Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-01-30

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Organization Of the Augusta Readjusters.
SPEECH OF SENATOR RIDDLEBERGER-
THE ULTIMArUM TO THE CREDITORS,
$4,000, 600 AT THREE PER CENT-THE
ORGANIZATION OF THE READJUsTERs.
&C.. &C., &C.
On Monday last the Readjusters OF Au-
susra met at the court house to organize.
A little after noon Judge Quarles took
recess until 2 O'Clock, and the political
meeting was called to order by Mr.. 5.
Brown Allen, Chairman of the Readjuster
County Committee. He said the Readjus-
tsrs had heretofore been defeated for Two
reasons: one beng their total lack OF OF
ganization and the other the unusual aDll-
ity of the gentlemen opposing them COM
bined with the strong local influence they
were able to command. They were assem-
bled now to remedy the first cause by
perfect organization. and the second Dy
winning those gentlemen to them ny the
wisdom of their measures. On motion OF
Mr.. D. N. Van Lear, Capt. E. A. Fulcher
was elected Secretary, and on motion OF
Col. Rudolph Turk. committee on per-
manent organization was directed to DO
appointed by the chairman. Messrs. r.
Turk, E. F. Vincent, II. j. Williams, j..
E. Hamilton, II. P. Dickerson, w. B.
Crawford, of the county, and W. II. Fey
ton and $. J. Bondurant of StauntOn were
appointed.
By this time the court room was filled the
colored gallery being we'll packed with ne
groes who handsomely contributed to the
applause given Mr.. Riddleberger during
his address. In introducing Capt. Riddle
berger TO the audience Mr.. A. said ii there
is single man in this broad common
wealth entitled to your confidence 1t is IL.
H. Riddleberger. ssss.
Mr.. R. in his opening remarks paid
the Readjusters Of this county the compli-
ment of saying that though they had
been defeated they had made rs courage
GUS and creditable fight as those OF any
county in the State" and the purpose OF
their organization now was that in tho
next conflict they might be victorious.
he then proceeded to the general question
of the State debt, in which matter he re-
marked that the Readjusters had sown but
had not yet reaped. Taking as his text
the fact that in the treasury at Richmond
now there was only $2S,OO0 while there
was e968, 600 due. he held that this was
the first practical result of the promised
working of the McCulloch bill. He then
proceeded with objections in detail to the
McCulloch bill which we do not reproduce,
they being considerably out of date now
and having been FIRE quently reported dur.
ing the late canvass, and further from the
| fact that as it is not proposed now to SET
tie the debt under that bill, it is a waste
of time to repeat exceptions to it.
Senator Riddleberger then approached
the important question now aGitating the
minds of the people. He said the ques-
ton was now asked the Readjusters, since
they had gotten in power. as was often
asked before their victory, What are you
going to do about itp How are you going
| to get away from the debt? I'll tell you
We are going to get away from it by for
cible readiustment, and any Readjustel
here that don't like that way Of getting
away from it had better leave (applause).
Two-thirds of the principal Of this debt as
| it stood in 1861, is what we honestly owe
| and not one dollar of interest during the
periods Of the war and reconstruction. W.
don't owe the Northern bondholders ONT
| dollar Of war interest, for 1t is q principle
| of international law that payment cannot
be made to an enemy with whom we are
at war. Nor to the English bOpdholder
| He was offered the interest during thu
| war in either cotton or t0bacco--tht
| equivalent of gold-but hisconsul at Rich
mond was advised by his minister in Wash
ington not to take it, as it was a violation
of Great Britain's neutrality. Nor to thu
home bondholder. An act was passed il
1852 by the legislature for the issuing o
Sc, OOO, 900 of State Treasury notes to pa.
these home bondholders their interest, bu
they declined to take the money. In tn
last case it might be plead that these note
were not legal tender, but the speaker il
this instance would appeal from law t.
equity. Having disposed Of these classe
Of claimants. Senator Riddleberger salt
the debt stood at 1000, 900 in 81; from
this take $lO.OOO,OOO West Virginia
third) and it left principal of go, 900 600
and on that the State would pay pc
cent. interest.
Then Readjusters would be asked hov
are you to get rid Of the decisions of tn
Court of Appeals relative to the binding
character of former settlements In re
ply he said no court should decide politica
questions. Courts had never failed to de
) eide such in favor of the party which Gre
ated the courts, and he went on to quot
the decisions of the Electoral Commission
J the u. s. Supreme Court in the matter O
the U. 8, Bank and other cases to th
point.
Mr.. H. st. Geo. Tucker-Tell us wha
Marshall said on that point!
Mr.. Riddleberger-Mr. Marshall mad
. decision that has entered too much Int
the education of all the young lawyers
loud laughter and cheers for Riddlebel
ger.)
Mr.. Tucker-Tell us what he said
Mr.. Riddleberger-Mr. Marshall, whe
he decided the Dartmouth College cast
came very near adding an amendment t
: tho IL s l,onstitnti0n. and when we loo