Year: 1879

tracts have no terrOrs for men vhC
know the power OF sovereignty. The
right 10 repeal was born with the right
to enact. Louisiana has given us q
brilliant example. Like Virginia. she
has been struggling against foreign and
domestic foes. AS dernier resort
sovereignty asserted herself through a
convention whose ordinances no gov
ernor could veto, and her debt is settled
at Is millions, with interest correspond
ing with what experience is teaching to
be tho wholesome rate "a rate that will
coerce money to seek investment in
labor, property and other industries
rather than paper securities which sap
production and produce nothing. In
further answer would say we must
settle this question by the Virginia con-
science and Oh the equities as we view
them. We must settle it without dcta-
ton. We must settle honestly, but we
must do it fearlessly. A legislature can
do 1t with the cooperation of "a gover~
nor; or legislature can call a conven.
ton that will do it in spite ola COVER.
nor.


We can afford to agitate. Agitation
will cost neither blood nor treasure. 1t
will not hinder the ram nor obstruct the
sun. Iu it is our security; BY 1t must
come our success. While the people
sleep the oppressor revels. 1t was ag
itatlon that wrung the charter from King
John and sealed the English Constltu-
ton with the blood of Charles. Agita.
tion was the foundation upon which the
whole superstructure of our splendid
fabric ofgoycrnment was erected. Ag-
itation gave US liberty Of conscience,
unlocked the jails that incarcerated
Gods ministers and licensed His preach
ers against the power and protest of an
established church IN Virginia. 1t was
agitation that set the army huzzaing
from Westminster to Hounslow- Heath
when Englishmen yindicated justice at
the expense of law in defiance of the
monarch and his judges. The Jews
never ceased agitation for enfrauchise-
ment, nor the Irish for emancipation.
Only the tyrant or the coward fears agi-
tation. With the one we have no com
promise to make; for the other we haye
no use.


Now, Messrs. Editors, since that call
for ME appeared in your paper, there
has appeared so.calIed conservative
address reading me and all conservatives
opposed to the brokers' bill out of the
party. l hope nobody is irightcned.-
That committee is composed of twenty
seyen. There were just thirteen to Go
that Job. l would not surrender on this
question TO majority; / certainly will
not to a minority. That committee has
nothing whatever to do with making
platforms. We stand on the platform
Of 1877 till a convention shall frame an
other. On that platform we stand now.
AS the lamented Governor Wise ad-
monished in 1861, we will hold on to
the true flag. Last winter there was
an organization formed in Richmond
with regular executive committee, and
circulars were distributed calling for
clandestine store room and court house
rings TO send men to the legislature
who would vote tor an increase Of taxes.
These were not read out in an address.
Why this high handed usurpstion now ?
Simply because some Of that committee
who voted for the brokers' bill want 10
be reelected, others who favor it want
its champions returned, and they hope
to attain their ends under the pressure
of party discipline. This is an issue
to be settled without regard to party,
and conservatism must do for Virginia
what it has done for all the Southern
states, On what meat have these thir.
teen Caesars fed that they have grown
so great? Poor oblivious creatures, they
forgot that the people, not the commit
tee, constitute the party. They may
learn from this abortive attempt the
great difficulty OF transferring the peos
pie Of Virginia to masters in New York
and London syndicates. If so, they
may have higher appreciation Of the
material in the conservative party and
becomlngly vacate for men better capa-
bic of heading such an organization. In
the language of the greatest joker, NO
body's hurt"


Though this answer to my friends is
very lengthy, yet it is but feeble out
line Of the situation. During the next
two months am expected to canvass
some other portions Of the State, but
will try to further present the issue be-
tween times in Page and Shenandoah.


Again thanking my solicitors for this
mark of their esteem and confidence l
subscribe myself,


Respectfully, their humble servant,


II. II. RIDDLBBERGER


. go


WHAT Iowa GIRLS ARE TAUGHT.
AT the Iowa Agricultural College
every girl in the jnnior class has learned
how in make GOOD bread. Weiohin0 and