The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-06-02
Mr. Tncker'S Lecture

dience in the Opera Hall. TheiSpeaker was
introduced by Hon. J. Marshall Hanger in
one of the neatest and most appropriate
Its delivery was faultless and the matter as
fitting and well arranged as the declama-
ton was graceful.
Mr.. fuckers lecture is the result of care
full preparation as to facts and as pernicious
and hetrodox in the theories advanced as it
could well be. He glanced at the original
boundaries of Virginia; her gift to the nation
of an immense scope of territory; the early
enunciat on by the colonies Of the princi-
pies of State sovereignty the conflicting
systems of free and slave labor and their
moulding influence upon the habits OF
thought and action of the two sections The
character of the peoples thus separated,
as distinctly by mental processes as by geo
graphical lines; the material advancement
of the State and the great future which
awaited her. From the train of thought
Mr.. Tucker INDUCED. when recting the
various acts of the colonial authorities on
the subject of taxation, it is logically infer
rable that he holds to the notion that there
is no power competent to impose tax up
on the State without the consent of the peo-
ple of the State-that his theory of State
Rights would absolutely inhlbit the govern
ment from imposing and collecting any in
ternal revenue tax, without first procuring
the consent of the Legislature of the state.
This consent may be conceded to be given
in the election of members of Congress,
empowered to act for the State, but in the
way Mr. Tucker put it, the inference was
iustifiable that he regarded it as a great
wrong for any tax to be imposed except by
State authorities. He assumed that levying
| and paying taxes were analogous terms,
and that the levying power should only be
exercised by the paying power, In other
! words, that property had higher dignity
in the economy of government than labor,
and that labor which was not manifested in
surplus accumulations, should not be fac
tor in the arrangements of government.
rational deduction from Mr. fuckers premise
and argument would be a property arlstocra-
cy or autocracy, denying manhood rights and
concentrating exclusive power in the hands
of the few whose possessions answered the
demands of the taX-gatherer. These
thoughts, advanced by Mr.. Tucker, are very
| old, and as obsolete as they are old. Both
| his theory of State Rights, and the sources
| and functions of government have been eX-
ploded years since. 70 revive them now,
in the light of the events of the past twenty
| years, argues either perverse Indifference
to the logic of history or blind devotion
to exploded distractions.
This is not surprising when Mr.. Tucker
could see no occasion to change his theories
as announced twenty years ago when the
! two systems of free and slave labor were on
| trial. now that universal freedom prevails
and slavery is a thing of the past. States
manship would recognize the fact as it ex-
! lists, and that the same governmental policy
! that was conducive to the progress and
prosperity of the free labor section,is equal
| lv applicable to the former slave labor sec
| ton. and essential to its growth and wealth.
Practical craftsmanship made the free labor
section rich and powerful; speculative, the
orizing craftsmanship dwarfed the resources,
paralyzed the energies and perverted the
| iptellections of the slave labor section. The
recognition Of such facts ought at least to
| suggest change of political methods and
governmental policies, however humiliating
| it might be to acknowledge that the .refin
| ing theol les of the slave labor section were
nothing but dangerous fallacies.
| Mr. fuckers reference to the future of Vir-
ginia was a singular confession of the made
uuacy of the theory of free trade to meet the
wants of his State His claim for the future
progress and welfare of Virginia was more
specifically fortified by reference to mineral re-
sources, and the furnaces and factories which
are to convert them into active values. He
pointed to Low Moor, in his own District.
where $5OO,000 of Northern capital has planted
| furnace upon farm whose value was $4,000;
and to the James River country, now opened
| for enterprise through the Richmond and Al
| leghany Railroad-representing Northern cap
| ital-whose furnace stacks and forge fires,
idleness into the busy activities of iron indus
tries Had Mr.. fuckers tariff notions pre-
vailed heretofore, not furnace would be IN
blast, and not a foot of rail laid, along the en-
tire stretch of country to which he referred,
and were his ideas now to prevail, all schemes
for the development and enrichment OF the
State would collapse in less time than was
consumed in delivering his Illogical and as we
think, harmful Lecture.
We confess that we were disappointed in the
Lecture. Mr.. Tucker is a gentleman ofculture
and ability, but on this occasion there was no
new fact or thought adduced. His collation. of
historical facts was interesting in that they re-
freshed the memory, but the use he made OF
them was not calculated to inspire reverence
for his craftsmanship or respectsfor his teach
ings. His utterance might have suited the days
before they were tested and had failed, but in
the light of the events which are now history,
they are nothing more than the outgiVings Of
that Bourbonism that "learn nothing and for
gets nothing"
The sentiments enunciated is sufficient ex-
PLANTATION why scarcely reference was made
to the Lecture by the Richmond press on the
occasion of its delivery there. And really
we think it would be better for Mr.. fuckers
fame and certainly for his State, if he would
store it away with the musty folios from which
he gathered his inspirations, never again to be
dignifed by his splendid defamation or thrust
before the people to remind them Of the fatal
follies of the past.
After the Lecture was concluded, Mr.. Tuck
er was serenaded at the residence of his son,
Mr. II. St. G. Tucker, by the Stonewall Bri-
gade Band, to which responses were made by
him, and also Col Skinner, on the part OF the
band, and DR.. Fauntleroy.
SURGICAL OPERATIoN-About twelve
months ago Bessie, little daughter of Mr.. D.
B. Lavell, living short distance from Staun-
ton, ran thorn in her heel, the prong pene
trating at least one inch. She pulled it out
herself Subsequently she suffered great pain,
the wound duplicating the entire limb, causing
it to swell very much. DIR. Shelton gave the