Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-02-14
'g.Izhs .Mtmhttatpr+
FRIDAY MORNING. FEB. IA. 1879
No Enthusiasm for a Convention.

A
SOME LEADERS PRESENT BUT THE PEo-
| PIE STAY AT HOME-DEFEAT OF A
RESOLUTION DISCLAINIING ANY DESIRE
TO STRENGTHEN THE REPUBLICAN OR
WEAKEN THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY
ADOPTION OF REsoL UTIONs ENDORSING
THE STATE CONVENTION,
SC, &C., sc.
Saturday at noon, the hour fixed for the
/ meeting of the Readjusters of the county
| to appoint delegates to the ReadJusters'
State Convention at Richmond, February
18th, the Court House presented gloomy
appearance, not living soul in the body
of the house and only two leading Adjust
els in the gallery pulling the bell. Inc
contrast between the scene and those days
when the Court House used to be packed.
and the two contendlng sides used to as
semble in full force to howl each other
down, was marked, and 10 less marked
were other signs that the Readjusters OF
the county want the debt settled, and do
not want damaging political excitement
prolonged and increased by State conven-
tions, separate political organizations and
the like. The number Of Adjusters from
the county who participated did not ex-
coed fifteen or twenty; the proceedings
We're colo; the audience uninterested, and
the applause lacking. The leaders were
there, but not the people Such prominent
Advisers as Col. FL. j. Williams. Col.
Sam'l A. East, Mr.. S. Brown Allen and
Capt. Thomas Burke, gentlemen WHO
have on other occasions been able to
gather large following, were there, but
the people We're AT home.
The meeting was organized on motion
Of Mr.. Allen by Capt. Thomas Burke TAX
ing the chair, and that officer appointed
the city editors as secretaries, one ct whom
at the request of Mr.. Allen, read the adj
dress OF that portion OF the Adjuster mem
bers of the legislature who, in company
with the independents and black and
white Republican members have called
State convention Of the Readjusters of
Virginia. At the close of the reading
Capt. John N. Opie offered the following:
Whereas the Readj listers, in some parts
|
| stances justly sol of cooper atlng with the
Republican party, aud OF d desire and in
tention to dismember the Conservative
party. be it resolved 10y the Readju SterS OF
Augusta county IN meeting assembled
1. That while they recognize tue abso-
lutte necessity OF a speedy settlement OF the
state debt under the present revenues Of
the State, they will, under no circumstan-
ceS, take any action or pursue any course
f,,, tbn-,
the Republican OF weaken the COnserva-
| Tive party.
2. That they are in favor of, and do
hereby recommend to our Legislature, the
| acc plahce OF the proposition made by the
BondhoIderS, provided the three per cent.
| interest is extended from five to ten y ars.
3. That We consider it inexpedient, un-
| wise aud Impolitic TO hold a convention at
| this time, and therefore decline sending
| delegates.
Mr. Ople gave his reasons for introduce
| ing lis resolutions. He said it has been
charged by the enemies of Readjdstment
that its advocates were trying to break up
the Conservative party, and In some locall-
ties he regretted to say its advocates had
by their action given apparent grounds for
such charge. He wanted to give an ex-
| plicit contradiction to such charge as far
as it referred to the Readjusters of Angus
I'd county. lie believed of them, that not
only were they true to the Conservative
! party but, also, that to them belonged the
chief credit of having brought about the
present offer Of the States creditors. That
proposition he believed to be, with the al
teration suggested in his resolution, ac-
ceptable to the people of the county and
of the State, and he could see no necessity
for State Convention, certainly not in
the face OF the negotiations which have
been inaugurate6. He desired to do moth
Jig to W. AIKEN the Conservative party, be-
lieving tina the Republican party was only
waiting like the lion i'll the fable for the
two bulls to begin fighting each other
when it might devour both. He hoped it
might never be said that the Readjusters
Of Augusta did anything to impair the
strength and unity OF the great Conser-
vattve party of Virginia.
Mr.. Allen replied to Mr.. Opie's sugges-
ton that the State Convention would act
as firebrand thrown into the Conserva-
tive party. He Said that the 'sCommittee
of 39'' great central political society
which was organized when there was a
calm between the wings of the Conserya-
ii 7e party, to put stop to all efforts at
adjustment and raise the taxes was the
real fretrand. Ii the debt question was
/ ! settled there would be no necessity
for a convention; if not, the Readjusters
would be organized IN time. They had
been told by one of the county papers that
the Readjusters contemplated forming a
new political org nzation. This was a
mere dodge TO cover the true situation of
affairs. The illustrious ''39" may unite
with iliustrious Republicans and not a
word be said by the Conservative press OF
our city, bat when ne essay to form an Or
ganization OF platform to give relief to the
tax ridden people we want to disrupt the
Conservative party" | want to say to
the editors that We entertain no such fears;
if however, such must be the result, the
responsibility falls Oh those who long since
rebelled against the high behests of party,
and are now themselves out in the cold
CRYING out to.us to come back. We have
no such purpose as disrupting thh Conser-
vative party; with majority it would be
, a remarkable proceeding. The Adjusters
, have acted wisely in calling convention.
tt is called to act in case there is no settle
ment. Mr.. Allen then offered the follow
!, ing as substitute for Capt. Opie's reso-
lutions:
Resolred, That we cordially endorse the
. action of the Readjusters III the Legisla=
ture If Virginia, in calling convention
}. to be held in the city of Richmond on the