The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-10-03
Sept. %, 1878.
Reply OF Judge Harris to Gen. Echols'
Card.

FelL0sO Citizens 1T has been my mis-
fortune or good fortune, as the case may
be, to have had the unceasing hostility
OF certain politicians in this district
since the inception of my political life
But it is my cheerful duty to congratu-
late the people of this district as well as
myself, on the fact that this latter day
canvass has been conducted with more
regard to the prophecies of life, than any
OF its predecessors. Two years ago a
fOrlOrn hope Of the dissatisfied" conclud-
ed that they had perfected all the ar
rangements and combined all the ele-
ments for my defeat. They held secret
caucuses vigorously. They formed al
liances, offensive and defensive, of the
most bewildering description, and con-
spired deeply and earnestly to make
common cause against me, and to obtain
and embellish by their superior political
wisdom, the seat in the National Con-
gTess, with which for some time you
have seen fit to honor me. The people
believing me to have done my duty,
have vindicated me emphatically in the
face of this factious opposition, and their
miscarried. To illustrate two years ago,
1 received letter from Charlottesville,
containing this expression 81 have
learned that Gen. Echols and VIM. A.
Burke of Staunton, have been here ex-
pressly to form combination for your
defeat" Strange to say, these very
same gentlemen, on last Saturday, made
another excursion to Charlottesville
where another little caucus was held, as
will be seen by the following telegram
received by me on Saturday last:
CHARACTERISTICS, Sept. %, '79.
"Gen. Echols and VIM. A. Burke con-
ferred here to-day. They agreed. Echols
is the man."
This telegram proved correct, for SO soon
as the Generals foot touched Staunton
soil on his return Saturday evening, he
said am candidate for Congress, and
that evening the motor press flooded the
city with his circulars. So that it was
the politicians of Charlottesville that
constituted ''the voters from the various
portions of the district" that solicited
the General at this late day to run
for Congress.
If am not mistaken in the temper of
the public mind, this little combination
will share the fate of its predecessors,
for intend to give the people an oppor-
tunity of expressing their will regardless
Of all caucuses and cliques, whether in
Harrisonburg, Staunton, or Charlottes-
vile.
But to the Generals circular. I may
first congratulate myself and the people
that he does not dare to attack any vote
ever gave or any sentiment have ut
tered during my term of seven years in
Congress, but is only apprehensive as to
the future. He cannot find any error I |
have committed, or any wrong perpe-
trated on the people. This proves there |
is no just cause for making change.
Thn 1o1J 10
the public debt and the currency, and
while he defines the position of others
with great force, he utterly fails in either
case to define his own. No one denies
that Gen. Echols has talent of a high
order in his line, but he seems so con-
stituted as to be unable or unwilling to
express his views clearly on these great
questions on which there is difference
of opinion in the public mind.
To illustrate, he again repeats the old
song of compromise with the creditors
The song he sang SO sweetly when he
was candidate for the Legislature, and
then says this can be done within the
present rate of taxation. Within the
present rate of taxation! This is all
any readjuster proposes to do. The lat
Ter proposes by law to say Virginia is
not able to bear an increase of tax, and
,he is willing to readjust the debt and
pay all the present rate of tax will real
re according to the Barbour bill. Gen.
Echols proposes to work upon the fears
If the creditors and satisfy them they
IAN get no more, and thus compel them
~ moral force to accept that sum in sat-
sfaction of their claims, for he knows
IS class they will demand every dollar
f they can get it, and when they agree
o take less, it is only because they can
lot avoid it. And this is 'scalled5 hon II
rable and friendly negotiation.
1t is to the creditor .forcible readjust-
aent, for he is only driven to it because
le cannot get the whole. Butwhen are
hese negotiations to end? They have c
een promised for thirteen years, and r
lot single offer has been made by the
reditors as class, or by any considera- a
lie portion of them. The Gen. wholly a
ails to tells us. He can drift along on that '
on-committal and high sounding plat t
orm for many years to come In the b
lean time, what is to become of our q
EDUCATIONAL institutions, our schools, our Il
npaid teachers-perhaps he would en-
er into friendly negotiations" with |,
lem-while our debt is growing daily b
nd the State committing the "disgracen a
m1sapplying the school fund, until Il
ow 1t has robbed that fund of about E
even hundred thousand dollars. But fl
e receive some consolation from the
eneral, wherein he says if we have to Il
eet the debt it will mot be as oppres- t;
We as the advocates of forcible read q
stment are in the habit of represent NJ
e." st
How can you do it without increasing it
9 taxes for thatpurpose. Why smooth al