Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-04-19
Reported for the srAuNroN vISplcAroR.

LUTIONS FOR A CONSERVATIVE MEET
ING.
&C., SC, &C.
EReported for the SrAuNroN VINpIcArog.l
Last week notice was circulated for a
meeting of the Readjusters Of Rockingham
at Harrisonburg on Monday last. That be-
ing courU day, the streets were full Of stout,
hearty farmers, well dressed and well fed
who seemed to be more interested in sell
ing horses than in the State debt, and who
looked very little like d people taxed to
death. A little after noon the Republican
Ex-senator John F. Lewis, recently ap-
pointed U. s. Marshal, was seen in regula
farm costume, long brown overcoat, Z,
SLOUGH hat and the general get up Of an az
rlculturalIst. At his suggestion Mr.. NJ NJ f.
Sibert, Col. George E. Deneale and abou
d half dozen other gentlemen went up frou
the court yard into the court house. 1t
was the day for The Senator and Del. gates
from Rockingham to report their legisla-
tive action, but the crowd was SO slim
there being only twelve persons present
| hat the situation was expressed in the ex-
clamation of some one that well pass the
resolutions anyhow" Accordingly, Col.
Deneale was called TO the chair and on
motion of Col. Barbee, of Bridgewater, a
committee was appointed to bring in the
resolutions. The committee was Col. Bar
bee, U. S. Marshal John F. Lewis, J. L.
Dovell, w. r. Games and w. r. Mckee
yer. AS the resolutions were expected to
be heavy, as indeed they proved, Mr.. Har-
vey Warman went out with the commit
tee to help bring 'em in.
MIXED POLITICS.
In the absence of the committee Col.
Deneale explained the situation. He said
the sllmness of the attendance was due to
the fact that there had been some trouble
about getting the courtroom, but. though
few in number, they represented the judg-
ment Of the people Of Rockingham, and
we might just take it for granted that the
county was there. 1t was good deal to
take for granted, looking at the thirteen
but we were all gOod-natured and the yen
cradle Colonel proceeded to give his views
on parties. He said the old questions di.
viding parties had disappeared. and the
party organizations had been dislntegra.
ted and resolved into their original ele-
ments, but he considerably damaged his
proposition by closing his remarks with a
command to the representatives ''to en- tel
into the affections of the Democracy OF
Rockingham The Colonel welcomed
Senator Paul, as he came up, as rep
resentative of Young America, before
whom he would retire. DR.. Moffett also
appeared and took his seat in front Of the
stand.
SENATOR PAUL's REPORT.
Senator Paul in his history of the win.
ter's legislation, said that the Brooke bill
for compromise with the creditors was
defeated because several unavailing con.
ferences had already been held and the
time had arrived for action. He claimed
that the resolutions introduced by himself
in the Senate we're the basis of all the sub
sequent action of the legislature on the
debt question Barbour bill, school bill
and the final compromise bill, for that sci
forth in its preamble the inability to bear
higher taxation-were all founded on his
resolutions. The people of Richmond ha6
gotten off good many jokes on the Re
adjuster members, but they had taught
the Richmond people some thing before
they came away. Richmond is a big thing
to whip. There is where they buy cou
pons at IS cents in the dollar to pay take.
and this makes them faithful funders
There you will find men who want the
taxes raised and you'll find some of them
in little Stanton, little Charlottesville,
and little Harrisonburg. They are thu
men who make their money off other PEG
pie and they don't know the wants of the
other people. They talk about Adjusters
as if they were simple agitators that didn'
know what they were doing, but on every
move the Adjusters made in the legislature
they had the judgment and approval Of the
greatest legal minds in the State-men who
had been on the bench of the Court of APP
peals, and would. be there again. Mr.
Paul then said the Governors veto mes
sage on the Barbour bill was the most ex
traordinary ever written in any ci vilized
country. He went on to criticise it, es
pecially the remark that education was a
luxury, which he thought deserved to be
characterized as twaddle. AT this point
Judge O'Ferrall wanted the Courthouse
and the audience, numbering by this time
some two or three hundred, adjouri ed tC
the open air. Mr.. Paul held that the Bar
bour bill was constitutional, and made the
point that the clause of the constitution,
setting aside the school money, acted
as a deed of trust on that fund. and it
could not legally be thrown in to satisfy
the general creditor, any more than deed
of trust on private property could be set
aside for the benefit of the creditors
generally. He considered it great els
fortune that the people are not presided
over by Governor in sympathy with
them, and not in sympathy with the per-
secutors and enemies of the State. During
the campaign he had kept as quiet as a
mouse, but when he got to Richmond
with the artillery salutes, and Bradley
Johnson on white horse, and the mill
tary out-an unparalleled scene in Virgin
ia, he had spoken out against..the people.
The Governor talks about honor but don't
talk about common sense. He talks of
paying every creditor, but forgets the mo-
ney we owe to keep the poor insane. His
remedy is-what do you think p
A voice-:To tax grave yards :"
Mr.. Paul-Yes that's ito tax church
es and grave yards.
DR.. Moffett.-That's good shot
Mr.. Paul, continuing, said the only things
the Governor suggested were the grave
yards and an odious stamp tax. He said
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