Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-01-11
The most clcerless New Year

The most clcerless New Year
presented to. any State in the Union
is that upon which Virginia has JUST
entered 1t has been during its
entire history, the dwelliug-placc OF
honorable, high minded men who
guarded with care its credit and
good name. No accusation has ever
been fruthtully made Of even a dis
position TO escape the payment of
just debts. No faint of reputation
h.s fingered about it. Its debt is
one contracted in the days before
the war. The State received re-
turn value in railways, schools and
other improvements of such nature
that It's character as an intelligent
progressive commonwealth was ia s
cd. 1t went through the war and
suffered patiently the losses which
followed. 1t began TO rebuild its
shattered fortunes. No suggestion
that it should repudiate its debt
was heard of. 1t regained self-gov-
eminent while yet The other States
OF the South were plunged in the
second and more serious STRUGGLE
with robbers and political bandits.
1t reconstructed lis society upon
the new basis. 1t Vas poor but not
so poor that it ever even thought Of
refusing to pay It's Obligations.
Northern men were WELDON. ed to the
Stale aid its highest honors confer
red upon them, These men were
careful that no dishonor should
come upon the State, and urged
that provision Tor the payment of
it's debt should be made, and the
people responded by passing just
and satisfactory Laws Tor its llqulda..
ton. Then came the election OF
Cove nor Kemper, son OF the
State, AMI the Same honorable
course wss pu sued Bur meu OF
AMBITION h d grown upn it's poll.
tics. who bure no attachments 10 it's
tradtlors and It's honor Inv gaih-
cred d. Uul them thoss that were
hungr,. ~nd ,ho 'o t'at We're ~ dls-
tress al d those tut We're dlscon-
tented, "nd lhcIr hrst p,opo,lli ~
was dire ed ro"a'do the lrpudla-
ton # 4 part %! the crL; ot The
Stale. lie properly holfer and
lax paJlLg chiz,ns Resisted these
dangerous and hereiicaI doctrines
and Governor Kemper, in state pa
pers which have never been surpass
ed III yigor, gave early warning OF
The dlnger. Governor Holiday
pursuel the same policy, sjcnounc-
IN N lie severest ter,ns III his IN
ansursi address all attempts to re
pudiue lie just dcoi Ut the State.
Every mc-sogc cent 10 the LegislA
Tue hai the r'ng OF tue honesty III
il, aud when, by unlnn with the
minoiii, part, III the l. gislature.
measures dIsAohvring the Common
e1iIh ~eie passed lnto laws. the
veto power # the Governor was in
,,lyJred - save II from disgrace
iDi3 IL b let was the honorable his
Tory wmch Virginia presented 10
tue world. liz sons had been ie4l..
Gus OF IFS honor, aud right nanful!y
had they struggled to save it from
pollution But the Adullam,es had
secuted assistance from the outside.
\ Federal Adminisira ion consented
10 as.iai In the dehIcment aud dis
hoH,r OF . SAFE, and with the ad
vent OF the new year the last iiicia
bar TO ontngAi, downright lepu liza
non, except tho Supreme Cunt
has teen Iemovel. Off :es and the
mOney gathered by political brigau,
dage, united with ignorance AID
lack OF pride in the homer Of the
slate. have secured a temporary
triumph, and Virginia eDlers an
era in which nothing but weary
round OF broken pledges and unre-
deemed promise. can be predicted
1t has passed into The hands not
only Of is enemies, but Of the toes
OF social order and the sanctity vt
public Obligations. 1t is now IN
The possession OF men who care
netning tor tic lessons which a
generation OF sturdy honesty has
taught, and who scout at The pres
ence OF morals in politics. The peo-
pie OF Virginia wac have made and
preserved It's homo bic position; have
neither pat nor lot IN lis legIs.a-