Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-01-08


the points | made and argued a.
fully as | was able 10 do. General
discussion ensued which well nigh
consumed the day.
When the vote was taken on my
proposition it was announced that
forty.three shares had been voted
for it, and l35 against it. But of
the latter, there were just 30 gentle
men present to vote.
Now If it can be argued from this
that ! intended to " break up" a
meeting or Society,"" what can be
said for the other 80 shares voted
by gentlemen present just rs v0tedl
II it is to be insisted that WAS en-
deavOrlng ito convert the Society
into "a political machine how can
it be accounted for that some of the
most pronounced democrats were
represented by the forty-three
while one republican east fl votes
the other way.
If l know myself | had no object
but to protect the " Society against
the dangers likely to ensue to it by
a reckless disregard of the law.
But the browning act of my trea-
son was IN coming home to oppose
Mr.. MadduX's election. |. is scarce
ly necessary to say ! did no such
thing. Ionly heard of the compe-
titiOn through gentleman "a stock
holder who WAS on his return from
the North to Woodstock. BE this
as it may. If | had done The very
thing alleged, no man whose opin-
ion is worth having would question
my right to do it. This yet free
country, the subscription books
were yet open, and on my arrival
here | paid my stock to do that
which | did. Though among the
last to subscribe, | was among the
first to pay up. Mr.. Maddux ap.
pears next to the last on the books.
Surely if "pext to last" could aspire
to the presidency, the "last' could
with propriety oppose him. My
opposition was from a sense of JUS
tice to Judge Allen. He had been
president from the beginning with
ont salary, and the Society had had
the benefit of his legal advice At
every stage without fee. Under
his administration the work of
preparation had progressed beyond
the most sangulne expectations.
esteemed it the basest ingratitnde
to supplant him before the expert
ment of a full year and one "Agri-
cultural Fair had been made. The
methods employed to TO this were
such as to constrain Judge Allen
from a sense of self-respect to de-
cline the use of his name. Mr..
Maddux appeared and withdrew
his. But the gentlemen who rep !
resented him said no, they would |
have a vote, and the vote proceed !
cd. Judge Allen then appeared in
the discussion Of the legal questions |
involved, and when Mr.. Robert j.
Walker rendered his large number |
of proxies objection was made to all |
who had not paid their assessments,
or at least TO all who had not com
Piled with Sec. 3 Of Chap. - Of the
Code, requiring the prepayment OF
so small sum as two dollars per |
share. Even this could not prevail |
against the determination to go |
ahead right or wrong; but the |
chairman concluded the matter on
the side of law, and declared no !
election, and nothing in order but
to adjourn, which was done Oh my |
motion. 1t isproper to remark that
the chairman was certainly impair.
tlal as he had previously voted with
those whom he now decided against.
From this time matters assumed
some legal and proper shape. The
President called meeting of the
Directors for the following We'd
nesday, and these in turn followed
the statute in calling a meeting of
stock holders for the 9th of Janua-
~, inst.
| now submit to any lawyers at
this bar Except Messrs. Walton,
Walker, and Borum who have eX-
pressed preconceived opinions on
the subject, whether the Agricul-
tural Society is not in the very sit
uation with respect to the law gov
erning corporations that it should
be. If it be factiously replied that
we do not want law, as | have heard
then | may be allowed
10 answer that the moment a cor
pOratiOn violates the law that Gre
ltes it, it ceases to have corporate
existence. 1t cannot protect its
collect debts or subscrip-
ions due it, nor exercise any Of Its
acquired rights. It's like, and just
ike, any individual law breaker.
On this statement of facts, law
md reason, | can serenely defy all
he poisoned shafts which personal !
malice may hurl. Hope, however,
hat vituperation is ended, that
good common sense will hereafter
prevail, and that man in all re-
ipects fitted will be chosen presi- ,
lent of the Society. It
That do not esteem Mr.. Maddux
o be the right man | do not deny.