The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-11-25

Rev. L. R. Green, pastor of the M. E
,hurch, South Roanoke, died in tina
place on the Esd. He was popular and
eloquent divine.
Hon. Walter N. Johnston died at his
residence in Buchanan, Botetourt county,
on the 23d instant. He was member Of |
the legislature of lSSl-S2.
The clamor of the Democratic papers
for the return of Mr.. Barbour to the con-
troll of the Democratic party is simply a
public acknowledgment that the rank and
file are incapable of thinking and acting
for themselves and require the services of
a 'sboss.''
Allen Y. Stokes. formerly senior part
ner of the firm of A. Y. Stokes q Co.,
wholesale grocers, of Richmond, died sud-
denly Friday night last, on his farm near
Richmond. The deceased was native of
North Carolina, but for forty years had
resided in Richmond, where he pros
pered in business and retired a few years
ago worth over half million dollars. He
was sixty -seyen years of age. For many
years he was vice president of the Rich
mond and Danville Railroad and was
prominet in extending the Danville road
South. He sold his Danville stock in 1882
and retired from business.
Mr.. E. Benton, U. S. Dist. Attorney for
Missouri, was suspended from office byPres-
identClevelanda short time before the cleo
tion on the I'd inst, because he had active
ly participated in the canvass as a public
speaker This aroused Senator Vest and he
went Immediately after the election to give
the President piece of his mind.
This the Senator is said to have done in the
plainest vernacular, and said to him that if
Benton was not reinstated he would lose the
Convention. A statement was submitted
By Benton frankly giving the extent OF
hi S partizan action, yet claiming that in
making the speeches he did, be did not
neglect his official duties. The result OF
the whole matter was that the President
issued an order restoring Benton to his
office, and also authorized the publication
of letter which assumes TO assign the
reasons for this square back down, Vest
claims that Missouri is bigger than a
Mugwump, and that he has no idea that
the Democracy of that bounding Common
wealth shall be controlled by any such
policy as that indicated in the suspension
of Benton for speaking for the party which
elected the President. How the result
will be taken by the civil-service re-
formers generally we do not know, but
there is no question of the fact that Mr..
Cleveland has come down once to an anti
civil service reform Senator.
The State Board of Indemnity and the
County and City Treasurers who act under
the Instructions of that body, in refus-
ing coupons for taxes, are not conforming
TO State law. The Legislature of the State
cannot enact a laio which conflicts with
the decision Of the Supreme Court of the
United States and the Constitution. Such
legislation is not law-it is in defiance of
law. And the rulings of Judge Bond, so
much complained of by some of our CO.
temporaries, are not primarily his rulings.
He has no discretion in the matter. AS
an inferior court, he must follow the line
of decisions.of the Supreme tribunal. 1t
is not what he.might determine but what
the supreme authority has already deter
mined. The course of the Indemnity
Board-a political devisement designed to
meet the emergencies of a weak, tricky
and desperate political management-has
neither warrant in law nor sound public
policy .and the sooner the people marshal
themselves against it, and the Treasures
disregard its pitiful and contemplate
edicts, the better for them and the State.
The idea of partizan body, with no
authority in law, attempting to defy, and
forcing State officers to defy, the author
ity and decisions of the Supreme Court OF
the Z ntted Seates is so ridiculous that the
wonder is that the people have tolerated
ia usurpations thus long. They are
coming to their senses. and properly
measuring the pretensions of this insolent
body.
The rot given out by few of the Dem
ocratic organs of Virginia that it is acron9
topay taxes in coupons will deceive nc
one. The coupon is legal bartender, SO
pronounced by the highest courts of the
State and Nation-a devisement of the
Democratic party, which at one time was
held up as the perfection of financial wis
dom by the leaders Of that party. and all
who did not recognize it were denounced
as regulators and highway robbers. The
Republicans, seeing the harm that would
ing agent, legislated to circumvent it in
the enactment of the auxiliary measures
to the Riddleberger statement of the real
debt of the State. That legislation was
sustained by the Supreme Court of the
United States as valid. Through meth
DDS well known to our readers, the Dem
ocratic party which had opposed this leg
iSlation, was given the control of the
Legislature, and with that control by a
bare majority. proceeded to eject legally
elected Republican delegates, and place
in their stead men who had been repu-
dated by the people, in order to get a
two thirds majority. When this mon
strous outrage was consummated, the
work of mutilating the acts which barred
out the coupons was instituted. by pass
ing mandatory acts prohibiting the receipt
of coupons for taxes, thus violating the
contract which the coupon was declared
to represent. This being in the face Of
the constitution and the decisions of the
courts. it was speedily availed of by
the creditors and the legislation taken
tothe courts was pronounced unconstitu-
tional and null and void. With the doors
open the coupons rushed and are rushing
n. About a year or eighteen months ago,
public meeting of Democrats was held
in Richmond which passed resolutions
protesting against the use of coupons in
paying State dues, and an appeal was sent
out to the patriotism of the people to save
the State government by paying all taxes
in money When the meeting adjourned
it was found that some of the largest tax
payers who had participated in it,had cou-
pons either in their pockets, or shortly af-
forwards purchased and paid their. State
dues with them. The people in the coun-