Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-08-11

II y clearer CQly cOulU US ltup upuIi ls rs
committee charged with m a'ntaIning the or
ganlz zion and rirdcstlrg the principles AID
policy Ct our party thsn to invoke Conservatives
III evary county and town to brand With thor
reprobation these fsctioDi.ts and their schem es
to erect now patty upon the ruins OF Conser-
vatism in Virginia The lesders of This party
make but one pretsnce Tor their disorGaniZing
and destructive course They profess but onG
policy, VIZ: the repeal of the debt settlement
let most Of their conspicuous leaders approved
legislative m SsErss to settle the debt which, II
carried out, would have loft heavier burdens On
the people than will be barn under tho progis-
ions Cfthe McCullcch bill. Many OF them sup
ported the Hsl bour bil' ss members of the Leg.
islsiurs This bill provided Cor as large a tax on
property as will be imposed by the McCuloCh
bill, viz: dfty cents upon the hundred dollars,
Ell obtained no release to the people fro;u the
principal! or Interest stipulated in the bonds. and
Ietl the accumulation of the unpaid part of th9
SIX per cent interest to swell up in annual de-.
icits Of nearly million dollars. On tho other
hand. by the McCulloch BILL the creditors sgrse
TO reduce the rate Of interest to limit which we
have snown will enable the State to pay off al
the Interest accruing each year. Inc Barbour
bill required the farmers, because they owned
property, TO pay up in cash thirty five cents on
the hundred d lliars of their operty, aud al
lowed the liccr se-taxes Of merchants and pro.
| fessionsl men, &c, to DO paid IN coupons. There
| IS no discrimination among tax payers in the
McCulloch bill.
The "rssdjustera'' cry ont against the coupon
| festure Of the McCalioch bill. They decam
against what they stylethe dc laton and insult
| TO Virginia 'rflctod by the coupons. Thu den.
| sgogry OF This is tr.nsp parent Which is more
| consistent with the peace. prosperity, snd honor
| of Virginia, to accept the McCuoch settlement
whereby the creditors agree TO reduce tho annu-
q! burden of Interest SO that the coupons for in.
tercst when paid at the Treasury will still leave
| enough money 10 meet the expenses of govern
mont and maintain the schools or to listen TO
coCnsellers who rel set such an otfar and propose
| TO leave Virginia still bound with the shsckles
| OF coupons for largely more than tho amount
| imposed by the McCulloch bill, leaving her
bound for annual deficits which swell year by
year and disable her from maintaining her pub.
lie schools, and deluding her people with the
reckless assertion that sue can maintain her pros
! psrity, pesce, and fair nsme and get rid of her
| debt, by defying the solemn action of her egis.
latures ard courts. by denouncing her creditors,
and by setting up revolutionary government to
| renudlate her solemn contracts?
These opponents Of thu debt settlement make
large drafts upon what they presume to no pop.
! ulaF ignorance In other assaults upon the Mccall
| och bill They invsigh against the exemption
| OF tho bonds from taxation. The creditors agree
/ IT, surrender nearly million dollars year Of
| annual interest for ten years, and nearly six
hundred thousand Tor the next twenty years.
| 1t is we'll known that only ten millions of tha
| bonds are held in Virginia. These only are tag
| sble by Virginia. und'rs recent decision OF the
| supreme Court OF tha United States and must
| be taxed at their market vSlue Virginia there
fore practically surrenders tsx amounting to
| about Twenty-Five thousand dollars il q settle
| ment by which the creditors surrender the above
| large amounts. Yet soma of the chief Of said
| opponents who thus seek to impose on the peo-
| pie actually voted for the Bocoek Fowler bill
| which equally exempted the bonds from taxa.
| ton.
These agitstors for repeal fail to tell the people
what they can do for their benefit in case The
settlement is destroyed They fail to tell the
people that it destroyed it will place back again
! on their shoulders the entire burden of the old
| funding bill CT 1871 that the people become
bound again for ten years for upwards of niIe
| hundred thousand dollars ofy early interest more
than they arc bound for under the settlement
and Tor the next t".nty years for upwards of
! SIX hundred thousand moro When they arc
| challenged TO explain how this will bring rolcf
10 tho people they meet the dilemma by adyis
ing that Virgins can throw [ # her dabt by rev.
| o!ut,on. They promise to help Virginia by in
vilng her TO try the desperate expedient OF
| repudiatlng her solemn contracts, of contempt
| for the decision of her own courts, and thew
boldly avow that they idtend in the last ca
| t-emlty, to overthr w the existing State Gov.
eminent, concealng from the people that even
| after all such revolutionary proceedings Virgin
| 10 will stand confronted by the Supreme Court
OF the United States and its unbroken line of de-
| cisions. They fail to tell the people that any
such desperate policy will eptsil on Virgins
fresh and sH;ctirg losses in the value Of all pro-
perty. the prosecution of all industries, and des
try sll hope for 4 revival of her materis well
fare. II is ccrtsin Il at no ssne man will bring
his capital, thrift, or skill into Virginia when
she procsims herself bankrupt in means and
character.
Hsppily tor Conservatism and for VIRGINIA.
we make our appeal for safety from these evils
to people loving honor, chtrishing the right
proud Of their word and their traditions AND
anxious for peace. The path of duty is clear
Maintain everywhere your organization. Its
mission is not ended Fill vacancies according
10 your established forms. Select good and true
men as candidates and put them in the field
stand by your solemn pledges of 1877. Force
Those who seek your suffrage to disclose, Ne you
have right to do, their relations TO this faction
which assslls your party. Make y Ut canvass
as you hsve always done, no matter what odds
confront you. Meet the sdvsrsares of your
great adjustment whenever and wherever they
ssss'l ii, and the future s secure
BY order OF the Committee
JOHN /. LOWELL, Chairm nan.
j. BELL BIGGER. Secretary.