The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-07-25


| w hen look around and see the marks Of
that desolation which has swept over this
land when I see yon hillside furrowed with
the graves of these who gave their all to the
State, and see What sacrifices have beer
made to maintain the honor of Virginia,
would be recreaut to the trust you have inn
| posed upon me did I not strive by every
means in my power to keep untarnishedt thai
honor, that it may descend holy inherit
lance to our children.
This question we are called upon to deter
mine now is one of momentous Importance,
and should be approached wi h calmn SIS
and GOODNESS. Let lis meet those who are
opposed to us in all fairness, throwing aside
elimination and recrimination, and dealing
deliberately with the issue. And when the
test comes, / do not fear the result. dc
not believe that Virginia will ever be reduced
to the condition of Mississippi, and that one
of her statesmen when called upon to &C
abroad to borrow money will have to an.
| swer at Lamar did, II come from State that
has repudated her debt and no one will loan
on such sccurity.''
| Better times are coming, u hopeful future
awaits us. and the day is not far distant
when this vexed question will be comprom-
ised. What ever may befall, let us still
nj tha $50 hoC ota
| AS Gen'l Eehols closed, the house re-
sounded to cries of paul" WHITE Paul,
'sWhite,' and with such vigor and persisten-
cy did each party yell for his man, and so in
have been taken foran enterprising Bed am.
Paul rose to his feet. and the White men rose
to all the lung power that was in them,
while the re-adjusters shouted themselves
purple. In moment White came forward
and said that Mr.. Paul had been invited to
speak. that two had already replied to him,
and that he hoped the audience would give
him that courteous attention to which he
was entitled. As White retired there was a
general shrek, and Paul advanced to the
front.
PAUL'S REJOINDER.
lie said the speakers he had listened to
had advanced no new doctrine-indeed,
they had advanced no doctrine at all. He
had heard the same speeches over and over
again. 1t was the same empty defamation
that was SO confidently relied on as the
Funders' stock and store. But the time for
defamation and oratorical display is past.
What the people want now-what they de-
mand, is facts, plain common sense facts,
and practical suggestions with which to
meet the difficulties that are now gathering
around them.
He would first pay his respects to Colonel
Skinner. He fhe Speaker had been charged
with promulgatine doctrine so monstrous,
so hideous, that iJ was appalling. In pro-
claiming that doctrine, not only did he voice
the sentiment of Rockingham, Green, High
land and Shenandoah, but the sentiment of
the people of Augusta, for he assured Colonel
Skinner that there was wide difference be-
tween the political sentiment of Staunton
and the political sentiment of the county.
The gentleman never mingled with the peo-
pie of the county, and knows not how they
feel. Cheers
AS to the honor of the fathers about which
so much had been said, the speaker wanted to
know what they had ever paid. Did they pay
their war debt? Did Virginia ever pay her
portion Of the Revolutionary debt? Not a cop
per CT it They repudiated the whole thing
out and OUT and ''isn't worth continental
d-n" has passed into a proverb Cloud APP
plause) Let Colonel Skinner draw the lines,
and he would find that there were re-adjus-
tiers not only sin the cool. - but in the heat,
and in every portion of the district. (contin-
ued applause) He wanted the lines drawn.
and was ready for the fight. In
As to General Echols, that precociols boy
didn't ask questions enough. He ought to
have asked, ''Pap, did you vote on that
platform last summer? CHEERS and shouts \
of Ego for him'D Pau, did you vote to in
crease the rate of tax?" Cloud cheerirg)
swell, Pau, if you voted not to increase the
tax, how are you going to pay the debt?"
Continued cheering and laughter) Those
are few of the questions that "PaaD' ought
to answer now. have given you plain
honest statement of facts, and this IS the
way have been met.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT +?
Have either of tine speakers suggested any
thing practicals Have they advanced sin
gle idea that looks to the solution of this
vexed problem that faces you? General
Echols says compromise. Have you not
tried to compromise for years? Did not
Governor Kemper try to compromise and
fail? Was the answer not returned to Mr..
Stuart, when he made the effort, that so far
as the peeler bonds were concerned, they
would be compromised, but the funded, new
err? And all Of this time the debt is pill
ing up at the rate of $l,oOO,O0O year But,
all General Echols still has
THAT MYSTERIOUS LETTER
agents for foreign bondholders. (cheers)
That letter that promised to disspate the
whole trouble and lift the debt question out
of the mire. Let me tell you friends, great |
many people have heard OF that letter but
nobody ever saaoit. cheers) Bradley john
son had two or three letters also, but no.
body ever saw them. Qoud cheering)
General Echols had accused the re -adjus-
tiers of not wanting to cut down salaries.
They were the only men who did cut down
salaries, and they cut them down to such a
figure that the Judge who sits in thisCourt,
and who is one of the best and most learned |
in the State, only gets $1,000 year. But
after all their cutting they were enabled to |
save only $6S,00O.
Senator Paul closed his admirable re-
jonder by stating that he wanted the op-
ponents CT REIMBURSEMENT to lay down some
plan to meet the demand that was pressing
so sorely on the State. 1t would not do to |
longer try to delude the people with prom
~ too