Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-01-22
Convention Of as-adjlsters
TIE OFFICIAL CALI.
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF VA.

dered by the Conference of Re-Adjust
ers, held in the Hall of the House o
Delegates, January 10th, 1879, whicl
the officers were directed to sign and al
the journals In the State requested t
copy:
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.
The Convention which assembled in
Richmond on the Sth day of August
1877, adopted platform that declared
in favor of n readiustment of obliga.
tons of the Commonwealth "whic!
should bring the annual interest upon
our entire Indebtedness within the
revenues of the State derived from the
present rate OF taxation, and do equal
justice to all classes Of the public
creditors" and which urged that, lin
the selection of members of the Legis.
lature, the people should elect their
representatives with a view to their
ability to deal with the difficulties pre-
scented by the financial condition of the
Commonwealth, it being the manifest
spiri. and intent of that convention, 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 disposed of definitely. In cOnfor-
nifty wherewith the Re Adjusters of the
General Assembly, at the last session
diligently devoted their time and ear
nest thought to the framing and perfe:-
ton of such measures as wOuld execute
their understanding of the popular will
III that respect, defining. and for the
first time, the amount and condition of
public debt, and appropriatng to It's
discharge the maximum amount,possible
to be Appropriated the income OF
the State under the existing rate OF
taxation, when every possible reform
and reduction in the expenses Of adj
ministration compatible with necessary
efficiency, should have been instituted.
The result was, the passage Of a bill
known as the Barbour bill, wherein It is
declared, as we now rclteratc, that the
condition OF the people Of Common
wealth is such as to render an increa Sc
ofthc rate ef taxation upon property
impracticable; and the Gen raj Assem-
bly, conceding that lis power to tax the
properly or person OF the citizen must
at all times be confined within the re.
asonable limits prescribed by what. in
the iudgm ent OF the General Assembly
is the ability OF the citizen to pay.
without ruinOus damage to his property
and business; and that the present ratio
of taxation, tO.wit: fifty cents on every
hundred dollars Of assessed value OF
property. is the utmost limit TO which
the General Assembly should proceed
in levyiug taxes that the revenues of
the Commonwealth. with the present
rate Of taxation (Which is the highest
that should be imposed will not en-
able The Government to maintain its
organization by paying |
the necessary expenses incident thereto,
under the most rigid system Of economy |
and 10 discharge its obligations to the /
system of free schools ordained by the |
law 0. the Commonwealth
and to pay the present rate OF interest
on the amount claimed as the principal
Of the public debt; and that the preser-
vahOn of the State Government is
absolutely necessary, not only for the
protection Of the person and property
Of the citizen, but for the preservation
Of the rights OF the creditor Of the
Commonwealth.
In conformity with such declaration,
md in the belief that the authority to
cyy taxes and control the collection
md disbursement Ofrcyenues Is an i'll
llienablc attribute ofthe sovereignty of
he Commonwealth, which the General /,
Assembly must and can exercise, but
5 powerless to ALLEVIATE, provision was
nade-Grst, for the maintenance of the
jtate Government second, for the sup
,ort of the public free schools. leaving
ne balance Of the net income, from all
Ources, as the utmost the State is able
0 pay upon the public debt. The will
f the people as thus expressed, was de-
Gated by the exercise Of the veto power
" the Governor. Adhcring, nevcrthc
ess to these principles. to the views
xpress ed as to the ability OF the peo-
lie to endure higher rate Of taxation |
han fifty cents on the one hundred dol !
lrs of properly and with an earnest
esire for the earliest adj stmcnt OF the
ublc debt, in conformity with your
Jews. and satisfied as we are that the
eoplc, in their sovereign capacity, must
axe measures TO enforce them. will. in
his respect, and IN view of the fact that
hey are now confronted by an orsanz- {
d party openly, proclaimed. whose pur
ose, so far as declared, is to effect the
lection Of members to the next General
Assembly whose qualifications shall be
talent aud character" To vote
;hatever decrease, however excessive.
f ycur taxes may be necessary to pay
he public debt in full; to cut down the
to your free schools by
he arbitrary destruction Of the funds .
edicated to them by the Constitution
nd to raise among themselves whalev- I
r money may be necessary to conduct ;
heir crusade against the people.
1t is believed TO be our duty to advise,
5 we do earnestly advise, those of you
Tho favor restoration to the State
government of its inalicnable control of
ne revenue OF the State; who favor the
with firm and unvarying
dehty) Tor public free school purposes {
f the fund so dedicated by the Consd- {
ltlon; and who favor REIMBURSEMENT !
f the pablo debut, upon the principles d
nd within the limits prescribed by the
BARBOUR bill, which has bee n herein set
,urth, to appoint delegate, by county, '
stricts and ward meetings, as you may
ee fit, to attend a convention Of Re-
dusters, to be held in the city OF Rich ,
Iond, on Tuesday, the 25th day OF
ebruary, 1879, that you may fer your
Elves give direct expression to your =
cws in this respect, and take such
asures as may seem to you proper to
rotect your impeiled- rights and inter
sts, as citizens and taxpayers of the
A.. FULKERSON, Chairman.
J. II. ROBINSON, Secretary.
THE NEXT SENATE.-In the Forty