Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-03-02
Stauntott Spectator.
TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1880.
Legislature.

IueStiOn-WaS pdSSeu Wy III ono S'
a. the substitute offered by Ross Hamil- {
ton for the Riddleberger bill, which ]
passed the Senate, was not printed.
Though the bill offered by Ross
Hamilton is a much better one, being
more honest, than the Riddleberger BILL
vet we are not much gratified at its in
production, as we would prefer to have
the issue between the parties to be made
squarely between the Riddleberger bill
with "all its imperfections on its head"
and with the gangrene of reputation in
in its stomach, and the honest law as it
now stands, Familiarity known as the
M cCulloch bill.
Ifthis bill, offered by Ross Hamilton |
as substitute, had not been introduced,
the Riddleberger bill would have pass
ed, and then it would have been vetoed |
by the Governor, and that would have
been the end of it so far as enacting It'll
into a law is concerned.
Then the question would have gone
before the people in the next election
for the Legislature, and the issue would
have been plain, clear; and distinct be-
tween honest payment and reputation
of the public debt.
In the evening session, in the midst
of much disorder and confusion, grow
ing out of wrongful, discourteous and
partizan rulings of Bailey in the chair,
the resolution to repeal the constitutions
al provision making the payment of the
'poll-tax a prerequisite to voting was a
.dopted by the following vote:
AYEs.-Messrs. Akers, Bailey, Bell,
Bland, Bulman, Chapman, Cole, Collins,
Colly, Cross, Dickinson, Dickerson,
.Dungee, Edwards, Evans, Farr, Frazier,
Gray, Green, Haden, Hall, Hamilton,
Harmon, Harrison, Harwood, Kelly,
Lady, Lewis, Linkenhoker, Mcconnell,
Niche, Norton, Owens, Paige, Parks,
Redd, Rivercomb, Sayers, Scott, Slemo,
E. H. Smith, George E. Smith, Henry
D. Smith, Spessard, Stratton, Strayer,
Waddill, Vale, Watkins. White, Wit
ten, and Mr.. Speaker-52.
NoEs.-Messrs.A Adams, Barbour, Bur-
CESS, Chamberlayne, Clayton, Cogbill,
Dalton, cambridge, Downs, Duke, Ech-
OILS, Edmonds. Ellis, Ficklin, Finney,
Fitzpatrick, Fray, Gibson. Goode, Gre
CORY, Hanger, Head, Hopkins, Jewett,
Lovenstein, Lyons, Mathews, Menefee,
Moftett, Moorman, Morgan, Mushbach,
Nelson, Nicol, Payne, Pitts, Pone,
Rowe, Stribling, Watson, Wilkinson,
Witt, and Yager-42..
Notett, of Rockingham, voted against
the repeal, and said his constituents had
always been, and were still, in favor of
that constitutional requirement. In the
Senate, Paul, whose constituents are the
same as those of Moffett, voted for the
repeal, and Riddleberger did likewise,
though he admitted that his constituents
were in favor of the payment of the poll
tax as prerequisite to voting.
cambridge, of Frederick, made Wig
orous speech against the resolution to
repeal, in which he asserted that it was
notifying bid for thu sifiraf vote OF
Virginia, and expressed tas cainioa that
every respectable man in the Valley
both white and black-is opposed to
it, and warned the other side that for
every vote they would gain by it, they
would lose two. ---
The arguments used by those favor
ing the repeal cut the Threats of each
other. They argue that the require
ment to pay the poll-tax does not add
to the revenues, and at the same time
argue against it on the ground that men
secure votes by paying the polltax for
the voters.
To assert that the requirement to pay
the poll-tax does not increase the reve-
nue. is absurd. And all this tax goes to
support the public schools.
In the House on Saturday when the
Rlddleberger bill came up. it was, on
motion of Mr.. Hanger, postponed to
Monday-yesterday-by vote Of 50 to
As. 81 .-.a
1t is understood that the bill Offered
by Ross Hamilton (colored) as substi-
tute for the Riddleberger bill is the re-
suit of a conference of leading Repub.
Hcans whose chief motive is to relieve
the Republican party Of the odium of
being responsible in part for passing a
bill of reputation, as it wound be, IL the
Riddleberger bill should be passed by
the aid of Republican votes. "a ..4.tI
They wish to relieve the Republican
party of the embarrassment in the next
election to which the Republicans in the
Legislature, under the lead of the Ma
hone party, threaten to subject it by
voting for bill of reputation. It is a
move to gain for the Republican party
the credit of saving the State from the
disgrace Of reputation. 2 i-,tr':..., y
The basis of the Ross Hamilton bill is
about the position taken by Malone
and Barbour year ago. This bill pro-
poses to pay three per cent for forty
years, and Malone in his famous Mo-
Fart Hall speech said = > 1 AK h5s
IL would use my best endeavors to
sanction settlement at 8 per cent. for
forty-five years on the basis of 32,977,-
000.O2. And this settlement being rati-
fed, would enforce it by the. Legis1a-
ture and courts, whose powers 1 believe
to be fully adequate thereto. I would
do so because ZbelieUe tito be right"
The Senate adopted resolution to adj
journ on the 10th of March.
A NEw CoMET.-Dr. Gou1ds formerly
OF the Dudley Observatory, Albany, N.
Y, but at present director of the Cor
dova Observatory, (Argentine Republic,
South America, announces that a great
comet is just now in the neighborhood |
OF the sun, moving northward. This is
an unexpected visitor, as no large comet
has been looked for this year, and no
small one of Importance.
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONvEN-l
TION.-The Democratic National Com
mites, at their meeting in Washington
city, Oh Monday of last week, fixed the
22nd of June as the time, and Cincin-
natl as the place. for holding the next
Democratic National Convention to