The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-01-29

| AoSoCo ALOm GuClI Tduhs, utllucE WAS I'll
decrease Of lung power perceptible.
AT half past twelve, the court adjourned
and Immediately afterwards S. Brown Allel
Esqr. chairman Of the Readjuster Executiy
Committee, for Augusta county, opened til
meeting in short, pointed speech. in whic
he stated that the assemblage had bee
called Tor the purpose Of organizing regu
lar Readjuster party, and putting the loo.
machinery into, operation. This. step b
urged as absolutely necessary, il success Wa
to be. achieved in the next election. FL
want of organization the party bad bee
beaten last fall, and the fact that the count
of Augusta was now represented by gentle
men opposed to them politically was OWN
to the want Of concert Of action and oreanl
cation. In strong terms he impressed th
advantage OF having their forces well drille
and disciplined, and at the close of hi
speech, E. A. Fulcher was appointed secre
tary Of the meeting, and committee o.
| permanent organ ization appointed consist
ing OF the following members: Col. r. Turk
E. F. Vincent, b. J. Williams, 81. P. Dick
erson, VIM. B. Crawford and J. E. Hamilto,
Of the county. and W. H. Peyton and S.
Bondurant of the city. As the COMMITTEE
retired, s. Brown Allen, in handsome
little speech, introduced ~
H.H. RIDDLEBERGER,
Senator from Shenandoah, al the speaker O
the occasion. Harry Riddleberger is nj
stranger to an Augusta audience. He ha
been heard in Staunton more than onc'
before, and his bold manner and oratorica
talents have won him not few admirers
whilst his recent legislative course has beer
specially commended by his many politica
friends in the region round about.
In commencing, he expressed regret at the
inability of Jno. s./Wise of Richmond tc
| attend the. meeting. Mr.. Wise would have
been present, but for previous engagement
The speaker the n went on to urge organiza'
ton, complimented the readjusters Of Au.
gusta county on their late gallant fight, and
assured them that in the next contest, W itt
disciplined forces, they would be sure tc
come out victorious. The re.adiusters, said
he, have now a majority in the General
Assembly, but between them and the con
summation OF their designs was Gov. Holli-
day. a man too heavily loaded with scruples
We know that he has moi, land will not again
hesitate to defeat the will of the people by
the veto, and il the Governor does defeat
any plan looking to the settlement of the
debt that may be proposed this session, why
at the next election the re-adjusters will
have strength enough to override any exer-
else OF the Executive prerogative, and carry
whatever measures they may desire,
f>4ou all remember what the readjusters
told you during the campaign, and you re-
member, too, the so lemn declaration of the
funders:> You were told that there would
be no increase OF taxes; that the demands
upon the treasury would be met and hand.
some surplus remain after all debts were
paid. The readjusters denied this. Now,
which was right? The speeches OF the Nc
Culloch bill men all through the canvass
stated as an -uncontroYertible fact that the
revenues would be ample to meet all re-
quirements. Instead Of chat, we find the
treasury, on the LIST Of January, with s27. 900,
to meet $685., 1000 of ACQUIRED indebtedness.
So far the readjusters stand indicated. In
referring to the debt, he said that there was
principle involved in the McCulloch bill
subversive Of republicanism in it's essence. It
placed it within the power OF two or three
men to borrow money at 6 per cent. to pay
a 8 per cent. debt. During the campaign
it was asserted that Allen amendment would
never have to be resorted to, but at the very
commencement OF the new year these GER
tifcates were prepared for circulation, and
by them the state would have been robbed
Of 20 per cent. the 81 certificates selling at
Is cents each. And mark you, the taxpayer
would not have gotten the advantage OF this
reduction, for the certificates would have
been held by brokers and the farmer would
have had to pay almost par value for them.
These certificates under the Allen amend
ment have already been issued, and have
one in my possession.
Col. Turk-sLet's. SEQ it. Maybe these
people don't believe that they have been
issued.''
Riddleberger.-''Well sir, havn't ir with
me, but it is now in the possession of Mr..
W. w. Newman, Richmond. 1t is a ST
certificate signed by the Treasurer, and
based upon the faith Of the State. don't
want to deceive any one, nor do 1 wish to
make misstatement, for upon my tomb
stone wish inscribed, ''Here lies old TRUTH
Continuing, the speaker said that we have
been taught to believe that the people Of a
state should control its revenues. This was
the cornerstone upon which the constitution
was reared and free government establish.
ed. Chief Justice Marshall had said that
laws were made by Congress, but that the
members OF that body came fresh from the
people every two years, and therefore the
people really make the laws by which they
were governed. If we permit the McCul-
loch bill to be enforced, not only do we
subject ourselves to loss Of % per cent.
but destroy the fundamental principle that
people have the right to lay their tax and
control their revenues, It was not the
weight OF taxation imposed by Great Britain
on America that aroused our forefathers to
arms. It was the assertion of right to
impose any burdens where there had been
no representation-to seek to find by law
those who had had no share, either personal
or delegated, in their enactment, that precip.
itated the war which ended in the establish.
ment of the government under which we
live.
The speaker also made objection to the
gold feature Of the bill, on the ground that
gold might hereafter be at premium.
In answering the assertion that Virginia
could stand small increase of taxation, Mr..
Riddleberger said that Virginia now pays
more taxes than any State in the Union,
except two. When we take into considera-
ton the mortgage tax that prevails in this
state, tax that has been abolished by every
other State of the Union, her burdens are