Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-08-02
The Big Four once More.
AN ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF vi
GINA.

plished.
But we soon learned from the acts O.
the caucus and the leaders Of the party
that an honest settlement OF the State
debt upon the terms and according TO ouI
repeated promises to the people was
hot the real object ofthe self-constitut-
ed leaders OF the party. But that the
result of the November election was to
be used to establish a dishonorable
spoils system unknown in the political
history of this State; that every right
of the people was to be prostituted to
the success Of a dangerous centralized
power in the hands of one man and his
chosen friends; that to accomplish this
purpose the courts were 10 be deprive
of their coordinate authority aud made
subservient to central executive and
partisan Legislature; the common
schools were to be converted into po-
hiical agencies; the right OF the people
TO elect their own officers was 10
measure to be taken from them, and
other heretofore unknown and danger
Gus measures were to be lnaugurated.
To accomplish these purposes de-
grading and tyrannical caucus system
was enforced by rules degrading to
those who were forced by the party lash
to adopt it-insulling to their manhood
and a betrayal Of the public trust con-
fded to them by the people. The ulti-
mate object of all this was TO get con-
troll of the whole political power OF the
Stale and hand it over to the daring
leader of the party to be utilized by him
TO advance his ambitious personal
schemes; and 1t was all to be done
quickly and before the people could be
warned ofthe danger. They, through
their faithless represer tatives, were to
ho converted INTO new political party,
with new principles and doctrines, all
for The special benefit Of the leader and
his friends. We, fore-seeing the ten
dency of these measures, alarmed at
the impending dangcr-reiuslng all
offers of place or profits as the price Of
. botraval Of the trust confded in US
conscious Of the rectltude of our mo-
,iyes-determiued to use every effort
10 thwart these measures. What we
did IS a part OF the political history oil
the last Legislature. Onr deliberate
purpose was, and is still, to protect, as
far as we can, the liberties Of the peo-
pie against the dangerous aggression
of a growing and irresponsible one
man power known in this State as
.Nlohoneism." For this we are de-
nounced by what once aoaS the Readjus-
fer Legislature as TRAITORS" we ap-
peal to all good people Of all parties
whether our efforts are entitled to a
respectful consideration. II so. we
earnestly ask the whole people 10 Tor
oct for the present all past political
difgerences-to bury all party hostility
to subordinate all existing principles
and 2reindices to the living issue OF the
dav and unite in one supreme effort TO
throttle in It's infancy this inciplent
despotism. There is no time to lose
This intended outrage against every
thing dear to these people must mol
succeed. Should il do so this 1ali'
through our folly and indifference 'nis
man will so entrench himself in power
within this State by the assistance o.
Fe ieral Government that no future
effort can avail 10 evlct him, and no
honorable man now living will cease 10
reqret if he fails to use every effort TO
prevent such a catastrophe.
One of the FIRST, aud certainly the
most daring measure because it was
done against the known will OF the
united Readjuster party Of tie whole
State,) was the election OF john h.
Massey from the Auditors office. Mr.
Massey had filed this office with credit
I Il
both TO himself aud the State. lie had
created tie party ID measure, and had
mainly formulated its principles. and
had It not been for his great efforts The
part7 would never have made sue
cessiul campaign.
This was undoubtedly true as to The
last fall election. But he must be
sacrificed. The State is deprived OF a
valuable offic er, aud against the express
will of a majority OF the people OF lbe
State, simply because it was feared be
might become a dangerous rival 10 The
present selfconst;tuted leader oil party
lie is manipulating Tor his own purpose
because Mr.. Massey refused to subscribe
10 his new revolutionary measures and
declined to degrade himself 10 the posi-
ton Of subordinate instrument TO be
used at the will of this lead,r. This
was his only offence. His previous
political and official action had Won The
affection Of his party as few men did,
To crush out this affection for him the
desperate and reckless strategy Of
charsing hin with a crime had to be re-
sorted TO. This crime to-day, 10 tie
shame Of his Prosecutors, remains Ut
proven. Is 1t possible that here in Viz
giuia such power can be exercised
Have we come to this? Can free peo'
pie tolerate such deeds as these aud re-
tain the perpetrators in power? Do
they think they can long be Tree and
still entrust their liberties 10 the keep