Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-12-09

A QoOC is u mortgage, IL uduc Oy oA0 |
individual upon his property and
effects; if made by the government,
upon the citizens property as whole:
| hold that no government, that is OF
and by the people, has legal or just
right to impose debt upon its SUD
jects without at the same time bestow
amount of debt. OF course have no
cident to the faithful administration |
of government. But debt inflicted
upon people when no benefits are to
accrue, or for unnecessary purposes. or
to crafty a false notion of dignity, is
fraud aud a swindle.
Just now there seems to be desire
amounting almost to frenzy on the
part of some, to impose just such
burden of debt upon the good people
of old Augusta.
1t has suddenly appeared to the Wis
ion of some that a new court house is
an imperative necessity.
Why yes, forsooth. Rocktridge and
Rockingham both have fine up-to date
court houses, and poor old Augusta is
a "hundred years behind the times"
Hardly in her swadling clothes OF civil
lization. Poor old Augusta Won't
somebody commisserate thy lowly
estate?
Well, but the old one is too small, is
so poorly ventilated, the air is just
horrible and death with all its ghastli
ness is lurking in every corner and
crevice, etc. Now this is revelation
surely. 1t is miracle that a judge or
jury ever come out alive. Indeed the
State Board OF Health should be called
upon at once and have the whole place
condemned.
But, we are amazed when we reflect
that such giants in intellect as the
Hon. A. H. FL. Stuart, }. B. Baldwin.
T. j. Niche and host of others who
practiced at that bar and won fame
and honor and renown that might well
be the envy of the most ambitious.
And such judges. who sat upon the
bench, as Lucas P. Thompson, John
n Hendren (who is still living and
others, whose ermine was the pride
and glory of Augusta, that they did
not make this terrible discovery. And
still more amazing, that they all lived
to a venerable old age.
Pull it down? No indeed, but rather
strike down the hand that would dare
be uplifted to commit such sacrilege
That there is death in the pot, is not
borne out from another fact. Let
| there be vacancy in any of the offices
belonging to the court and witness the
struggle, as for life, to obtain the COW
eted prize. The bad air" dOn'C cut
| much of a figure in such cases.
| In answer to the question that the
present court room is too small let me
state fact that is overlooked by the
advocates Of new building, whether
| intentional or not, | do not know.
When the present court house was
| built the court room extended to the
portico The entrance being by the
two doors now entering the lobby and
also by the door in front. The parti
ton cutting off that part was put There
to reduce the size of the room for neat
ing and otherwise adding to the com
| fort of the court. Too much UentSIG-
ton presume. Now let this partition
be removed, throw open the two win
dows on the south side, and surely all
the ventilation and room that the
| most fastidious and exacting would
require, can be had. And as to heating
| there need be no difficulty now. since
all public buildings are heated by
steam or other patent process at a
minimum cost. In fact there is now in
process of construction some such ar
rangement to heat the building
Objection is also made that the
clerks Offices are crowded for want Of
space TO keep the records, papers, &c.,
and Il would b. scare crow made of the
contingency of fire destroying the
building with contents. thereby pro-
ducing unending litigation as to
titles, &c.
Now prefer to let.our worthy an
| most highly esteemed county clerk.
| Mr.. W. A. Burnett speak in this mat
ter. He says that there is ample room
| i'll the fire proof vaults for the books
and most valuable papers for q iorg
time to come, and the other portions
Of the Office are not crowded, notwitn
standing there is very large amount
OF stuff stored away that is of no value
whatever.
Now if the contingency ever arises
that more room is needed, the pro cess
OF obtaining it is very simple. Have
this useless, valueless stuff carted out
and burned, and the question is sat
| tied as to more room.
Objection is also made, that there are
no accommodations for witnesse, at
tending court. Now is it not fact.
that in all cases, except when the at
torneys object to having witnesses pres
! ent, that they prefer to remain in the
court room. But admitting the objec
ton on this point there has never been
any good reason for it, except perhaps
an oversight, as there are several
rooms above the court room, seldom.
If ever u. ed. one of which could with
very little cost be fitted up for this
purpose, aud | have no doubt this will
be done.
To cap the climax however tue as
sertion is made, that the time lost by
the jury going up the narrow stairway
to the jury room would go Il long way,
and other inconvenience causing de
lays, would almost pay for a new court
house. Shades of Aladdin By what
mathematical process a cash capital
could be acquired from this source
none but Il veritable Aladdin can
demonstrate.
No my dear friends. there is no good
reason. 10 argument that is worth u
straw, why we should demolish as good
a structure us the present building. II
has with stood the storms and tempests
of sixty years or more and almost ev-
cry brick is intact as the day it was
completed and it will do good and AIN
pie service for sixty seven years. Meth
er has Augusta anything to be asham
ed OF ia the appearance of architecture
OF the present building.
And above all, are our people in
condition to assume additional burdens
in the way of pubic debts? We Ger
tainiy have not forgotten what an UP
heaval in the politics of our State. the
stats debit question created some
years ego. The issue was squarely
made, that our people could not bear
the increased rate of taxation necss-
sary TO meet the accommodating interest
on SO large debt, therefore, the debt
must be readjusted-must be reduced
to u point within the power of the pso-
pie to pay. Although re-adjnsterism"
swept the State like prairie fire. it
Was i-ff for the Democratic party to
settle the debt question upon a new
asls and it Stands To dav Dlodpad With