The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-09-27

the interest at the legal rate, applying tn
credits i'll their proper places, and thel
when this has been done, saying to TIN
creditor we will pay you the same rate o
interest paid by the General Government
BY this single act they cut down the an
nual tax 81 100000. Was it an honest set
tlement ? The Democrats endorsed ant
ratified it in their Lynchburg platform
and certainly they can enter no protest
against it now But the Readjuster part,
did more. 1t paid 100000 of the deb
contracted by the Funder administration
and due to the educational and other State
institutions. and the Government now has
over one and a half millions of dollars tC
its credit in the banks. 1t has reduced the
tax 20 per cent. +; doubled the schools, and
placed Virginia in condition to boldly
face the world. All of the measures which
have produced these results were bitterly
and persistently opposed by the Democracy
Referring to the late decision of Judge
Bond, the speaker said, that since that de.
cision the funding under the Riddleberge1
bill had absolutely ceased, and not more
than one-sixth of the bonds under that
bill had come in.
In speaking Of the negro cry, Col. Sims
declared that the party he represented pro-
posed to assure to the negro, indeed and in
fact, every right which the law gives him.
The appointment of the colored trustees
in Richmond had raised howl through
out the State, and the charge was being
boldly made that Virginia was to be negro
lied. No one thought of making such a
charge against the Kemper Board for do
ing exactly what the Cameron Board did.
And what do the Bourbons propose to do
now? Inaugurate an unconstitutional
measure by which school officers will be
duplicated in defiance of law. Not only
this, but carrying the proposition to it's log
ical conclusion, the officers who appoint
the trustees must also be mixed, thus hav-
ing colored Board of Education.
The speaker favored practical politics
politics that would bring the most good to
Virginia, and he proposed to vote in 1884,
for the candidate which in his opinion
would best accomplish that object.
In concluding, Col. Sims defined the
real issue of the canvass to be the fight of
the people against the railroads and their
foreign owners, celebrating the idea with
force and impressing it by a reference to
tho no noun oparotod
This is the merest skeleton of an address
which occupied an hour and half in it's
delivery, and which was replete with val
liable suggestions, accompanying power
full presentation of the Coalition cause.
Time and again the speaker was inter-
rupted by applause, long and strong. His
direct way of putting things, and the
clearness with which he brought out all
Of his points, made an impression which
will not soon be forgotten, and the effect
of which will be felt at the polls in No
vember. Col. Sims will always be assured
of the heartiest of welcomes when he visits
Augusta. The magnificent reception given
him on Monday will be repeated as often
as he can come among us.
ATTORNEY GENERAL BLAIR.
AT the close Of Col. Sims speech, which
was cheered and cheered to the echo, loud
calls were made for Attorney General
Blair. who was present as spectator. AS
he advanced to the front, the Court House
fairly shook with applause, and in his
happy half-hour speech there was scarcely
a moment in which he was not interrupted
by the most deafening cheers. Sims had
worked the crowd up to the boiling point
and Blair sent it off in spasm of yells.
He threw in the ticks hot and strong and
kept the house in continued uproar. He
cOntrasted the condition of the party in
Augusta with what it was a few years ago,
declaring that the people were beginning
to see that the mission of the Readjuster
party was the good of all classes and all
people alike. He alluded to the progress
made by the party, from it's infancy to ro-
bust gianthood, and the opposition it had
to encounter all the way up. The Funders
had declared that it had not intelligence
enough to fill the offices after it had gained
control of them, but it had demonstrated
to the contrary. Funderism had claimed
that the debt could not be settled, and yet
it had been so well settled that they en-
dorsed it. The Readjusters thought when
it had passed the State and Federal Su-
preme Courts, that the end had been
reached. But since the decision of Bond,
the funding had been absolutely stopped
and it would require the utmost exertions
of the friends of the measure to insure
it's success. Should the Democrats carry
the legislature the whole question would
be re-opened and there would be return
to the distressing condition of affairs ex-
perienced before this old party was thrust
from power.
The fight in Virginia was whether or
not the people of this State should govern
their own affairs OF be mastered by foreign
bondhOlders, lawyers, and brokers. AT
this point, Mr.. Chas. Grattan from the
audience, asked Capt. Blair how he would
vote in 1884, 81 will vote, said Capt.
Blair, ''for that man who in my judgment
will do the most for Virginia and the
South.''
The reply was greeted with storm
of applause that made the Court House
tremble, and was heard for squares out
side. So wild was the crowd that it re-
quired several moments before order
enough could be restored to enable the
speaker to continue. There were a number
of discourteous Interruptions, but the ques-
TONERS got more than they bargained for
every time, and managed to get themselves
covered with confusion,
In concluding Capt. Blair stated that
from the records at Richmond, he had re-
Gently CLEANED these items The State of
Virginia had on deposit in the various
banks on the 5th of September 81, 543,-
712.21, and had paid off old funder debts
to the State institutions to the amount of
SITS, 1921.
AS Capt. Blair closed, Capt. Jno. n.
Opie advanced to the stand in response to
calls from his friends. Chairman Craig
met him at the threshold and told him that
he could not speak-that the day belonged
to the Coalitionists ;, that the Democrats
had been offered division of time and de-
clined, and that there would be no more
H. n