The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-04-25
The Long Ago.

with the dust Of well nigh century, rises
before US 1.-The Phenix,'' an old, musty,
faded newspaper published in Staunton on
the 18th of October, 1902. 1t looks almost
like skeleton, and so dry and parched and
yellow has it grown, that you could take it
in your hands and crumblc it to dust. The
hand that first folded it has itself been fold
ed across Il motionless breast and back to its
elements returned, the brain that gave life
to it has ceased to throb, the heart that Sc MT
the vitalzing currents thro' the frame OF
Jno. Wise, the publisher, is stilled forever,
and even the memory of all who lived in
that day has been numbered among the
things that We're. And just think. this bit
OF paper, tossed on the world with scarce
thought of its destination, this little work of
man. has triumphed over the tides of time
which bore upon their waves into the great
ocean of eternity, the noblest handicraft of
God. r-frls r4
1t is quaint and queer four page sheet,
containing in all sixteen columns, but even
at this late day it bears evidence of neatness
and taste in arrangement, and the matter is
not altogether dissimllar to that which
might be expected to be found in the news
papers of the present. For instance in his
publication of terms, the proprietor says
This paper is published weekly and for
warded BY post or otherwise at Two dollars.
per annum, exclusive of postage) payable
six months in advance. Country produce
at the market price will be taken in ex-
change, if delivered at this Office 1t is nee
essary to notice that failure to pay the
editor at or before the end of the year is,
and always will be considered as new en-
gasement; and before a paper is discontin-
ued arrearages must be fully discharged
Advertisements were thankfully received, if
accompanied with the cash, at the rate of
one dollar per square for three weeks
After the terms, comes long disquisition
on the Public debt, and it seems that this
poor old hobby was, ridden with as much
vigor by our great grandfathers as by the
generations of the now, and was quite as
prolific OF uncomp imentary terms. 1t was
during the administration of Mr.. Jefferson.
and the debt, it seems, was S77, 1881. $50.
Smith, the editor Of the National Intelligent
Ger, had just published an article, in which
diminution OF the debt by nearly So, OOO,-
600, was claimed to be due to the Presi-
dents wise administration. and congratula-
tons on the general peaceful condition of
the country were INDUCED. This article
seems to have aroused the ire OF the editor,
and he proceeds for Mr.. Smith with gloves
off, thusly: 'Twelye years of Peace Smith
might as well have said that we had twelve |
years of incessant rain, or twelve years of
thunder and lightning, or twelve years of
earthquake. This imposture, this audacious,
this most common falsehood, must of itself
be sufficient, with every man OF candor, to
ascertain the general character of the Nation
al Intclligencer, that favorite organ of Presi-
dental imposture. This writer has |
grossly contrad cted himself. In one para
graph he tells lis tina. the National debt has |
diminished s2,250,0O0, but in his conclusion |
the reduction is mounted up to nearly 49,
OOG, 600; when by his own accounts there is |
deficiency of s74O,OOO Whenever sam'l |
Smith can prove that twenty-five and a nalf |
make nearly thirty, then, and not until |
then, shall we believe that he is an editor of |
Independence and yeracity''
A wholesale arraignment of Mr.. Jefferson |
then follows, the high rate of taxation is
complained OF, and, as if to prove that there
is nothing new under the sun, even that |
genus, the ''bloated bondholder,' which we |
have all the while regarded as the offspring |
OF our own corrupt age, came in for his full |
share OF execration. s'We are no sanguine |
admirer OF the national debit says the |
editor, ''of the manner in which it was con- |
tracted, or OF those heroes of stock-jobbipe |
who grasped a greater part OF it. But per-
haps it is better that we should continue to |
pay the interest of bloated, swindling debt |
than to break up the federal government |
and then break each others heads. If the |
subject could be correctly explained to the |
peasantry, there is among us body of citi- |
zens abandantly powerful for sending Mr.. |
Jefferson home to forge nails and sow tut
nips at Monticello
Even at that early day the question of |
separating the Valley and West Virginia |
from the Eastern section, was strongly az. |
itated, and writer in this paper urges the |
change as ''wise and demanded by every
principle OF equity, justice and right"
The only items of local char acter is an |
apology by the editor for the non-appear-
ance of the paper for five weeks, his excuse
being that not "a sheet Of paper could be
had at Messy Creek Mills, the only one in
the State, and the remote situation from
the seaport rendered all efforts Intellectual. |
and casualty which occurred at Mr.. Saml |
Finley's near Greenville, in the death of |
stranger who had died very suddenly with
ont telling his name, which item the prin-
tiers throughout the United States were re- |
quested to copy.
Among the advertisers Cornelius Baldwin |
wanted 1000 cords of wood cut ; Geo. Craw-
ford advertised his farm and stock, on Mid. |
die River, at public sale. Francis Huff also
has land for sale Robert Mcdowell was the
merchant, and quite a number of persons
offered rewards for runaway negroes. There
are several legal notices, gotten up in nearly
the same form OF those of to-day.
------> - >--
DEATH OF JACOB A. LEyY.-From the
State we copy the following notice of the
death and sketch of the life of Jacob A.
Levy. the father Of the firm of Levy Bros.
Richmond and Staunton,an also of Mrs. A.
Hart, of this city. He died Tuesday morning
at 1880 O'Clock, a. NJ. The State says:
Mr.. Jacob A. Levy, an old, well known
and honored citizen, breathed his last at his
residence on Broad street, this morning at
= O'Clock. His end was unexpected, for !
although he had been paralyzed and had
been an invalid more than two wears, he
was attacked yesterday with slight pneu.
monia, of which disease he died. He pass
ed quiet night, and not until half hour
before he expired did his physicians appre-
hend any immediate danger.
The deceased was born in Amsterdam,
Holland, on the 9th of May, 1904. He emf