Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-03-19

You fear readjusters are not simoE-pure
democrats. Reflect: Democracy de-
clares against excmpting bends from
taxation. Three platforms have con-
tanned such plank. Readjusters stand
by that, and on that and there they will
stand; and there the conservative party
of Virginia must stand in 1880. If you
can make any Roadway denouncing the
republicans for exemptng bondholders
from taxation while you advocate the
same principle in Virginia, you are a
more expert politician than the "small
politicians " of the late convention
Can you not see more cause to appre'
bend that Rlves and Hughes and Wick
ham will carry their committee Of q
conservatives oyer to Grant, than that
five negroes from Powhattan can lead
the 200 Virginia farmers who were in
the late convention? Neighbor your
patriotism has misled you,
But, further on, neighbor, you want
to settle according to the terms OF tie
conservative platform. Does not that
platform say we must bring the debt
within the present revenues ofthe State ?
and did our governor not say in his let
ter OF acceptance that he stood squarely
on that platform? Now, then, l beg
you, "hearken not to the voice of the
charmer, charm he never so wisely"
but calculate the interest on the debt
under the provisions of this bill, allow
ing all it gives but being cautious about
what it takes back, and then say wheth-
er we must net increase our taxes one
third or more. That platform, neighbor,
was understood to enbody the princi-
pies of conservatism. Let us see who
will be first to desert or renounce it for
a new faith.
Now, neighbor, one henest thought il
YOU can stand it from this source. For
several years We have heard much about
the poor widows and orphans for whose
benefit some of the peeler bonds are
held by careful iduciaries who would
not change them by funding. a few of
these bonds are still held in Virginia
and these are the chief victims Of this
Yankee speculation. We had war,
YOU recollect, and a Confederate con-
gress. Well, that congress authorized
6duciarles to invest such bonds in Con-
federate bonds so that the widows and
orphans might be robbed as the war
went on to failure; and many of them
were. Then the funding bill tailed to
make provision for the fiduciary and the
balance were robbed for s years interest.
Now this bill funds what is due on these
bonds at so cents on the dollar and
enacts IN its 10th section that executors
administrators, guardians and all other
fi2uciaries may CONS in and make a
Lawful investment" keighbOr, il
there were but one Of these bonds still
held in Virginia should we not pay 1t?
And If discrimination must be made
against any, should it be against these ?
Perhaps you will still think, neighbor,
that the Brokers' ill is the best and
all we can do. This is the favorite and
only argument OF its champions. If 50
we are casting much pearl before swine.
Virginia has but few rights left. but
among them. thank God in all rcver-
ence, is the right to settle her debt In
her own way without let or hindrance
without the aid of Yankee and Eng
llsh sSndicates without dictates ofcOn-
sciences trained and scared in the hot
beds Of puritan ianaticism, where rclig-
lous intolerance sled blood with worst
than savage cruelty and the foundation
oil monied supremacy was laid in trea-
son to their country from 1912 ID
We. perhaps Unfortunately belong To
that class who believe that Virginia may
again become Virginian-when she will
want no McCulloaghs to do her legisla
ton nor be found supplicating at the
throne of despotsm for her jail-housed
Judiciary.