Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-01-31
The Address Of the Forty Two.
WHO THE CALLERS ARE-THE CALL
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.


following analysis from the Richmond
State" made week ago and, as we have
seen no contradiction of it in the inter-
vening time, we presume it is correct:
The C, INVENTION called by the re-ao]us-
ters to Get in Richmond on the 10Th of
February was called b. caucus CONSIST
ing OF titty-eight members, OF whom SIX
were negl oas, to-wit. Stevens, Norton,
Powell, Evans, Hamilton and Lee; -four
were white radicals, lo-wit: Bliss. DlcKer,
son, of Russell. j. Walker AID Dung, and
thirteen were elected by tile negro vote
over the conservative nominees as indie
pendents to-wit: Massie. j. X. Carter.
Crank, Fauntl-roy, Frazier, Harvie. w.
r. James Lady, Mcdaniel, J. h. Smith,
A. J. Tayl #, s. J. D. White and Wright.
There were only thirty-six persons cleo
ted rs COnsel Vative nominees present, ana
sixteen o. those voted against having the
convention. The re- sdjusters convention
ID called by party of members OF the Leg
islature composed as follows; Six negroes.
four white radicals, and thirteen lnde-
pendents, thirty-three in all, aided by
twenty other memLers elected as conser-
vatiees, of whom two-to Wit: Chiles aud
Barbour, are boilers.
A convention called by these men is to
form political party to rule Virginia
The following is their address.
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.
The Convention which assembled in
Richmond on the 9Th day of August, 1877,
adopted platform that declared in favor
Of = REIMBURSEMENT OF the obligations of the
Common wealth (which should bring the
annual interest upon our entire indebted
ness within the revenues of the State de-
rived from the present rate of taxation,
and do equal justice to all classes Of the
public creditors" anu which urged that,
s'in the selection of members OF the Legls-
lature, the people should elect their re-
representatives. with a view to their ability
to deal with the difficulties presented by
| the financial condition of the Common
wealth. it being the manifest spirit and
intent of that convention, to remit the
whole question of the debt to the people,
| to be dealt with by them in the selection
of representatives to the General AS
sembly, and by that branch of the State
government to be treated and disposed of
definitely. In conformity wherewith, the
! Re adjusters Of the General Assembly, at
tue last session diligently devoted their
| time and earnest thought to the framing
and perfection Of such measures as would
execute their understanding of the popu-
lar will in that respect, defining, and for
| the first time, the amount aud condition
| Of public debt, and apprOpriatiug to its
| discharge the maximum amount possible
| to be appropriated from the income of the
| State, under the existing rate of taxation,
( when every possible reform and reduction
| in the expenses of administration COM
patible with necessary efficiency, should
| have been instituted. The result was the
passage of bill known as the Barbour
| + ;cI <.ol orrI
! iterate, that the condition of the people
of the Commonwealth is such as to rem
der an increase of the rate Of taxation
upon property impracticable; and the
General Assembly concedipg that its
powers to tax the property or person OF
| the citizen must at all times be confined
within the reasonable limits prescribed by
what, in the judgment of the General As
semblY, IS the ability OF the citizen to pay
without ruinous damage to his property
and business; and that the present rate of
taxation. to wit: fifty cents on every hun
dl ed dollars of assessed value of property.
| is the utmost limit to which the General
| Assembly should proceed in levying taxes;
that the revenues of the Commonwealth,
| with the present rate of taxation (which is
| the highest that should be imbosed} will
not enable the Government to maintain
its governmel tai organization by paying
the necessary expenses incident there
to, under the most rigid system Of econ
omy, and to discharge its obligations to
the system OF free schools Or
dained by the fundamental law
of the Commonwealth, and to pay
| tho present rate of interest on the
mount claimed as the principal of the pub
| lie debt; and that the preservation OF the
State Government ID absolutely necessary.
not only for the protection Of the person
and property of the citizen, but for the
preservation of the rights OF the creditor
| of the Commonwealth.
In conf .rmity with such declaration, and
in the belief that the authority to levy tax
es and control the collection and dlsburse-
ment OF revenues is an inalienable attrib
ute of the sovereignty OF the Common
wealth, which the General Assembly must
and can exercise, but is pOwerleSS to alien
ate. provision was made-frst, for the
maintenance of the State Governments; Sec
oud, for the support of the public free
schools, leaving the balance of the net in
State from all sources, as the utmost the
come lis able to pay upon the public debt. The
will of the people, as thus expressed, was
defeated by the exercise Of the veto power
by the Governor. Adhering, nevertheless
to these principles, and to the views ex-
pressed as to the ability Of the people to en-
| dure higher rate of taxation than fifty
cents on the one hundred dollars OF prop
! erty. and with an earnest desire for the
earliest adjustment of the public debt, in
conformity with your views, and satisfied
as we are that tine people, in their sover-
sign capacity, must take measures to Ell
| force them, will, in this respect, and in
| view of the fact that they are now con-
| frcnted by an organized party. openly
proclaimed, whose purpose, so far as de-
clared is to effect the election OF members
to the next General Assembly whose quail
ifcations shall be courage talent and
character" to vote whatever Increase: how
ever excessive. of your taxes may be nee
essary to pay the public debt in full; TO
cut down the appropriations to your free
schools by the arbitrary destruction of the
funds dedicated to them by the Constitu-
ton. and to raise among themselves what
ever money may be necessary to cOnd uct
their crusade against the people.
1t is believed to be our duty to advise,
as we do earnestly advise, those OF you
who favor a restoration to the State Gov
eminent of Its inalienable control of the
revenue of the State; who favor the appro-
priation with firm and unvarying fidelity
for public free school purposes of the
whole fund so dedicated by the COnstitu-
ton; and who favor REIMBURSEMENT of the
public debt, upon the principles and with
in the limits prescribed by the Barbour
bill, which has been herein set forth, to
appoint delegates, by county, district and
ward meetings, as you may seefit, to at
tend convention Of Readjusters, to be
held in the city of Richmond, on Tuesday,
the 18th day of February, 1879, that you
may for yourselves give direct expression
to your views in this respect, and take
such measures as may seem to you proper
| to protect your imperiled rights and inter-
ests, as citizens and taxpayers OF the
\ Commonwealth.
A. FULKERSON Chairman.
J. H. ROBINSON, Secretary.