Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1878-02-26
From the Richmond Wing.
Speech of Senator FulkersOn,
of Washington County,
Delivered in the Senate Thurs
day, February 14tb, 1878.

THE TAX BILL.
House bill No. No 90 imposing tan
es on real aud personal property to
meet the necessary expenses of the
! Government, for public free school
! purposes, DC, came up as the unf1n-
! i-hed business of yesterday.
Mr.. Johnson spoke in opposition to
/ the bill.
Mr.. Fulkerson, in an argument Of
an hours duration, replied to the re-
marks of Mr. Johnson, and in favor
( Of the bill We can give but few
/ points of his able speech He said
| | have thus endeavOred in words to
| portray the deplorable condition in
| which to-day we find this Common
wealth stripped of territory and
property by the cruel exigencies of
! war ; mRnacled and bound by chains,
! forged Hy her creditors aud applied by
! those DO pretended to be- her friends
! in the hour Of her great need. Unfor-
! tunate State ! Once on the broad
shield stood Virtue. the Genius of
! the Commonwealth" resting on q
spear in her left hand. and holding a
| sword in her right, her left foot on
| the figure of Tyranny, represented by
| man prostrate, a crown from his
/ head, a broken chain in his left hand
aad a scOurge in the right above
! the group the word ''Virginia," with
! the motto Sic Semper Tyrannis. -
This was the grand and eloquent coat
of-arms ordained for Virginia by her
fathers in the memorable year l776,
when birth was given to the free and
! independent States Of America.
1t has been said that the flag of Vir-
ginia bears upon it the proudest motto
that ever blaZed upon a warriors
shield or a rat!On's arms. That was
true when the spirit Of Virginia ruled
Virginia. How is il now?
Mr.. President, look on this picture.
The Genius of the Commonwealth"
lies PROSTATE her spear, her sword
lost !. the foot of the Tyrant-the
dhOlder-trample her fair bosom,
as she, in the pangs of her agony,
clasps her aching brow. The Tyrant,
with his right hand. clasps the key
of her Treasury, while he holds in his
left the shattered emhlems of her
sovereignty, converted into weapon
Of defence, with which to lash her
people into submission, or to drive
her CONS from her soil, eXclaiming in
triumph Sic Scmpcr Virginia. =
Poor Virginia
Mr. President, have already told
you how our people fTOtn plenty came
20 want q; how slaves were liberated
how broad acres had gone To waste be-
fore the blasting Influences of war 4;
how our rich had become poor. and
our poor poorer by its results
You will remember, sir. the terri
hIe straits to which you and |,
and our whole people were re-
duced after the awful night of Appo-
mattaX : and we can never forget the
desperation of despair which nerved
every heart, and strengthened every
arm in the bitter struggle for bread A.;
and you will never forget the joy
that pervadeG this whole land
when the results of this struggle held |
out the bright hope of an ultimate
restoration to plenty and peace. The |
Tyrant had not then cast down and |
tTampIed into the dust the Genius"
Of the Commonwealth and his ally. !
the Garnet Bagger, had not then
bound her hand and foot, and together
robbed her of her power. She yet
stOo proud as in the brightest days of
her prosperity-the poison of e
Funding bill had not then blighted !
her prOspects-had pot then blasted |
her hopes. Her sons and her dangh- |
ters were competing in the struggle of
recuperatiOn, and every resource was |
exhausted in the attempt to rebuild |
their fortunes, and uphold the Com |
mOnwealth. No thought then of be- |
ing driven from our paternal oaks ts |
seek homes in a foreign land. The |
memories Of q hundred years, hallOw- |
ed in fire and blood, bound us to our |
"altars and our fires"
But the saddest day of Virginia |
came, and by a modern Delilah she |
was shOrn of her locks. and fell an |
easy prey to her enemies, too prompt |
TO enchain her i'm sh 4ekles, and to de-
Prive her of all power of recuperation.
The Funding bill was passed Under |
that blow our State staggered, our |
people were paralY YZied. our industries /
crippled. Capital WAS driven from |
our borders. aud the tide of immigrs-
tion turned to other States. and
steady flow of emigration was
in its stead. The sheriff, |
the constable, executions and forced |
sales followed and to the cry which |
went up from almost every tireside. !
what shall we do for relief?" the
Tyrant fsltened upon our substance
and our sorrows, laughed at our ca
lsmity, and mockinglv advised, Go
West, poor men of Virginia ~
Look. Mr.. President, at the picture
hold i'm my hand. 1t is the repre-.
of thousands of families,
driven from Virginia by the stress Of
want, in the hope OF "FsIrer and
better lanG." Once well to do. with
broad acres, teams and cattle in
abundance. The blight of the Fund
ing b!li brought higher taxes anu
harder times acre by acre was sGc'i-
feed horse by horse. aud COW by
COW, was ruthlessly seized to satisfy
and to meet the tax de-
by the TyFant until at last,
the poor father, reduced to absolute
want and desperation, takes up bis
little all, not load for = one-hOrsc
and with his haggsrd, care
worn and heGrtbrnken wife, and his
ragged little ones, bids farewell to the
happy home of has early days, and his
years, to seek resting place
in some spot beyond the Father of
waters "
See him with the partner Of his bo-
soRl. and bis little ones, en- route to
the "Sstting Sun. " His only horse
in the last stages. himself his wife,
and little ones. "all tattered and torn"
drag their slow length along. while
his faithful dog, almost too poor to
lie, follows in tue hopeless track.
No government, no money, o
schools delivered over TO the
money changers. under the operation
VI the Funding bill. Capital with
irawn or withheld, our industries de-