The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-02-13
Re.adiusters Meeting
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AND DELEGATES
APPOI NTED.

|
meeting OF Re -adiusters held on last Satur-
day to appoint delegates to the convention
which meets in Richmond on the 25th. A
y o'clock, the hour appointed, there wa
scarcely a dom men around the Cour
House who would have been entitled to ;
voice in the meeting it was proposed tt
hold. Those few, however, were essentially
representative re-adjusters, men who hay.
taken prominent part in the movemen
every since its Inauguration, and who came
from every portion of the county.
At about half past twelve, a crowd o
some sixty or seventy, most of them resi-
dents OF the town, assembled in the Cour
House, and Capt. Thos. Burke was called tt
the chair and the reporters of the city paper
requested to act as secretaries.
Mr.. S. Brown Allen explained tia
the object Of the meeting was to appein
delegates to the convention of Re. adjusters
which. by authority Of the leading members
of the party, had been called to meet a
Richmond on the 25th Of the month.
| Inc Olllcldl Call WAS Itlen read.
At the conclusion of the reading, Capt
John N. Opie, offered the following reso!rl-
| tons
Whereas the Re-adjusters, in some part:
of the State, are accused (and in some in
stances justly SOY of cooperating with the
Republican party, and of desire and in
! tentiOE to dsmember the Conservative par
ty, be it resolved by the Re-adjusters of All
| gusta county in meeting assembled
| l. That while they recognize the absolute
necessity of a speedy settlement OF the State
debt under the present revenues of the State,
they will, under no circumstances. take any
action or pursue any course which will have
1 tendency to strengthen the Republican or
weaken the Conservative party.
2. That they are in favor of, and DO here
by recommend to our Legislature, the ac-
ceptance Of the proposition made by the
BOndholders, provided the three per cent.
interest is extended from five to ten years.
3. That we consider it ineXpedient, I'M
wise and lmpolitic to hold convention Mt
this time, and therefore decline sending
delegates.
In advocating his resolutions, Capt. Opie
said that the Re-adjusters had ben charged
with desire to disrupt the Conservative
party. Such was not now, and never had
been their design. 1t was necessary now,
| in view of the approaching national contest,
that the Conservative party should stand
firm. The Republicans were only waiting
to see their enemy torn asunder. They
would at once organize, and, like the Lion
in the fable, devour the two bulls, one at a
time. He thought the proposition contained
in the second resolution was good one, and
should be accepted.
S. Brown Allen said that he considered
the action of the leaders, in calling . con-
vention, wise and timely. Indeed, they
would have failed in their duty, had they
done less. Just before the call for the con-
vention, at time when party feeling had
subsidized, when the people all over the State
were looking for an united and harmonious
effort and confidently expecting such action
as would encourage the hope OF speedy
settlement of the debt question, at this
propitious moment, new organization
springs into life-the Society of the '39' is
formed. 1t boldly proclaims that all nego-
justment cease, the taxes must be raised
and the whole debt paid off to dollar. To
this end societies were to be formed in every
town and county, and no man should be
elected to office who did not espouse the
cause OF the immaculates, whatever might
be the consequence to the people. Still the
re-adiusters did not move. Gov. Holiday
announced that the Fowler Bocock sche me
had failed, and conference of the creditors
was determined upon. 1t was then that
convention OF re-adjus tiers from all over the
State was called. The delegates to that con.
ventien would be fresh from the people and
would faithfully represent the views and
opinions Of large majority of the voters
and taxpayers. If settlement was effected
previous to their meeting, the occasion which
drew them together would be past and there
would be no need for their gathering. If
the terms OF the settlement had not been
determined upon, the wishes and views of
these delegates might have an important eff
feet in influencing the determinations of
both the bondholders and legislators Apart
from this, however, and the main reason for
the convention was for the purpose Of thor
oughy organizing the Re-atjusters of Vir-
ginia-of closing up the ranks and prepar-
ing to meet with solid front those who SO
vigorously opposed them. Against them
were arrayed the press of the State, with
here and there an exception, the Governor,
and a compact organization well supplied
with means, and aggressive. Was 1t not
time the re-adjusters were organizing? But
VIC are charged with the desire to dsor-
ganize and tear asunder the Conservative
party. We are told that number of the
State senators and legislators who favor re-
adjustment, are Independents and Republi-
cans, and that they are using all their pow
err to split the Conservative party in twain |
All this is but dodge to counterfeit the ef-
feet of the course Of the funders. The illus
trious 1907 that pure and spotless organi-
cation, embraces within its fold number
of the most prominent and avowed Republic
cans in Virginia. These gentlemen may
abandon the party and SOW the seeds of dis
cord throughout the length and breadth Of |
the Commonwealth, and not one word is said |
against it, But when we aspire to organ-
cation. on the very platform which the Con-
sentative party unanimously adopted, we
are accused of wanting to turn the State
over to the Republicans. We entertain no
fears that the State will pass from Demo.
cratic control, but it it does, the RESPONSE
bllity will rest not with the advocates of Re-
adjustment, but with those who rebelled
against the high DEGREES of party. Ger
tainly 1t could not be Our purpose to disrupt
the party now, for the re-adiusters are large
ly in the majority and have control.
Mr.. Allen then drew a comparison be-
tween the policy of the funders and that of
the re-adiusters. He then offered the follow
ing resolutions, as substitute for Mr..
Optics:
Resolced, That We cordially endorse the
action of the Re-adjusters 10 the Legislature
of Virginia, in calling a convention to be
held in the city Of Richmond on the 25th |
of February, 1879, for the purpose OF orga-
nizing the Adjusters Of the State with the |
view of securing, If possible. an adjustment |
of the State debt question upon principle of |