hanger inquiring into
the expediency of amending the charter OF
! the Bald win Augusta I tir SO as to confer
upon the County Court the power to Ivy
! the tax contemplated by said charter. This
| was afterws rds favorably reported on. 2.
7. Carter, a coiored member. introduced a
| resolution to print 500 copies of the Gov
| ernor's message. MIR. Hiner introduced
| resolution looking to requiring county
| treasurers to furnish without additional
| cost a list of delinquent taxpayers to each
] voting precinct. A resolution was intro
! duced by Judge Stevens, of Nelson. to re-
peal the act creating State Railroad
Commissioner. Mr.. Hanger introduced a
| resolution to inquire if the State Com
missioner of Agriculture was legally elect
ed. Mr.. Fauntleroy introduced one for a
Joint committee to report as to calling a
convention of the people of Virginia.
MORE OF THE OLD DEFALCATIoN.
Auditor Rogers reported to the legisla-
| ture that it had been discover ed that about
$35, 100 additional State bonds which had
haan funded by fraud in the Auditor
or Treagurers office, been refunded. 1t oc-
| Cured before this present Treasurer's term
| and when Col. Mayo was Treasurer. 1t