Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-10-02
TO tAc ToteTs er the seventh co nsres.ioa
al Di,srIat or Virginia,

have been solicited by voters from
various portions Of tins district to an
nouncc myself as Candidate for Con-
eress, and have been induced TO con-
sent 50 TO do.
The gentlemen. who have for some
time past been canvassing the district
as candidates for your suArages. have
introduced as the principal issues in the
canvass:
lst. The question Of the settlement
Of the state debt Of Virginia. aud
2nd. The financial policy Of the Fed
eral Government,
Announcing themselves. as to the
first. IN faver of forcible readjustmcnt
Of the State debt; and as to the second
rreenbackers. or advocates Of an eX-
cessive issue of irrcdcemablc paper cur
rency by the General Government.
Whilst l Do not perceive how the
State debt question can be properly in
volved in congressional canvass, as
Congress cannot by any possibility be
called to act upon the same, yctas these
gentlemen have made il prominent. and
demand the verdict Of the people there
on. claiming virtues 10 themselves on
account oftheir views thcrcupon. join
issue with them upon the question, anC
appeal to the people OF the district tC
decide Between US.
| do not believe that there can be
what is understood Is )orciJ'e rcadjust-
m,at without disgrace and ruin 10 the
State. believe that the STATE deb
can be compromised honorably anC
friendly Negotiations with the creditor,
of the state, 80 that the payment cal
be brought within the power Of the
state under the present rate OF taxation
| but failing in this. think that it vii
be eur duty to meet the debt, which
Am satisfied can be done. so as not tc
be as oppressive upon us as the adyo-
Gates Of forcible reqInsfmem are in the
habit OF representing. II for The las
six years the public men OF Virginia
had devoted as much'timc and energy tC
devising means for the payment Of the
State debt as have been expended in
the endeavOr 10 avoid its payment, oul
condition would now have been better
than 1t is.
The question, however. which. in this
canvass. most Immediately affects your
interests, rs well as the interests of the
whole country is. whether the country
shall be flooded with an irrodccmable
paper currency. or whether we shall
establish our National credit firmly up
on a sound currency, which shall have
the basis of yalue-cqualily and con.
vertbility into coin. The latter in my
opinion. is the only course consistent
with eur future safety and prosperity.
In this every citizen, from the highest
to the lowest, is interested. II is of
vital importance to all men, whether
CAPITALISTS, farmers, mechanics, or
laborers, that they shall have COED
money, Of certain and fixed value.
During the existence Of the Southern
Coniederacy, we, in this region Of the
country, learned, by sad experience,
enough Of an irredeemable paper cur
rency, forever hereafter 20 fear and
AVOID it. lam in favor, as Ear as posi-
BILE, OF returning to the principles of
finance which were understood and
practiced by the Fathers. OF The Republic.
l thus briefly give you an outline of
my views upon the two subjects men
toned, but | shall. between this time
and the day Of election, endeavor to
meet as many Of you as possible, and
give you more fully my opinions on
these and kindred subjects.
lam aware that labor under great
disadvantages frsm the lateness OF the
time of my announcement, as the orher
candidates have, for so Tonga time,
been actively engaged in the canvass,
but | appeal 10 those throughout the
District who agree with me upon the
great financial questions under dis
cussicn, TO see that their convictions
are registered at the polls.
Very Respectfully,
Sept. %, 1873. JOHN ECHOJ-S.