Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-03-24

rClatlng 10 Tue ueDt, uc MOuiu uOt uOW
be IN such deplorable ignorance of the
will and wishes of the people-will and
wishes which they attested by their bal
lots.
The Governor next tells US that the
Constitution of Virginia recognized the
public debt and directed its payment
True. But what debt? Was it the debt
of the Funding Bill ? or of the Bocock-
Fowler Bill? or of the McCuIloch Broli-
ers' Bill? If the Constitution admitted
the debt in sum and form as under the
Funding Bill of 1871. how could he ap-
prove the BocockrFowler Bill which
materially changed the terms of the OBJ
lioationp If the Constitution bound us
to the bill of1S7l, he should have Veto
ed, instead of approving, the BOcock-
Fowler Bill. The truth is, however,
that the Constitution neither recognizes
nor admits any particular debt, nor any
particular amount. 1t left that an open
question for the people and their Legis-
lature to decide. The Legislature elect
ed in 1869 assumed to settle this ques-
ton. although il had not been discussed
before the people and no popular eX-
preston had been elected in regard TO
It. To differ from that bill was long
held by Brokers and Funders to be
REPUTATION
vet all have agreed now to repudiate it,
and none have been more emphatic in
This reputation than the faction OF
Brokers and Funders who secmed the
passage and approved OF the Bocock.
Fowler Bill and the McCullOch Brokers
Bill. 1t was piece of purchased legis-
latlon-the result of bribery and cOrrnp-
ton and having been uniformly repu~
dated by the people on every occasion
when they could express their will with
regard to it, it is now repudiated by all
concerned. 1t has been repudiated al
wavs ever since the counsel of the spec
ulators were asked by an investigating
committee whether they purchased the
passage of the bill, and they declined TO
answer!
The Governor has the hardihood to
refer to the Legislature elected in 1871
and its action. 1t is noticeable that he
omits to mention
THE BoCOCK-FOWLER BILL,
which he approved, and whose APPROX
NJ caused him to be welcomed in Staun-
ton and Winchester with immense DEM
onstratlons Of the machlneSkind as 4" the
man who settled the public debtW Nay.
To have named that bill might have
brouobt to mind the veto Of the Barbour
Bill. in which the will of the people was
embodied! Yes; that Legislature, in
structed and authorized by the people.
did settle the debt upon the basis OF
the Barbour Bill, but the Governor, III
violation of his pledges, prevented 1t
from going into effect by interposlng bis
veto. As then, in that case, so ever
before and since, from his first Inaugural
zion. he has had no decided conviction
of his true status and functions, and to-
day he is in doubt whether he be the
Executive. Legislative, or Judicial
branch of the Government, with an in
clination to the opinion that be unites
all three in his own magnificent person !!
Having baffled the People and the Leg
islature of 1877, he called an extra ses'
sion last year, in which he and his
KITCHEN CABINET
concocted and adopted Hugh McCul-
loch,s Brokers Bill. Had he held his
imperious hand, as he had promised to
do both before nomination and election,
and even down to the date OF his ac>
cession to Office, the Barbour Bill would
have gone to the courts (what we desir-
ed and the decision might have been IN
his favor. He chose to settle the mat
ter for himself and all concerned and
gave us a veto as substitute for Ju-
diclal determination.
The Brokers' Bill, which the Govern
or has approved, is IN no sense the Will
ofthe people. Fully discussed last year
before the people, they repudiated it by
electing a Senate opposed to it by % to
II. and House OF Delegates against 1t
by 81 to 43. And they did this under
the most
EXTRAORDINARY PRESSURE
to repress and suppress their voice. The
great combination against the popular
will comprised the President OF the
United States and the Governor OF Vir-
ginia, with their Federal and State
subordinates of all degrees, from
United States Senators to district con-
stables-from Federal judges to county
school superintendent; with social,
religious, political and financial inflnen-
ces united almost wholly on their side
and with the very polls in the hands Of
their minions. What a canvass that
was. with all place holders, all the bar,
some stray diyines, aud all the ring.
politicians at full cry on every stump!
with almost the whole press OF the
State in the interests OF the Brokers !
and against all the nigh
ty odds, the popular cause triumphed,as
# always does and always will when
THE PEOPLE ARE AROUSED.
How crushing-how witheiing-in
view of all the facts and circumstances
was their condemnation of the Brokers'
Bill. its authors, approvers and defen-
ders And yet, the Governor vetoes
the bill framed by the Legislature
chosen in that election of last year, to
protect the discarded and dsowned
Brokers' Bill! He holds and defends
that as a settlement in conformity to
the popular will l have no apprehen-
sion that portion Of his message refer
ring TO this Legislature and its prcde-
cessor and their action will weigh much
with Senators in coming to conclusion
as to what shall be done with his veto.
He objects to the elimination of war
and reconstruction interest, that the
people have not instructed legislation
to that end. We have the legal, moral
and equitable right TO make this
elimination, and as far back as 1851 the
" old regime," Of which he is so fond,
representing those who actually made
the debt, enacted an ordinance suspend
ing the payment OF interest on all bonds
of Virginia held by the United States
Government, or any OF the citizens
recognizing allegiance to that govern
ment. That was passed by the men of
the old reg,ms-and
no INTEREST
was to be paid on that portion of our
debt held north Of Mason and Dixon's
line. All this is not written in Darwin's
Descent of Man, nor In any OF Herbert
Spencer's infidel productions, else His
E-oollonox, p,,ohf ha familiar with il !.