Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-12-02
rs IN A U NH0Ns-
THURSDAY, DECEMBER ., 1911.
MISSISSIPPI ELECTION.

MISSISSIPPI ELECTION.
Contrary TO the expectation excited by the
favorable complexion OF the early returns
received from the Mississippi elections, the
Locofocos, or Destructives as they may We
ry properly be called, have carried their Co
vernon, the two members of Congress, and u
majority in both branches of The Legislature
and, with them, the fearful and tremendous
issue, that the State shall not pay the bonds,
held by certain of her Foreign creditors, be-
cause forsooth, by the delinquency of her
own accredited agent, the monies raised upon
those bonds were not made available to the
uses of the State.-An assumption as much
opposed to reason and law, as it is to good
morals or common decency. As the Balt-
more American forcibly remarks, Mississippi
by this act, "dishonors her own sign manual,
I" scofis at her attestcd seal of faith, and de-
"clares her plghted word and acknowledged
bond of assurance, to be an official periury.n
We shall now see what this thing will come
to-Demagogues have long been preaching
up their doctrines of Charter-breaking and UNI
limited power over public contracts. Mssis-
sippi has at length brought the matter to an
open issue, and elected men to her Legislature
who are solemnly pledged to carry out these
views. Will they do it /? Can they coolly
and deliberately consummate the foul scheme
by which they induced deluded people to
elevate them to power? Motley dare not
Bad as they have shown themselves by pro-
lesion, we trust they will yet stop short in
their wicked career, before they fix so foul a
stigma on their State-a stigma which will
cause the very name of Mississippian to stink
lnthe nostrils of their countrymen, and render
1t by-word of opprobrium and contempt
throughout the civilized world. But, let them
DO as they please, they ought to remember,
they cannot annul these bonds.-Let them
pass what enactments they may, they will still
stand against them ;-yea and they must nan
them too, II not in accordance with the letter
OF their obligations, yet they sciH pay them,
and ten thousand times over, in the bIightino
and running influences of dishonored char
acter. But this is only one aspect Of the case.
of Mississippi assumes a fearful and alarming
interest to the rest of the Union 1t is not to
be presumed that any Foreign State will con-
sent to stand by and see its citizens thus base
ly swindled.-There must be demand for
redress-and that demand must, of course, be
on the National Government What then is
to be the consequence ? Our National Go
vernment has not the power to compel one
oil the States to fulfill its pecuniary obligations
and as necessary result, it will either have
to pay the debt itself, or submit to a most dis
graceful war. What think we, honest yeomen
OF the land, of this prospect? Tom Benton,
you know, has been endeavoring to alarm YOU.
for years past, with the idea of a roluntary as
of the debts of the States by the Ge-
neral Government-and here you see his par
ty friends, not merely in Mississippi, but else
where over the country, madly driving the !
and the ignorant, by their disorpan- |
lzlng principles, into the very predicament.
which must either force the General Govern |
ment to assume those debts, or arm the whole |
civilized world against us. Is it not high time.
then, think you, that honest men of all parties
should unite to put down these pestiferous de-
magogues, who, in mere game for office
and emolument, have shown themselves ready
to play away the honor, the peace, the safety
ana prosperity of the Republic The mind
oi that man must indeed be hopclessly infatu-
lied by party, who is not aroused to serious
If not to painful apprehension, by
bese events.
W The Rev. VIM. G. Jackson, late Of this