The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-03-13

tion of the character of the people of thi
Comm onwealth, we should seek the short
est way to get from under their influenc,
and advise all others to do likewise. Thi
we donot believe. We have faith in tn,
people and their conservative and law
abiding instincts and education, and whe1
| the opportunity is presented to pass upor
the transpirancies of the past year, the yer
/ dict will give assurance that Virginia i.
still the exemplar of law and order, ani
| the conservator of her own illustrious ira
ditions.
A Fearful Record.
If the people of Virginia, those who
have and feel an interest in the financial
integrity and material advancement of the
State-who are jealous of her credit and
ambitious to see the Commonwealth re-
lleved of the embarrassments which have
environed and pressed her down for the
past twenty years, would calmly and prac-
tically investigate the situation, they
would visit a rebuke to Bourbon Democ-
racy that would never be forgotten. The
Coalition came into power in 1881. They
found the treasury bankrupt-the obliga-
tions of the State hawked about among
the brokers, for few hundred thousand
| dollars, to pay current expenses, without
| purchaser the public debt increasing
each year, in defaulted interest, nearly
81 ,0O0,0 900; the public schools languishing
because the revenues dedicated to them by
the Constitution had been diverted by
unwise and corrupt legislation to other
purposes taxes were onerous, and every
interest of the Commonwealth attesting
the ruinous and reckless policy Of the par
| ty that had just been elected from power,
This deplorable condition was familiar to
every intelligent mind. Dependency was
widespread emigration was increasing ;
immigration had ceased, and the future
seemed to be almost without hope.
Two years of Coalition administration
changed all this. The debt complication
was untangled; a basis of settlement was
effected, which is now accepted as just
and equitable even by the party that OPP
posed it the treasury was replenished !;
public credit restored; the moneys d.
verified from the public schools restored to
them the number of schools and pupils
more than doubled the system put in
healthy and successful operation; taxes
reduced a surplus of nearly $2,OOO,Oo0 in
the treasury to be applied tt. the payment
Of interest on the public debt as fast as
funding under the bill re-adjusting the
debt was accepted by the creditors; capt.
tai flowed into the State dead wealth was
converted into active values the people
cheerful and hopeful, and a future as prom
Using as that of any State in the Union.
This was the condition in 1888, when the
Bourbons again came into possession of
the Legislative Department of the gov
eminent. No sooner was this power Sc
cured and the General Assembly convened
than systematic purpose was manifested
to rob the Executive Department of its
constitutional functions and absorb them
into the Legislative legally elected repre-
sentatives were deprived Of their seats to
make way for partizan pretenders who
were in sympathy with the revolutionary
programme which had been publicly
mapped out the laws and constitution
were disregarded and in a delerium of
partizan madness, every device that des-
perate ingenuity could suggest was availed
of to undo all the good that had been done,
The funds in the Treasury. dedicated to
the payment of interest on the public
debt, which had been accumulated under
the wise administration of the Coalition,
were invaded to meet the demands of par
titan Investigations of public officers, to
find a pretext to make places for Bourbon
henchmen, and in the wild and reckless
hunt for office, personal character and
public interests were alike disregarded
and no..assault considered too violent, IL it
could contribute to the malign and mer-
germany end had in view.
The regular session of three months of
the Legislature has expired, and what has
been done ? Not a measure that looks to
the general welfare was definitely consid-
cred during the three months. AS Mai.
Koiner stated not a bill for the appropria-
ton of public moneys had been rejected,
although it should have been known to
every member that the surplus in the
Treasury was dedicated to the public cred
itors, as they might fund under the Rid
dleberger bill. What the amount that has |
been diverted from this object to meet the |
expenses of unnecessary, malignant, par
tizan investigations is, cannot now be |
stated, but when it is ascertained, it will |
put the people to thinking, and even star
tie them into Indignation that the taxes
they have paid into the public Treasury |
for the legitimate purposes of government
have been SO recklessly squandered in par
TITAN schemes in contravention of law,
the Constitution and the rights of the
people, whose sovereign will as expressed |
at the ballot-box has been deliberately over
ridden and outraged in fifteen cases, in or
der to secure lower to practically abolish
coordinate department of government.
Well was it that these insane revolution
lists hesitated before they obeyed the eau
Gus mandate to demand of thesGoyernor
chat he convene them in extra session, in
order to.extract from the Treasury an
other $4,000 to continue their ruinous
work of striking down the safeguards of
government. d They went far enough to
furnish a record of their reckless inten-
ions, but the volumes of protests which
zane up from the people caused them to
lalt in their revolutionary course, and
numbers of them to withdraw their names
rom the demand upon theE Governor to
rider an extra session. It is quite likely.
wen if fear of popular indignation had
lot seized upon them and forced them to
etrace their steps, THAT the Governor
would have exercised his own discretion as
o the time of re-convening and in this way
aved the people of the Commonwealth
rom further wrongs and indignities,, at
east for time. -
Whata record this Legislature has madei
tS nxDOsura and tho vnr1iot that will no {