The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-12-19
from the Dispatch of the 18TH
Meeting of Readiusters.

last night, and was called to order by Senator
Fulkerson; Mr.. ]. II Robinson. OF Portsmouth,
during the evening to address the conference. re-
quested Mr.. Lewis E. Harvie to take the chair
There were "a about seventy members present
Senator Paul offered the following:
Resolued. That the Executive Committee be and
is hereby directed to prepare an address to the
people Of Virginia. setting forth the objects of
the read busters and calling convention, to be
held in the city OF Richmond on the-day of Jan
uary, 1879, to organize the readjusters of the
State AS A PARTY, for the purpose of securing
adjustment OF the State debt and maintaining the
public free school system. and in opposition to
the party recently organized in the city Of Rich
mond to establish societies throughoutthe State,
with the avowed object of increasing the taxes
on our already impoverished people; said COM
mittee to report its action under this resolution
to this conference for its ratification, at meet
ing to be held Monday night next
MAKE HASTE SLOWLY. BRETHREN.
Mr.. Henkel considered this movement prenaa-
ture.
Mr.. Ficklen was also inclined to take that view :;
Cnt vas not prepared 70 say Una. II me
it. STILL he thought it better to await further
developments about the debt, and in the mean
time the read busters should have free inter
change of opinion.
Senator Massey made n long speech advising
the conference to ma ke haste slowly. He seeneu
to have little hope that the debt question could
be settled at this session of the General Assem-
bly,, his view was that unless the bondholders
would make much better offer of compromise
than any yet suggested by them the matter
should be referred to the people at the election
to be held in November.
BE PATIENT.
Mr.. Carter, CT Loudoun, asked II Mr. Massey
proposed to wait until the end OF the session be-
fore efecting an organization.
some time for the readjusters to agree upon
measures which they should advocate. He rather
thought that they would have to come to this or
gauization at last; but he believed they could at
ford to be patient. Mr.. Massey further said that
NO true readiuster would go further than he
found close BY, and if he could do no better he
would be camp-follower: He desired the reso-
luton to be referred to the Executive Commit
tee for report.
SUBSTITUTE OFFERED.
Mr.. Stevens offered the following substitute:
RESOLVED, That the Exec utive Committee OF this
Of this conference, to be held in this hall on
Wednesday night next, the propriety and exped-
the State setting forth the effects and purposes
of the readjusters and also as to the proprety OF
calling convention with view to more thor
ough and compact organization.
MR.. SPEAKER.
Speaker Allen favored. the substitute. He re-
ferred to the compromise bill of last session,
had been denounced as an obstructionist. The
hope held out then was that the bill would result
IN conference with the creditors; As intended
from the creditors. We have made our proposi-
ton they have made theirs. Now, will it not
be the pant OF wisdom to seek conference with
the creditors The Speaker though6 so. He hoped
that the conference would be held before the re-
adiusterS move further.
For one, the Speaker never would accept the
creditors proposition as indicated in the Gov
ernors message. But he was willing to try the
creditors again. II they refuse a reasonable COM
promise the arm Of the readiusters will be great
Iy strengthened. He did not want to go into a
ly every turn. He warned gentlemen that they
would have no light fight to make. THE exper-
lence OF last session showed what a compact mi
single State office, and were at last placed in the
humiliating position Of having almost to ask the
other side not to make nominations. The battle
to come would be severe one. and they would
need all the arms they could carry into it. He
wanted to proceed CAUTIOUSLY TO go into the fight
est opinion that conference should be sought
with the creditors. If it is unavailing. then the
er effect.
WANTED. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
Mr.. j.; q. Robinson saw no way Of getting out
OF the dilemma except by constitutional con-
vention (Applause.] As Conservative stand
ing by the platform, he could not now vote for an
increase of taxation. The bondholders, on the
other hand, would not come down to the present
taxation. The Governor would not let them re
then they had to fight the Supreme Court The
people were getting tired and disguised, and Mr.
Robinson was not sure but that at last. to get out
OF the mess they would instruct them to vote for
increase of taxation. The only remedy Mr.. Rob-
inson could see was constitutional convention.
THE FARMERS.
Mr.. Ficklen thought the condition of the agri-
culturists OF the State was now worse than when
the Barbour biil was va; passed: he was willing to
He wanted to hear from his brother-readiusters
and learn where they stood before an invitation
is extended to the bondhOldeis to come here
His picture of the condition OF the farming
population was by no means cheerful one.
ALSO wANTED-BACKBoNE
Senator Ful4erson sail the need OF the hour is
strong hearts and backbone. The readiusters
need organization they have the people with
them, and they have plenty of brains, but last
winter they suffered for want of organization. !
Their forces were like militia contending with |
at work. The readtusters must do likewise or !
again suffer defeat. If the bondholders were to |
and SHOWN the fine churches, and would see rone
but debt-payers. That will not do The read |
justers must organize and go to work. The very |
moment you get the people organized !; when you |
have YOUR central committee; when you have |
your candidates endorsed, you may hope for |
80 mething. Now, let debt-payer and a read |
ulster come before the people, and before the |
election the debt.payer persuades the people |
that he is better readjuster than the readiuster
himself.
Mr. Robinson wanted to know what all this or
ganiZation was for.
tion, If constitutional convention is held tn |
debt will be fixed upon us forever. The debt-pay- |
the debt will be recognized in the organic law.
Mr.. Robinson asked how that could be If, as Mr.. |
Fulkerson claimed, four ffths OF the people were
MIR. Fulkerson said that want of organization |
was the answer They could put none Of their |
friends in office because they had no organization
4 conference with the creditors wo uid, in MI |
Fulkerson's opinion, only result in a prolonga-
ton Of the struggle. 1t could not be held until
the latter end OF the session, and then it would |
be too late to act. But, for the sake OF harmony,
he would agree to have the resolution go to
committee. His own idea to legislation was |
that they should pass the Barbour bill again.
MR.. BARBOUR.
This gentleman thought the General Assembly |
had already accomplished great deal. All the |
readiusters now had to do was to stick down their
pins and let the creditors know that they would |
not take them up again. He thought the Gov
ernor was very much inclined to cooperate with |
them. That was the impression made upon Mr..
Barbour after conversation with the Governor.
Mr.. Barbour congratulated the conferences upon
the good temper shown and the solid front which |
the readjusters present.
Mr.. Harvie (Mr. Fuikerson in the chair was
convinced that in the Barbour bill the State if
anything had conceded too much. Under no cir
didn't come to Richmond to ascertain the senti-
ments Of the bondholders. he didn't care to con-
suit them. he would have the Barbour bill pass
ed again and then let the Governor veto it if he
dare. The Governor came here saying that I'M
der no conceivable circumstances would he favor
an increase of taxation. Now change has come
message he recommended an increase The abili-
ty Of the people to pay was the proper limit OF
taxation, in Mr.. Harvies opinion, and that limit
had already been reached, Mr.. Harvie was de-
clded in his disapproval OF what he called the
Governors change of position
THE WHOLE BATCH REFERRED.
Mr.. Stevens offered the following:
Resoloed, That the readjusters. of the General
Assembly declare that they will resist any and
ever effort on the part Of the present General
Assembly to increase the present rate of taxation
deeming any increase thereof as unjust. burden
some and cruel, and not to be submitted to by the
people, but to be resisted and opposed by every
means in their power and that will never |
consent to an adjustment of the public debt that
does not bring the payment of the annual inter-
est and ultimate extinguishment of the principal
within the present resources Of the State, after
the government of the State in all
its entirety.
All the propositions were referred to the Exc
cutive Lommittee-Mr. James Barbour, chair
man.
Adjourned to meet on next Wednesday night,
ii not sooner convened by the Chairman.
INDUCEMENTS TO IMMIGRANTs.-
Hotchkiss' descriptive pamphlet of Staunton
and surrounding country, is already attract
ing attention to this favored section. The
book has been highly commended by those
to Judge, and one Of the results
has been large reduction in the rates of