Search the Newspapers Browse Newspapers by Date Articles Indexed by Topic About the Newspapers Valley of the Shadow Home

Staunton Spectator: August 25, 1868 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

To the Tax-Payers of Augusta
(Column 05)

Summary: "One" writes a letter to the Editor arguing against the subscription to the Valley Railroad stock, out of concern for the financial burdens this will impose on the county.

Full Text of Article:

A vote will be taken on the 27th for a subscription by the county of $300,000, to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad.

Look sharp, or you will have a burden thrown upon you that will greatly embarrass, if not crush you.

There are some noisy advocates of this scheme, and it may be well for you to enquire, who of them reside out of the county, and how much of this tax will be paid by those reside in the county, and without assailing their motives, or doubting their disinterestedness, say to them, that you will take care of your own interests, and that they may mind their own business.

In view of the lamentable condition of the country, threatening your destruction, who of you, are willing to part with a large portion of your hard earnings, and place it in the hands of others without a voice to control its destination. Until a Government is re-established, and you again have security for your rights, you would be wise to retain until little is left in your own hands, and manage it in your own way.

But what will be done if the subscription be made? The county will execute her bonds for $500,000, and if they are to avail at all in the construction of the road, they must be put into market, or passed to contractors for making the road. If to contractors they cannot afford to take them for more than the market price, and if put into market, amidst the general distrust, national, State, county and individual, if they would sell at all, it may well be doubted whether they would command twenty-five cents in the dollar. There is no money, in the country, to invest in that way, and foreign capital will not venture in such stock.

What then have you? A debt of $300,000 fastened upon you, which must be paid sooner or later -- and what have you for it? Fifty or seventy-five thousand dollars worth of work done on the road. Are you ready to be shaved out of $225,000 or $250,000? I am not for

ONE.

To be Rich and to be Married
(Column 06)

Summary: Defending as understandable the charge that all women desire to be rich and married.

Our Liberties Must and Shall be Preserved
(Column 02)

Summary: Article from the Charlottesville Chronicle predicting a Democratic victory in the upcoming Presidential election. Claims that the ideas symbolized by the two parties matter more than their candidates, and that the Democratic platform is more popular.

Full Text of Article:

The Charlottesville Chronicle says that everything indicates the steady roll of the popular wave which seems about to engulf Radicalism and consign to a well merited oblivion the men who have almost succeeded in subjecting a free people to the rule of a despot, and by their gross mismanagement of the public finances have brought a rich and prosperous country to the verge of national bankruptcy. In every State election that has been held this summer the Conservative Democracy have made large gains. The people at the North seem at last to appreciate the importance of the question at issue, and to be inclined to decide them on their merits with regard to men or to old party ties. Party lines are being drawn more closely every day, in view of the live issues that now agitate the country. Democrats and Whigs, Confederates and Unionists, Old Slaveholders and Abolitionists, have forgotten their old prejudices against each other and have ranged themselves, side by side, in favor of the liberties of the whole country, where they are honest men and are influenced by motives of public good, or are found fighting on the side of despotism when the desire of plunder and regard for their own interests are stronger than their honesty. Joe Brown the extreme secessionist -- and Sumner the radical abolitionist are found in the same ranks -- while we find the gallant Southern soldiers Hampton and Forrest, desiring the success of the same party and the election of the same men with Hancock and Blair the brave champions of the Northern cause.

In the whole history of the Anglo-Saxon race it will be found that radical excess has been followed by conservative reaction, which has uniformly restored the disturbed equilibrium of their government -- and during the greatest excesses of modern radicalism the recollection of this fact has been to us a ground of hope.

We always felt sure that this reaction would come and only feared that it would be put off too late to save the Southern States. Now we think that every thing indicates that it has set in in good earnest, and unless something happens to check the popular movement radicalism all will go well.

We feel sure that we can see the light breaking through the cloud. We subjoin a short extract from a Sun editorial which can be relied on more fully, as the Sun is not extreme, though decided and outspoken on the side of popular freedom.

"Thus it seems that if there is thus far less demonstrativeness than usual on the surface of affairs, it is not the result of any want of popular interest, but that perhaps a profound consciousness of the seriousness and vitality of the questions at issue indisposes men to deal with them as partisans or to express their emotions so much in words as in action. It is certain that the nomination of General Grant has not thus far added any strength to his party. In those States where elections were held just before the Chicago nominations, and when his name was identified with the radical ticket, and even where, as in Connecticut, the ticket bore his likeness, it had no effect, except that the democratic majority was increased instead of diminished. So it has been in Oregon. And as to Kentucky, the Chicago nominations only seem to have had the result of adding forty thousand to the democratic vote. If, as we have said, the name of Seymour has not been received with more acclamation of words than that of Grant, the votes show that his nomination has not injured his cause. But names have nothing to do with this contest. Men are felt to be as nothing in comparison with the principles which they represent and the consequences that may follow the contest. The results in Kentucky and Oregon are perhaps but successive billows in that current of reaction against the misrule and excesses of radicalism which manifested itself in the elections in New York, California, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, etc. The name of General Grant has failed to arrest that current, and the name of Mr. Seymour, if it has not given it fresh strength, does not seem to have retarded it.--The most illustrious names are only of interest as they symbolize ideas and principles."

Call for Arms
(Column 03)

Summary: This article opposes allowing the new southern state governments to arm the militia. The author asserts that is will only result in the subjugation of the "whites of the South--who own the property, have the intelligence and the capacity to govern--who have the most at stake, and most desire order and security."

A New Dodge
(Column 04)

Summary: The article asserts that the Congressional Republicans are now discussing allowing legislatures to choose southern representatives because they fear the outcomes of state elections, the large African American vote notwithstanding.

Origin of Article: Charlottesville Chronicle

Deaths
(Column 03)

Summary: Lewis Johnson Bruce, infant son of A. M. and Mary Bruce died on August 15th. He was 9 months old.
(Names in announcement: Lewis Johnson Bruce, A. M. Bruce, Mary Bruce)

Deaths
(Column 03)

Summary: Virginia Coldwell Points, infant daughter of W. J. and Adele Points, died in Staunton on August 22nd. She was 4 months old.
(Names in announcement: Virginia Coldwell Points, W. J. Points, Adele Points)