Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-04-30
LOCAL.
ENDORSING COY. IEE ON THE
COUPON QUESTION.

A meeting was held at the Courthouse,
Monday, to consider the recent recon-
mendation of Gov. Lee to taxpayers not
to pay in coupons. AS the taxpayers Of
Augusta county had already shown their
opinions on this subject by not rendering a
much interest was taken in the meeting
and the number present was small. The
Augusta people are very practical people
and didn't see much use after not doing
thing to assemble in public meeting and
say they were not going to do it. The
meeting was called to order. and on motion
Of Hon. Edward Echols, Col. John HI.
Crawford was called to the chair.
Hon. Absolom Koiner, member of the
State Senate, explained the object Of the
meeting. He said it was to consider the
proclamation of the Governor calling on
the people of Virginia to sustain the laws of
Virginia made in settling the State debt,
and to abstain from the use of coupons
in taxpaying. The State government. said
Mr.. Koiner. is placed In a critical situa-
must be impressed with its imminent
danger. Some had thought the debt was
settled when the Riddleberger bill was
passed, but that bill only established
basis of settlement, and rate of interest.
It was passed as fo1cible settlement of
the debt, and it demanded of the creditor
that he should come in and fund his
claim. The creditor stood off, refused to
come in. and organized for fight. In
the time that then elapsed, no debt being
funded, no interest being paid, there was
full treasury and everything was going on
swimmingly. But the interest was all the
while accommodating. The creditors hav-
ing organized, brought the State out of the
State courts which were favorable to her,
into the Federal courts, and have now
brought from four hundred to five hun
dred suits in those courts. So bold have
they become, that they are now sung
the States officials personally for damages
for levying to collect her taxes. Our posi-
tion may be stated this way-our State
laws forbid her collectors to receive
sue these collectors in the Federal courts
for damages for not taking them. The
amount provided for under the Riddle
berger bill brought the interest within the
ability of the naonia to pay, but under the
decisions of the Federal courts from ~,
to four millions of dollars of coupons
added to that amount, take it out of
reach of our ability. The people of Vir-
ginia, however, are masters of the situa-
tion and hold the reins in their own hands
they need only pay their taxes in money
and the creditors are powerless. If they
should pursue another course and use
coupons, there will be no money in the
treasury. Some expect that the legisla-
ture can relieve them from the difficulties
of the situation. but the legislature is
powerless when the Federal courts decide
that the coupons shall be received for
taxes and that State officers who refuse
them are personally responsible for dam
ages. You must have money for your
schools, your government, and your chart |
table institutions. Suppose you pay in
coupons, where is the money to come
from? Without money you have no
schools and no government. You have
the control of the matter and there is no
way for the creditors to distress the State
if you stand firm and pay in money.
Augusta stands firm, but in some of the
cities coupons have been used to some ex-
tent. Some have said the object cannot
be accomplished by calling on the people,
but the result has shown differently.
County after county has resolved to pay
in money. We propose to do everything to
make the Rlddleberger bill complete and
effective. The idea that the RiddIeber-
ger settlement was crippled by subsequent
legislation, was erroneous. The only eff
fective shield, to protect the treasury
from the coupons, was coupon killer No.
i. which was passed before the Riddleber-
ger settlement, and that is the most effec-
tive shield now. 1T requires proof of the
genuineness of the coupons. To this, there
was only an amendment requiring proof
of the handwriting of the signatures. The
ether. coupon killer No. 2, requiring pay
ment of taxes in q. S. currency, gold, or
silver, has been declared null and void by
thu Federal cour5. Nobody is defying the
u. 5. Courts, we are only exercising our
right, not forbidden nor even impugned
by any Federal decision, to pay our taxes
in money 1t is not fair TO one man to pay
a one.dollar bill for his taxes aad then for
his neighbor to pay his in coupons at one
fourth less. 1t is time the people should
rally and declare that the men who pay
in coupons do their neighbors injustice.
Virginians do not propose that agents
paid with British gold should dictate how
they shall pay their taxes.
The chairman, on motion, appointed
committee consisting Of Messrs. w. A.
Burnett (chairman), T. S. Hogshead.
Chas. s. Patterson, W. T. Smith, Absolom
Koiner. and P. T. stakeholder, to prepare
and report resolutions embodying the
views of the meeting. They accepted and
reported the following resolutions, pre-
pared by Mr.. Koiner, which were adopted:
WHEREAS the people of Virginia. after
long and heated conflict of opinions, which
endangered good government and the peace Of
society, have united on the act of the 18th of
February, 1882, as the basis of settlement of
the debt of the State, by expression in popu
lar conventions, through the Legislative and
Executive departments Of the government.
and sustained by the Judiciary of the State;
and
WHEREAS sundry persons, in fragrant viola
ton of the oft-expressed purpose of the State,
through her laws and public officials, to en-
force the terms of said basis of settlement for
the common veal. have invoked the aid of the
Federal courts to override the authority of
the State; sought to Illustrate and humiliate her
government, cut off her revenue, and threatel-
ing the very existence of the body politics,
1rdar fhatf nd.