The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-01-16
Communication.

| Geats:-I read some time ago with degree OF
| interest and pleasure not easily expressed, q
john SSV Howe Peyton, writtea by William Frazier,
Esq, OF your city, and hon ored the living for
perpetuating the memory of the illustrous dead.
But when this biography is reproduced and made
the occasion or the text for the gratuitous deliv
cry of political sermon to young men, when the
which he points retired. and the biographer himself
| assumes to become the great modern reformer OF
public erals. surely. the doctrine he seeks to
inculcate should at least bear the impress Of COM
mon logic. But is it so? Young men OF Augusta
and their associates elsewhere, we are told. the
| taught that they themselves and their venerable
elders, who have spoken at all upon the controll
Vgpna a
political imposters." They must be taught that
they have legislature now in session. represent
every part and parcel of this State, elected with
reference to settlement of this question, eleva-
ted for their honesty, integrity and abity.-and
upon the fair horizon of Virginia's fame, beggars
all description. Theymust know, too. that Mr.. F.
follows Tor two d in the wake Of this
single stroke Of his mighty quill, to sweep the
whole from the arena of public favor. The magnet
F., the propriety of this political essay. 1 wish
he could have some few years ago, the argument
OF az Rsa pending n our own
was closed, the attorn ey for the Commonwealth,
in the course of an elaborate and convincing ar
and fearressly denounced others; his speech car
ried conviction with it, and so 1t closed,-but the
counsel for the prisoner arose and said that the
wholesale denunciatien of the prosecutor had
fallen like an electric shock or deafening thunder
from cloudless sky upon that whole assembly
recounting the number OF witnesses assailed, he
turned to the attorney and asked, "even if the
ends of justice demand q conviction. how many
living men in Gods name must be murdered to
attain that object 2" How many graves would
Mr.. F. dig to establish his own noueI and peculiar
views? MI. Flazier declares that hopeful ex-
hibit Of the States means and resources should
be made. That means suppose, such an exhibit
as was made by Gov. Walker in II, which was ta-
ken the basis of that years legislation. It will
be difficult, apprehend. to convince the young
men OF Augusta that it is commendable either in
the case OF an individual or State by any sort OF
subterfuge. artifce or gaudy display, to create
This magic teacher Of the intricate management
Of finance, further says that our lands s.Smilinr
with fairness and ladened with wealth. are as
sessed too low especially is this true, he thinks
been taught to question the capacity, much less
the integrity Of those who have been sworn to
the faithful discharge of this work. He asks,
how is it possible for men to say they can pay ff.
ty cents, but cannot pay seventy, eighty, or one
hundred cents, on the 800 of their property
Young men of Augusta have been taught that
there is a limit beyond which taxation ceases to
become source OF revenue He asks how the other
States or the most Of them pay double the rate OF
our tax? Young men of Augusta have been
taught that this is not true. But pray, how and
this wonderful store of knowledge. after which
other men have sought, and sought in vain
"What meat hath our Caesar fed upon, that he
has grown so great But Mr.. Editor. all this is
but speci Of meaningless rhcthOric, resorted
to to-day, not for the first time and have only
to say as one Of Augusta's young men. that the
conclusions enforced must be sustained by an ar
to the reason, not to the predjudices passions
i'll order that the lesson may not be wholly lost
upon the young men OF AUGUSTA.