Year: 1870




We find in the papers of the Town an Ordi-
| nance, passed by the Council of Staunton, Au-
gust 18th, to take the sense Of the voters on


the 18th day Of September, whether the Coun-
1 Gil OF said Town shall subscribe to the stock of


the Valley Railroad Company the sum of $780,


600 in addition to the 800, 900 heretofore sub
scribed. A thoughtful man cannot read this
ordinance without feeling that its adoption will
| prove ruinous to the interest, and fatal to the


honor Of Staunton We had hoped the vote
| on this question on the 9th day Of August,
would have settled it, so far as the Town and
county were concerned, but we regret to find it
again forced upon the Town by those who pre-
sumo they can carry any amount they may ask,
under their coercive plan of operation. And


by what authority the Council has passed this
| ordinance we cannot conceive. The action of
the Council upon this question seems to be en-
vironed by difficulties and embarrassments-


There seems to be a want of calm deliberation,
prudence and judgment in the solution of this
highly important question. The effort made to


coerce the Town seems to have its effect upon


the action of the Council, as we'll as upon the


people. No worse effort was ever made to CO..
cree people into degrading submission. If
you dor t vote whatever amount the Railroad
authorities may ask and demand, we are taunt-
ed with, "Staunton will not be made point"


1t would be monstrous if the property of this
Town is to be held in the hands of these Rail
Road authorities, and they to dictate their own
terms At pleasure, to vote the Town and
county together. At pleasure, the Town is
voted by ITSELF At one time 100000 is de-
manded at another time 1925, 900 !; at anoth-
er $500. 600; at another 100000; at another
$15O,O00, and we are told if this question is
again submitted to the county SIS, 600 more
will be demanded. Like the horse leech, never
satisfied, their cry is more more, y under the
taunt: 'sStaunton will not be made point"
This is rather Notifying to the property hold
ers of Staunton.


q The Council is elected to avow the popular
welfare of the people. and they should not be
Influenced by these Rail Road authorities. -
Your action, on Monday night the 18th inst,
was published in the "Salem Ledger" and cop
led into the Baltimore Sum- daysin advance
of your meeting. We give the Council credit,
with desire to do that which will promote the
best interest of the Town, but we are forced to
conclude they are acting too much under the
influence and advice of the Rail- Road author
tiles. We hold, the Council has no jurisdic-
ton over this question outside Of the special
act of the General Assembly of Virginia, ap-
proved June 9th, 1870. In pursuance of the |
provisions of this act, this question was SUBJ
mitted on the 9th day of August, with the
county, and the subscription was lost. There
it must rest until another bill is passed by the
General Assembly If the subscription had
been carried we hardly think it would have
been contended the vote could have been taken
over. 1t is contrary to the spirit of the act to
re-submlt this question. 1t therefore the
Council exceeds their power and this subscrip- |
ton is carried, and the bonds of the Town sold
to pay the stock, there will exist grave doubts
of their legality. 1t is important, therefore,
before we vote on this question, that we should
understand with clearness and precision its
purport and meaning. We are not satisfied
with the vague and indefinite manner in which
this subject has been hitherto treated. Ii this
subscription is forced upon the, property of the
Town by an arbitrary will and without author
ity, we say to the bond holders, take warning.
The Town may adopt measures In the future
in defence Of its rights, and this fragrant wrong
will be redressed if it be in repudiation. This
dishonor of our Town must ever stare us in the |
face, for it must be apparent to any business
man, that if the bonds are sold In the market
to pay this stock, they will not net over 50
cents ia the dollar and horrible debt of $780,
900 necessarily involved. Let us not depend
upon blind fortune, but upon the counsel OF
wisdom and the lights of experience. Staun-
ton is to-day the most enterprlslng and thri-
wing inland Town in Virginia, and it is due to
the rich and populous county of Augusta, and
we must look to the county for our future pros
perity, and not the building of Railroads,
therefore we should at all times cultivate friend
ly relations with the citizens of the county, and
offer all the inducements in our power to Sc
cure their trade and stand ready and willing to
subscribe our proportion with the county in any
great improvement, but not affiict and harrass
ourselves with frightful Rail Road debt.


8 4 lAi VOTER.