The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-01-17
3.cIAPITOL TOPICS. :, .
= Ill.-
utsa MEETING OF READJUsTERs
:, ,s.,sfi s5LksT NI<ass1l.rTpx VS..

a ckfL FOR 4 caSVESTioM REPeRTED
s FROM THE EXECUTIVE cor Ml, MadTrrEE n \: ZEE -sPI.
/. eTTEsa DISCUSSION OVER aT--dNFoRstA-
. TON CoNCERNiNG THE P1tBLle, sGTioO OILS
n AM, coLLRG Es-REPoRT OF THE SENATE
y CoMMITTEE IN PREFERENCES 10 TREAT
!, MINT or 7CoSv1cTs AT WORK on, THE
!, ,CASAL.tesIyftf 4 311.1--5s.k ffs4.si n 5'Ei%
pisAn adjourned meeting OF the readfasters
at the General Assembly 4was held In the
hall OF The House last .night-Senator Ful-
kerson, chairman, and p. a. McCanll, Esq,
seerpfary. The attendance. was unusually
larae. Quite d number of q. debt-pay ers. =
having had dn inkling that The proceedings
would be OF more than ordinary interest,
were present SIS looEers-o1. Sevenfy-hye
readiusters answered the roll-cail, and pro.
bably hall a dozen others came into the hall
subsequently. -
Mr.. Barbour, chairman OF the Executive
Committee, In accordance with ibe resolu.
tfon adopted at the previous meeting. snb-
mitted the following eali for asconYention
| 10 the Peopleof Virginia W '
,s+Tfs convention which assembled III Rich
Emond on the Sth day Of, August, 1877,
adopted a platform that declared in favor of
a iesdIustment or the obligations OF the
[Commonwealth & which should "bring the
annual interest. upon ouS enfirc 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" and which urged
that ssin the selection OF members Of
The Legislature, the people Should elect
their representatives with a. view to
their ability 10 deal ) with The diff
cnlties presented by. the. financial condi-
ltiou,c of the Commonwealth" It being
the manifest spirit and intent OF that con-
Fyeutiop; 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 Assembly, and by that branch Of
the State government to be treated and dis
posed OF detinitivey. In conformity where
with the adjusters Of the General Assem-
bly, at the last session diligently devoted
their time and earnest thought to the framing
and perfection of such measures as. would
execute their understanding OF the popular
williu that respect, defining, and for the first
time. the amount and condition OF the pub
ffc debt, and appropriating TO its discharge
the maximum amount possible to be appro-
priatcd from the income OF the State under
\ the existing rate of taxation, wheE' every
| possible reform and reduction in the ex-
penses of administration, compatible with
necessary efficiency, should have been In
stitnted. n'@','',; - t,,r ,..,G .s"..a ...'
The result was the passage Of bill,
| known as the Barbour bin, wherein 1t is
declared, as we now relterate. g that the
condition Of the people Of the Common
wealth is such rs to render an increase OF
the rate of taxation upon properly imprac-
ticab1e, and the General Assembly conced-
ing that its power TO tax the property OF the
citizen must at all times be. confined within
the reasonable limits prescribed by what in
the Judgment of the General Assembly is
the ability of the, citizen to. pay without
ruincus damage to his property and busi.
ness, and that the present rate OF SaXa-
tion-toy wit, u fifty cents on every hum
dred dollars of assessed value OF property
Is tile utmost limit to which the General
Assembly should proceed in fevying taxes !;
that the revenues Of the Commonwealth
with the present rate, of taxation (Which is
the highest that should be imposed} will
not enable the government to maintain its
| governmental organization By paying the
necessary expenses incident thereto under
the most rigid system OF economy, and to
discharge its obligations to the system OF
free schools ordained by the fundamental
law OF the Common ealtb, and to Pay the
present rate of interest on the amount
claimed as the principal of the public debt;
and that the preservation OF the State gov
ernment is absolutely necessary not only
for the protection of the person and pro-
perty Of tue citizens bnt for the preserya-
ton OF the rights of the! creditors OF the
Commonwealth" -" ,s:,t.1,E. ~ ~.
In conformity with such declaration and
| in the belief that the authority to. levy taxes
land control the collection and disburse-
ment OF revenues is an inalienable attribute
of the sovereignty OF the Commonw wealth,
which the General Assembly must and can
exercise but is powerless to ALLEVIATE, pro-
vision was made-trst, for the maintenance
Of the State government; second, for 'the
support OF the public free schools, leaving
the balance of the net income from all
sources as the utmost the State IS able to
pay upon the public debt. -
The will o. the people, as thus expressed,
was defeated by the! eXerciselof the Veto
mower by the Governor. Adhering; never.
theless, 20 these principles, and to the views
expressed as to the ability OF the people to
endure higherrate OF taxation than hfty
cents on the 800 Of property, and with IN
earnest desire.fer the earliest adj iustmenc Of
the public debt in conformity with your
views, and satisfied as we are that the peo'
BILE in their sovereign capacity must take
measures to enforce their will in this re.
spect, and in view Of the. TACT that
they are now confronted by san or.
gallized party, openly proclaimed, whose
purpose, so far rs declared, is to effect the
election Of membersto the next General AS
sembly whose. qualifications tshati be g cour!
age, talents, and rcbaracter," fo vote what
ever increase, however excessive, OF your
taxes may be necessary to pay the public
debt in full to cut down the appropriations
to your free schools by the arbitrary de-
struction OF the funds dedicated to them by
the Constitution, and to raise among them
selves whatever money may be necessary to
conduct their crusade against the peoples
It is believed to be-our duty to advise, as
we do earnestly advise, those OF you who
favor a restoration to the State gov
ernment OF it's inalienable control OF the
revenue OF the State;,. who favor the ap-
preparation with firm and unvarying
fdeltyl for public free-school purposes OF
the whole Hfund SO. dedicated by the
Constitution; and who favor q READ
iustment of the public debt upon the
PRINCIPLES and within tue limits prescribed
by the Barbour bill, which has been herein
set forth, to appoint delegates by. county,
district, and ward meetings, as you may see
fit, to attend a.convention OF readJusters to
be held in the city Of Richmond on Tues
day the 18th day OF, February, 1879, that
YOU may for yourselves give direct Ok pres
sion to your views in this respect and take
such measures as may seem! to tyoH proper
to protect yeur.impeEilled right and inter-
Ia, o.ts tow