Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-07-29
The Agitation.

Who is to be benefited by the agita
tation of the question of the repeal of
the McCulloch bill? Who is to be in
jured if that bill be allowed to go into
full operation? Who is so deeply in
terested in the matter as patriot as to
be justified in travelling from county to
to county at his own expense to disturb
the public mind and to bring discord
and dissatisfaction into the ranks of the
Conservative party?
Let us take the case of Parson Massey.
The entire State tax is fifty cents on one
hundred dollars worth of property, or
five dollars on thousand dollars worth.
We will suppose that this pious clergy
man owns twenty thousand dollars
worth of real and personal property
Then the whole amount of his State tax
is one hundred dollars. Now, how
much of this small tax of one hundred
dollars on twenty thousand dollars
worth of property does our patriotic par
son hope to save by traversing the Com
monwealth from end to end and crea-
ting trouble and disquietude in the
minds of uniformed voters? Not one
dollar. On the contrary. he has no
doubt expended twice the entire amount
of his State taxes in his unholy work of
agitating and disturbing the public
mind and preventing the people from
settling down into a state of peace and
contentment Again, we ask, what is
his motive? Men do not go upon these
crusades without some motive, good OF
bad. What moves Parson Massey? Is
he animated by patriotism? Is he
moved by regard for the welfare of his
fellow-citizens? We do not suppose that
there IL an honest and candid man in
Virginia who would answer the last two
questions affirmatively. What, then,
is he after? Let the voters ponder this
question.
But even if Parson Massey and his as
sociates could induce the voters to elect
a General Assembly that would attempt
to repeal the McCulloch bill. would that
body be able to do SO? Certainly not.
Under the McCulloch bill the parties
who are authorized to refund the public
debt, If they refund eight millions OF
dollars of that debt before the 1st of JAN
uary next will have ipso focto conclud-
ed an irrepeaiable contract" the obli-
cation of which the General Assembly
will have no power to impair by any
legislative action whatever. And there
seems to be no reason for doubling that
more than that amount of the public
debt will be refunded before January /,
1880. What sense, then, is there in Par
son Mass ey's agitation? Who, we again
ask, is to be benefited by it? If the
contract become perfect by next Janu-
airy the Legislature can do nothing to
get rid OF 1t. If, on the contrary, it fail,
there will be left nothing of the McCul
loch bill for the Parsons forces to fight
against.
But the debt-payers, how is it as to
them? They act on the defensive only.
The would willingly leave the question
to the un BIASED judgment of the voters.
They have no desire to speak on the sub
ject. But they cannot remain idle and
allow the State to drift into reputation.
They would feel the disgrace too keenly.
They are, therefore, compelled to raise
their voices against the repealers. They
are forced against their will to take the
stump in behalf of acquiescence in the
McCulloch bill as settlement honora
bic to the State and liberal upon the part
of her creditors.-Ric]tna0nd Dispatch.
FOUR DAYS AT SEA WITHOUT FOOD
OR WATER.-The Norwegian bark Ro
senbury, which arrived at New York
from Dublin late Tuesday night, brought
over three French fishermen who were
picked up in mid ocean in an open boat,
where they had been for four days with.
out food or water. When they were
x~lxo,, ~, h0arJ ond ga 4..u.