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


HOLIDAYS VETO OF THE READ
JUsTNiENT BILL.
TExtracts made by reporters, emitting much OF
the argumeRtl
Mr.. President: l reckon 1t hardly ne
cessary for nae to say on behalf OF the |
friends and patrons OF the Re-adlust
ment Bill that they are not surprised
that the Governor has vetoed this meas
ure, nor even greatly dlspleased that he
has done so-although, of course, they
would prefer that the questions it pre-
sents should be decided rather by the
people and the courts than by the a:bi'
trary will of any one man.
Again is the will Of the people ana
Of the General Assembly
THWARTED
by an Executive veto; again is the Hnal
settlement Of our public debt prevented
bv nj, arrogant ana faithless functiona-
ry. who. ifhe stood on any platform at
all when he sought nomination and elec-
lion 10 the high place he holds, stood on
the declaration, oit-rcpeated by himself
and reiterated with emphasis by his
friends. that he would
INTERPosE NO OBSTACLE
TO any adjustment OF our Indebtedness by
the people through their chosen repre-
sentatiyes in the Legislature. In 1911
some were for the payment OF the whole
debt as recognized by the Funding Bill
of 1871. and its predecessors some were
opposed TO the acceptance OF the terms
of the hill of 1871. holding not only that
II imposed burdens too heavy TO be
horne but that It funded large amount
which we were under no Obligation to
pav; while Governor Holiday, assum-
nc a neutral pOsition-splittng the d.
ference. as it were-prOclaimed his con-
viction that it was purely matter Tor
legislative action, with which the Exec
utIye had nothing TO do, and that he
should not interfere at all in any dlspo-
silion that should be made Of IL. SO he
was understood by those who nomina>
ted him for GoYernor-by those WHO
elected bim-and so he and his trends
meant that he should be understood, no
matter what mental reservations he may /
now claim to have made. Even his own
organ in his native town declared as
by special inspiration and authority
that he would
NEVER VETO
the will of the people on a suoJec' 50
exclusively their own.
And vet this is the second TINE since
his inauguration that he has done thls
,b;no the second time that lie has
thrust his veto between the popular VIII
and its execution as to the State deDt;
and the second time that he has con-
temped the pledges by and through
which he attained the power he so ma
crantly abuses. 1t may we'll be SAID OF
hlm that he reached the Gubernatorlai
chair and row occupies it under sysle-
matized
FALSE PRETENCES
And what does he urge as Juslincatlou
for his course? What are the opJecuohss
which he alleges against this measure oil
Re-adiustment? The message accom-
nanvin0 his veto cites the origin and
history of the debt,-yet IN nothing Is
he accurate but in his statement OF 'he
origin of our obligations. The DEBT ne
defends as sacred is not the orlglnal
dest. nor that fair proportion OF IL 10,
which tits agreed on all hands We shouid
alone be bound, He INDUCES in repell-
tion of the old thread-bare errors OF his
predecessors he repeats the mistakes
and Misrepresentation that were scar
tered in vain all over the State by Fun
der orators and Funder organs IN the
late canvass; and these, all oi %hicn
the people have heard, considered anu
rejected. time and again, and most no.
fably in the last election, he now re-casts
and re.,ssues to bolster his own gross
brea a,b of faith and to overwelgh anG
battle the will Of the sovereign people
of Virginia.
Like The other
MORAL EDWARDS
of his faction. he seeks to screen his
abandonment of Virginia TO the mercy
Of sbarpers by appealing to the alleged
oction Of the LEGISLATORS Of the old regime
Gso.called) in 1866. and the shades
Of such men as John B, Baldwin IS in-
voked TO hallow the frauds al 1871 and
1879. But the action OF the Legislature
of 1856 is either mlsuuderstood or
misrenresented in this matter. That
hodv d,d not recognize one cent OF war
interest due Northern creditors, and
What if undertook to do was to fund the
nrincinol of one class of Indebtedness
ord the principal and interest OF anoth-
oncless Tbis was done, however, un-
dor the belief that there would DC
sneedy reunion of the severed paris Oh
oiJ VIRGINIA. A special commission
was wa annointed, consisting oil our best
o't;zons "@9 TO seek this reunion; but they
ronorted that it was hopeless and then
il was that
John B. BALDWIN,
and others of the old resime-men who
had contracted the debt, indeed-saw
The % mistake they had made in their too
liberal scheme of funding, and they did
oil thew could to repair the mischief by
M Ioy;no q tax of only IA cents on every
ono hundred dollars valuation OF prop
or,v % and a capltation tax of only 80
cents per head! Did that look like as,
snminS the whole debt, with capitalized
wor interest. and undertaking to pay it?
Wonld IA cents on the hundred dollars
and a poll tax OF SO cents pay the inter
estP No! An0 the tax-bill which these
mon of the old regime passed on learn
inc the declination of West Virginia to
rseume her relations as portion OF
virginia was an act of plain, unmistak.
able determined reputation OF what
thew had too hastily undertaken to do
when they hoped for the return OF West
Virginia. AT the next session OF this
Legislature. composed of men OF
1.-THE OLD REGIME"
a resolution was passed providing for
the payment of only 4 per cent, on the
principal of the debt, and impliedly res
pudiating the accrued interest. Such is
q correct history Of the legislation on
the debt in 1865 -'6-'7, as found in the
journals and Acts Of the General AS
sembly.
While the Governor so misrepresents |
that early legislation on the debt, he
no less misrepresents the people in de-
claring that they have no where and at
no time directed The elimination Of war
and reconstruction interest. Close as
.oo;ot;or Co. sonna fine with John Ii. |