Year: 1878

4
i some paper currency, in suficientquan
4 titles to supply the deficiency equal i
:, value with coin, if that end can b
attained. l have from the beginning


favored an increase in the volume 0
the old legal tender greenback none,


(which money, as every one knows


was issued on the faith of the Govern


ment. This money, however, neve


was upon a gold basis, or upon. ba
sis equal to gold, which means one
and the same thing, and never can be
| because it is not a legal tender for i'm.


port dues or interest on the public


debt, exceptions which any man can


see by inspecting legal tender green


back bill. The initiation which | pro-


pose will be new issue, and that is


sue | propose to base on the faith of


the Government, to be redeemed at
| its pleasure, but receivable without the


exceptions now made, which will


make it full and complete legal ten


der for all debts and dues, whether to


the individual, the government, or


the Bondholder-and will, with that


change and improvement on the old


greenback money, be upon basis


equal to gold and silver, or upon
| gold and silver basis, which means the


same 1t is charged against me that


have said, in my speeches in Scott


and Lee counties, that wanted these


greenbacks made equal to gold and
silver. l plead guilty to the charge,


and repeat, my fellow-Citizens, that |


do want the greenbaCks as good as


gold and silver. | want no gold


gamblers or silver spectators, but let


us forever close the doors against them


by making the greenbacks a full and


complete legal tender for all debts and


dues, as above stated, and that will be


accomplished. l want the greenbaCk


dollar to perform all the functions of


the gold or silver dollar, or, in other
words, to do whatsoever the gold and
silver dollar will do-then we have
sound, stable currency, which protects
the laboring man as well as the pro-
duCer. | never have said, nor do |
ever expect to say, that | want the
greenbacks upon an actual gold basis, |
that is the gold actually in the Treas
ury to redeem them with, because that |
would lead to contraction instead of |
imitation. | shall favor the abolition
of the National Bank system, because
it is ruinous in its operations and in
the highest degree oppressive, and the
issuance of legal tender greenbacks to
take the place of the national curren-
cy as it is withdrawn from circulation.


l shall heartily endorse and favor
any measure looking to the repeal and
destruction of that most detestable
system of Internal Revenues, which
operates the grossest injustice to the
people of Virginia, and requires her
people to pay for the support of the
Federal Government near four mil
lions of dollars annually, more than
her just quota, which tax is in viola
tion of every principle of justice and
fair dealing. The tobacco growers by
that system pay tax upon their lands
and also upon their products, and are
forced to contribute largely to the
support of the government, while the
northern people pay no such tax, and
thus the Virginia people are made to
bear an unjust and onerous burden
which they ought not to bear, and
shall not, if | can have any influence
in giving them relief. The same may
be said as to the distilation of Brandy.


l shall also enter my earnest protest
against the Tucker-Hunton bill, which
has for its object a further grant of
power to the Federal Courts to exer-
else a supervisory jurisdiction over the
decisions of the Court of Appeals of
Virginia. The Virginia people are
to take care of themselves,
and propose to retain and maintain
what little of States rights is left them.


1t is we'll known that l am in favor
of a fair, equitable and just settle
ment or readjustment of the Public
debt of Virginia, and especially do
want a speedy elimination of the nine
of war and reconstruction in
terest, which, in 1866, was taken from
the people and given to the Bond
holder-a sum of money that we did
not owe then, do not owe now, and
never intend to pay ; and for that
Capt. Newberry, one of my
voted, and when the
charge was made against him his
memory did not serve him, and never
would until the record was produced.
That measure, fellow-citizens, is the
prime cause of all our financial trou-
bles in Virginia, and yet Capt. New
berry has the temerity to ask you to
send him to Congress. l have always
opposed the Funding Bill, and never
will consent to pay the Public debt as
defined and ascertained by it. The
question was asked if l favored the
Barbour Bill, which was answered in
he affirmative. The principle of the
Barbour Bill was nothing new to me,
FOR when | was in the House of Dele
gates, IS74-5, l then voted for a
measure to require 10 cents of the
taxes to be collected in money for the
support of the schools. | am an ad- I
vocate of popular education, and look
upon the diversion of the school fund
from its legitimate and constitutional
channel as wrong and great public
One now seen and felt by
the whole country.


Now, my fellow-citizens, l have
thus briefly defined my position upon
all the questions in issue. submit !
it for your calm and careful conside- :