Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1851-09-02

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NO. 8.
3 ruE prov IsIuSS or, TUE AsIENDEp
19A 20 Stll Sgi ls,y ~ + Ms SD
STA TE n NDEBEEDNE ESSs
10 srcv;sisas 81 iIle amended ccnstitatiou
will command such universal apf pff0baIion as The
clauses regulating BE- creation OF State debts
Tfhese clauses are-fIrsts q prtOhl against
State guarantee o. fflle debts OF any corporation
and sscondly. an Obj litt upon Tie Legislature
10 provide al the time of creating debt, for the
puactual payment Of its interest and the gradnal
exiincfdn vi tie principk.Elt Is moreover, made
The duty uf tbs I4egTSai5Te 10 provide for the IL
qniaefi1u The existing Stateliebt and Il is pro,
hfbited from cont loans or issuing ceFtfi-
cafes irfedeemahie or lonEer period than thtT-
u 5Diff ErGrS In cpiseq ot these provisions,
IS dischargeh aud ell future be pre-
vented And hence, tiie credit ut the State will
be entirely restored SRfl be placed uppt a level
with fhatsuf the stlilss -, ''' ''''
edfy adm0nIshed, by memorable I'm tanCes OF 1e-
uisIatiye corruption and extravaganza, Of the dis
asters 10 be Appreciated from giving the Legis-
lature an unrestrained privilege of Pledging the
credit of the State The financial cOnvUlsiOns
of New York in 1897, which well nigh pTOstra-
ted the whole country, and the reputation OF
Pennsylvania and Mississippi, were consequences
of Legislative PrUfligacy and eHtravagance. But
our own State teach warning lesson. The
virtue of our public men was long time bar
rier against corrupt aud reckless expenditure !;
bnt, that Welding at last to the contagious pro-
tgacy ot the times, opposed but q teebte ObsiT"c-
liOn TO the tide Of cNtTavsgance which thFeatened
10 sweep away the credit and the honor Ot the
State. II that tendeOcy to a lavish and iTtatiOn-
al aud uncalcnlaiing expenditure which control
led our Legislature during It's last three sessions,
had not been arrested, it is impossible 10 predict.
even with the fate of New York and PennsyIVa-
MIA before us, the depth of Indebtedness and dis.
honor into which Virginia would have been
plunged Bankruptcy, reputation, grieVOus tax.
aion stalked before the eyes of the startled peO-
pie. The circumstances OF The times seemed TO
have entered into conspiracy against the s0lVency
and honor of the State. The people placed their
purses 10 the hands of incompetent and nntFnSt-
worthy menj an insane desire toT local improve
menrs peryaded the whole Statei sectional
schemes and interests coalesced and bore down
an opposition as each representative had gIaiI-
fed his own constituency By the success Ot their
pecuIiar enterprise he was not held To account
for his participation in the general sP0atI"n, but
was applauded and reelecledi these concurrIng
causes were pTeciPitating the State INTO a rum,
from which, fortunately, it will be rescued by the
salutary operation of the financial provisions OF
the amended Constitution. Other States saw
the necessity OF limiting the Legislative control
over the public purse, aud they set that example
of Constitutional restriction which Virginia now
lnIIows. New York was made wlse by the dts
asters Of '57, and her people called Convention
for the speciaI purpose of amending their Con-
stituton in such manner as to prevent their
Legislature from involving her III debt. The n
nancial clauses in the Constitution OF New York
are the prototype of those in the amended Con
stituton of Virginia. And other States imposed
similar constitutional restrictions upon their le'
pislatures as Wisconsin, Maryland, Texas, ln-
diana, Iowa, New Jersey. Louisiana, oblo' Ii'''
Snd ts Hnss In m
the last len years without adopting some clause
restrictive OF Legislative appropriations; fact
which ranilests at once the necessity of the thing
and the will of the people.
We hear it objected TO the Constitutional pro-
visions under consideration, that they will IN et-
feet intercept the completion of the public i'm
provements now in process Of construction, and
will prevent any wise and judiciOus enterprise
| for the future. But wherefore? These prOvi-
siOns constitute no prohibitions whatever; the
Legislature is still at liberty TO project as nany
schemes of internal improvement as may please
It, the onIy restraint upon Il being the obligation
10 provide the means OF disChargiDg the debt it
creates. And is not this provision eminentIy jU.
dicious and proper If the will of the people and
| the interests OF the State demaud the cOnsfFnc-
lion of any improvement, will the Legislature be
frightened from complying with this will and sub
increase Of taxaIion7 But whilst this COnsiItu-
tional prnvision is nimical 10 no wise project OF
internal Improvement, il is the fatal foe OF all
straighi short railroads, and all village mudPkes
Henceforth. The Legislature will not dare to m
corporate company whose only object - the
plunde. of the treasury, or to charter road be-
| tween two rival groceries. The people OF Fe-
tersbnrg will not again be taxed To establish a
mudpike, where and for what they know not !;
and log rolling, the giant corruption Of the times
the crime OF begslatures-wilI have It's end
The prufligate Legislator Of to-day will not incur
a debt which shall burden the shoulders OF pos
terity Such are the contemplated effects Ot these
Constitutional provisions. Yet, notwithstanding
the stTinpency and precision of the clauses re-
strainng the power Of the Legislature over the n
nances the Stale, the danger IS that the pnb-
lie welfare will be starved by a barren ParsinO-
nv but that corrupt Legislators will disregard OF
evade these Constitutional prohibitions and will
fabricate pretexts for Plnnging the State IN debt
! The experience of other States scOantcnances this
apprehension, It was In defiance of a'Constttu-
tfonaI prohibition that the Legislature OF MIssis
sipf,i pawned the credit Of the State to an ire
deemable limit, and drove Ito repualatIon as Inc
| only escape from an intOlerahle indebtedness
| And the recent passage of the Canal Enlarge
| ment Bill by the Legislature OF New York iur
1 nishes addftional proof of the inadequacy OF con
stifniional reatrietions 10 fetter corrupt legls
/ lature. II the peOpteiO OF Virginia wish 10 main
tain the credit ot lne Eotale anu 10 atoIu
upon tfeir posterity burden of taxation, thel
must not trust implicitly TO any Cdnstitutiona
4 restrictions. 1T is impossible 10 frame Law
which mans exhaustless and unbaffled ingenui
10 NAV NOT eyade. Our ultimate reliance au'
our snrest safeguard is aniueOrrnPt Legislature
i - > S0nth- Side De11OeJat.
4 -Zz-----------
i rom MARSHALL.
4 The Terre.Haute Express, in noticing,he las
conversion Of very prodigious parsonage. says
Tom Marshall, of Kentucky, Ike wandering