The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-03-04
conservative. Democratic Meeting IN
Fauquter County.


In pursuance Of a notice, the COnserva'
tive. Democratic voters OF Fauquer county
held meeting 10 the courthouse on Mon
day. February %, 1881. Major John Scott
being elected chairman, and Mr.. III. Worth"
iuoton HIieary requested TO act as secre'
,ary. the Hon. james V. Brooke was called
on TO state the object OF the moeiing. After
brief but impressive speech, Mr.. Brooke,
hv request, read the following preamble and
resolutions, which he had prepared TO be
submitted 10 committee had one been ap.
nointed. but action on them was postponed
until March court:
"Tbe Conservatives OF the county OF
Fauotjer having convened in pursuance OF
nnblic notice and irrespective OF past differ
| ences on whatever subject" and being de-
sirous by harmony Of action to secure Inc
Great ends Of a final adjustment Of the STATE
debt, and rs a consequence The restoration
OF the integrity OF the Conservative party
OF the State. do announce to their brethren
throughout the Commonwealth the follow
| inc preamble and resolutions as emb0dyinS
| their sentiments upon the matters lnVONed:
In their judgment the unsettled condition
nj the State debt is an unmitigaied evil. IL
affects alike ipjuriousy The pros perty OF
The Commonwealth at home and lis credlt
and GOOD name abroad. II is a canker upon
the BODY polite. 1t o; crates paralysis OF
industry. Il checks the vital flow OF capl-
tal. II locks up the wealth that foreign en-
terurise would find in the deyelOrm' mt Of
the splendid material resources OF our State.
| II has done more than this. Ii has threat
cned to sever into discOrdant and irIecon-
cilable factions the great Conservative party
of VIRGINIA. the only reliable guardian OF
the rights and liberties Of it. people. AND
il allowed TO project MS. baneful influences
into the future, this threatened separation
may become perpetuacd. and R1dlcallSw
erect its throne upon the fragments oi
once powerful and harmonious party. This
must not, cannot be!
elimination and recriminltlon are never
conducive 10 the restoration OF brotherhood
and peace. Ii is therefore wise to avoid
them. II would not tend u The renewal OF
fraterna concord TO lcview the past history
of the great trouble or TO seek to show
where The blame for this or that error may
| lie. Far better is It, in the spllt 81 a Domcly
maxim, 10" let by-gone; be by-gone-,' and,
| forgetting the past. TO put forth an t0ncst,
earnest, and united effort TO redeem tue III
turc from the evil which seems to impcnd.
| Dispassionaicly considered, the differences
which for the last three or four years haye
| tNl>llu Wlluill lut idbh' VI wv DD''N' y"
tive party have not been at all fundamental.
The party platform UNANIMOUSLY adopted
nv the Gubelnat0rial Convention OF 1877
recognized the supreme necessity OF an adj
iustment OF the State debt. II uses the fol-
| lowing emphatic language:
| eve therefore earnestly urge upon the
| legislative and executive branches OF the
| Government the importance OF using ali just
and honorable means OF bringing about an
adjustment OF the obligations OF the Com
monweallh which Will bring the payment
of interest upon our entire indebtedness
within the resources OF the Stale derived
from the present rate OF taxation, ana do
equal Justice 10 all classes Of our creditors"
| This was the utterance OF the Consciva-
| tive party in its entirety, and while some
few may have felt themselves at liberty TO
anply 10 il such construction as might De>t
harmopiZe with their own peculiar views,
the great mass OF the party have been united
in the purpose to readiuSt the debt, II pos
>iblc, in accordance win the prlncl'
ples thus announced. The difference
between them has been mainly as 10
the question OF the debt ana Inc rate
Of interest which could be safely promised,
in Justice to the proper demands OF
the state government and OF the public
SCHOOLS. Ut Ddl Dpul Dlii' hHN 'N""'N ''''
Of 1873, the BOcOck-FOWrer bill, and the
McCuIloch bill were all ayOwedly framed
lunon the theory promulgated in the plat
form of 1877. Whether one or the other
was wisely framed it Is not Necessary now
TO inquire, since all have failcd--lhe first
two never becoming laws, the third having
been rejected by the creditors. and the last
by the peODle in the fall election OF 1879.
The question OF readjusiment Is there
fore still an ODen one. The vote in the last
presidential election was no test OF popular
sentiment upon the subject, and II Is fair 10
nrcsume that serious divergence OF opln'
ion illeXists between the parties that stood
ARRIVED against each other in 1879 why
shall II LONGER continue? Why may not bar
mony be restored and the Conservative
party stand once more compact ana unlted
Upon certain points there seems to be Il
general concurrence OF sentiment III the
Conservative party Of the state. Tue hr't
is that the State debt must, If possible, be
readjnsted. The existing inequality
among the credilOrs-the rapidly increaS'
inc indebtedness in the shape OF interest
unon the pceler bonds, and, above all, The
loss OF credit and capital to the Stale-con.
s,itute irresistible argument IN FAVOR OF
sucb measure. The second point OF
agreement is that the adjustment, when
made. shall be made by the Conservative
marty, constituting rs 1t does the great mass
OF the X.paylng people OF Tue STATE. Ana
the third is, that any adjustment 30 maze
shall secure beyond peradyenlure lbe proper
support Of the State government, the nam
tenance Of its public schools, and equality
: an ongst its creditors, upon estimates found
pd un0n the present revenues OF the State
A | inc of "a Nation. l. non
such platform il would seem that all may
stand.
This point being reached, it only remains
TO INQUIRE as to the mode of giving practi
cal effect 10 their principles. Ii may D'
said that the Conservative State Convention
{ called for the 4th Of August may be properly
} charged with this duty; and the Cenird
Committee, in its address, seems to anllcl
nate the execution OF this trust by tha'
body. Too much cannot be said in com
mendation OF the eminently liberal ant
cOnciliatory temper OF that address
or OF the spirit OF lofty patriotism
that brealhes in its utterances. Never
I ibeless. sound discretion would seen
' TO dictate Il departure in this respect from II
A suggestions. The fact must not be los
? sight OF that it comes from COMMITTED
which has stood IN seeming antag0nism 10
corresponding committee OF the TO called
, Readjus,er party. 1t is not, therefore
likely that ITS present appeal for harmoniou
cooperation will be more eilectual than II
: appeal OF last year. And so, IN view OF tn
: magnitude OF the interests involved,
g would appear advisable that any movemen
looking to a settlement Of the debt ques
ton shall originate with the Conservative
i people, and that all good Conservatives
c whether Funders $50 called) or Resdi user
: $50 cilled). meeting together as In the |" day