The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-10-11
The People Must Decide.

unless the people are driven to this ex-
IRENE resort by sense of duty to human
rights and governmental reform. In the
history of no State, since the formation OF
the Union, have the causes for revolt
against the power that administered gov
eminent been SO aggravated and the incen-
lives to protest more intensified than they
were in Virginia, against the Bourbon
party. From the inception of the restored
government in 1869, there had been one
continuous series of wrong-doing and dis
regard of the conditions of the people,
their rights and their future welfare, I'm :
til the offenses had become so glaring and
CALLING that it.would have been the most
abject slavery to have tolerated them long
er. Even the Legislature of 1856, with
desolation spread all around, and the ex-
tremest poverty the inheritance from the
war, there was no consideration for the
condition of the people. and no manly
courage to face the situation and plead its
demands for the relief, whichpublic policy
and wise diplomacy suggested. The SYM
pathies of the whole world went out for
the PROSTATE State, for the courage OF her
people had been so fully tested in the or
deal of battle, and the waste of values so
complete and exhaustive. that the people
of the North and across the waters, were
ready. to meet us half way, in the ADJUST
ment of the States obligations, had amin
vitation to do so been extended. 1t would
have been patriotism and craftsmanship
had the first Legislature, after the close OF
hostilities, frankly presented the condition
of the Commonwealth and asked for an
equitable consideration from the creditors
of all the facts in the case. Without hui
initiation or exciting distrust as to the
honest purpose of the people, a basis OF
compromise could have been determined
on that would have been satisfactory to all
parties and placed it in the power of the
State to meet the demands upon her, con-
sistent with the vigorous vitality of the
government.
Instead of this, however, the Legislature
of 1866, under the inspiration OF false
and foolish pride, and utterly ignoring the
impoverished condition of the constituent
body, deliberately assumed the entire debt
of the old State-over $45, 100000, princi-
pal and interest, and stipulated to pay sia
per cent. on it, and then levied tax'of l.
cents on the $1O0 of property to meet this
resolve and the current expenses OF gov
ernment-not enough really to keep the
machinery of government in motion. Thai
Legislature never gave thought as to the
condition of the people. 1t did not legls
late for their welfare, but made a pretense
of acknowledging the debt, when the very
act which conveyed this purpose, operated
to augment it and still further weigh down
the people with public burdens.
When the Legislature of 1901 con
vened, the necessity for division of the
original debt so as to assign to the State
which had been arbitrarily carved out Of
the territory of Virginia, that which il
equity belonged to her, presented ITSELF
But tock-jobbers and brokers had gotteI
possession of the States securities, and by
| the use of the advantage they had thu
gained, determined to control the legisla
ton affecting the debt in their own inter
est. To this end the Legislature was ma
nipulated, andthe result. the funding bill
of 1871, with it's train 0fwoes. The frau(
that entered into the estimates Of the tax
able resources of the State as tothat settle
| matchmaking them twice as much a
they really were-the manner of enactin.
into law the measure, clearly showed tina
the people were not thought Of, nor thei
| just rights considered. Nor did the conse
quences of this legislation enter into tn
was no examination of the estimates fur
nished the Legislature by the alien Gov
ernor. They were assumed to be correct
by Legislature composed. in create
part, of representative Virginians. TIL,
people were left out of sight and only tn
demands of the stock jobbers and broker
recognized as the proper interests to b.
consulted. We all know the results whicl
followed-the defaulted interest, the in
creased debt, the paralyzed public schools
the impoverished charitable and educa
tional institutions, the onerous and OPP
pressiye taxes, the stagnated trade, the
disheartened people. the bankrupt treas
ury, the ruined credit, and the gloomy and
forbidding future that confronted.
Not satisfied with these grievous Attic
tions, well ordered scheme was devised
to rob the people of their rights and the
only weapon of defence they had, in civil
affairs, by placing price on the ballot
and restricting its exercise to those
whose condition enabled them to meet
it. This was done to the more sure.
ly fortify in power the party that had per
petrated the wrongs We have enumerated
and secure its administ ration from an ex
posure of it's wastes. it's plunderings, its
imbecility and infdelity.
These are some of the prominent causes
which kindled the fires of revolution ano
aroused the people to throw off the oppres
sions that so heavily pressed them down
Brave men raised the standard of revolt
They proclaimed for the rights and iber-
ties of hepeople-their emancipation from
a despotism more exacting and tyrannical
than had ever afflicted free constituency
and appealing to the masses, irrespective
of former political affiliation, demanded
an arDitrament at the ballot-box. The APP
peal was not in vain. Passing through
the severest political contests ever waged
in any Commonwealth, they came out vic
tors. Reforms followed in quick success
sion. The debt was adjusted upon an
equitable basis; the burden of taxation
was diminished the schools rescued from
ruin the jails were emptied of the in
sane and they placed under the care of
skillful science the asylums enlarged !;
their annuities promptly provided for the
educational institutions relieved of debt
and nourished by liberal appropriations
the ballot made free the people inspired
with hope and confidence business revived
and all the interests of the people and the
Commonwealth advanced.
These parties and their conflicting poll
cles, SO seriously and vitality affecting the
welfare of the State and future genera
lions, are again before the people for
their judgment. The Bourbons who in
fiicted the wrongs, are asking for rever-