Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-04-11
"Readjusters.

We would like for those of our State
contemporaries who indulge in the law
ish and inGiscriminate use of the ap-
pellatiOu which heads this article to exA
plain to US why it is that they so wrong
fully and continuously persist in call
ing the hungry horde now revealing in
their deeds of plumber and works of
Revolution and extravaganza, "Read-
justers." There certainly never was
set of men less worthy of the name, ac-
cording to the original significance
which attached to it. A Readjuster, as
our Valley people regarded the title,
was q man who was in favor of fair
and reasonable reduction of the States
obligations, so that the annually accru-
ing interest thereon could be met with
out an increase of taxation. He was q
man who would scorn Reputation in
any aspect. He was man who was
opposed to bosses and bossism. He was
a man who thought that the State debt
question was matter that the people
had right to settle, and ought to settle,
without lacking it on to any other issue
of a general or national nature. He
was not man who had severed his al
legiance to the party with which he had
affiliated throughout his life, and was
determined to build up despotism-a
one man party-a party which would
not hesitate to drag down institutions
which, by reason of their works of
charity and usefulness, had become to
be looked upon as almost as sacred as
the temples in which the great God
himself was worshipped. He was not
man who sought to lower his own
race by social as we'll as political ANAL
gamation. He was not the man to fol-
low the lead of an INSCRIPTIONS Boss,
even though his steps led into the ranks
of the enemy of his section, and the
oppressOrs of the many and protectors
and champions of the favored few. A
Readjuster, when the word was used in
| its primary and true significance. ap
piled to many of the best men of this
section of Virginia-men who were Re-
adjusters because they honestly thought
| the State debt should be reduced, and
never dreamed that there was anything
in the movement looking towards Rad
icalism, and final coalition with the
party of consolidation, Capitalization
and Imperialism. They never thought
that the time would come when the test
of Readjuster would be servile sub
mission to the mandates of Malone, or
any other man. They never thought
they would be called upon, as Readjust-
ers, to endorse the repeal of the capita
ton tax al prereq uisite for voting j;
the abolition of the whipping post for
petit larceny; the expenditure of money
| by the hundred thousand dollars, for
the erection of Normal Institutes for
colored people mot that they are OPP
posed to the education of the colored
people, but because they think it would
| oil tho
State can afford to put into education
into the puolic school fund, where the
masses of the colOred people will be
reached by it, and not Wasted in the
erection of large schools, the expense of
attending which, e dare say, can be
borne by out few coiored boys in the
State of Virginia), when every man of
any Intelligence knows that such insti-
tutions must mOulder and decay, and
90 to ruin for want of patronage, unless
the State pays the board and tuition of
sch GLARS TO fill them They never
thought the time would come when Re
adjuster and Radical would become sy
nonymous terms, and when the leaders
they then were following would seek to
"Liberalize" (?) the South by throwing
her votes into the intolerant and pro-
scriprive ranks of Radiealism. Many,
very many, original and genuine Read
justers in the Valley of Virginia, were
Democrats, and they are Democrats to-
day, and they are Readjusters to day.
and these Mahoneites have stolen their
name to serve Radicalism in.
We say, call them Revolutionists,
Coalitionists, Amalgamationists, Re
publicans. Radicals, or some other fit
ting term, and stop the use of this mis-
homer, Readjuster. They do not deserve
it-they should not be honored with it,
aud we are glad to say that we have
never been guilty of the error since Ma,
hone ana mis- satellites attempted to
break up the Democratic party by their
grand 7th of-July farce Rockingham
Reqister.