The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-02-15

r payment. In '52 aud q and X, the Legisla-
e ture repeatedly endorsed the policy initiated at
the preceding sesSicE to which we have re-
ferred Resolutions declaring the bonds to be
: "iust, legal and biz sng on the State" were
! again and again introduced into the Lesisla-
ture, and were luncercmoniously rejected,
! sometimes receiving not half dozen votes.
And all this was confirmed by the solemn act
of the people at the baIlot-box when the
question of payment was submitted to their
decision-the tribunal from which, under our
wise form Of government there is no appeal
Why were these important facts which
stand out in bold reliel in the archives Of the
State, suppressed, and others stated giving an
erroneous history Of theprogreSs of this ques-
ton?
Nor have the Courts ever decided the Plan
ters' Bank Bonds to be constitutional and
valid. But if they had, the argument based
upon such decision in favor Of their payment,
would apply equally in the case of the Union
Rank Bonds, which are not more obnoxious to
constitutional obligations than the others.
But the Minority have mounted the hobby
of the Widows and Orphans" claim, which
used to be favorite slogan in the times when
Bondism was more rampant than it now is in
the State. We must do the plea in behalf Of
the fundmongers, the justice to say that there
is more force in it, than in any other to be
found in the luminous document before US
"Widows and Orphans !" An appeal in their
behalf always touches responsive cord in the
hearts of chivalrous Nississippians; and if the
proposition was made directly in favor Of cs-
tablishing Charity Hopsital in our State for
their special protection, notwithstanding the
pressing demand for means to resist Abolition
aggressions, it would be received with much
| favor. But we do not affect this round about
way of extending aid to those unfortunate
classes Furthermore we wesuspect, that whenthe
matter is more fully investigated, It will be
aseertained that the Widows and Orphans y
over whose fate the writer Of the Report has
Shed SO many briny tears, are none other than
uncircumcised Jews, Or grasping Sllylocks.
| Moreover, did II fitrxr occur to tfosc who
make this appeal, that there are Widows and
| Orphans" whose hard earnings would be taken
from them to pay this unjust claim, if the
course so earnestly advocated by the Minority
should be adopted? In our compassionate re-
gard for the unhappy condition of theimasina-
ry " Widows and Orphans y to remedy whose
wrongs the Mississippi Legislature is invoked
to resolve itself into body Of Don Quixetes,
let us not perpetrate q still more outrageous
offence against humanity by increasing the
number of innocent sufferers at home.
Another appeal to be found in this remark
able production must not be overlooked.s Mr..
Smedes again recognizing the fact that Mis-
sssippi will in all probability be compelled for
the preservation Of her sovereign rights, to dis
solve the Union, conjures the raw head-and
bloody bones which figure in the idea that
when this event ocurs, +" the Governments
whose citizens are wronged and defauded,''
will resort to violent measures against her.
This is an old argument with new dress upon
it slightly altered to suit the OCCASION. In
former times, when an attempt was made to
cajole and to brow-beat the people into the
payment of the Union Bank Bonds they were
told that their cottbn bales would be seiz.d by
the Governments whose citizens are wrong
ed and defrauded,'' but it Jailed of its pur-
pose. Many years have elapsed, and no such
attempt has been made. All such silly ap-
prehensions, however, WILDE allayed we hope,
when We inform these who indulge them, that
the British government has long since deelar
ed that 81 it has no concern with the securities
in question, and no power to compel payment
of the sums required 4s s. .ssI &s
With all his shrewdness, Mr. Smedes has
two facts to learnsin his study Of the traits Of
the Anglo Saxon. One is that his pocket
nerve is exceedingly sensitiyeat to the slightest
touch. When his exchequer is invaded, he
must know for what purpose, and what useful,
practical and just epl is to he subseryed
These qualities were illustrated by Hampden
when he resisted the leyying of ship money,
and they were again displayed when the
stamp agents of Great Britain were driven off
by the colonies, and y hen the tea went over
board in Boston haslsE- -Arosher charaeter-
istic is, that he caissot be .ia5ren. He regards
threat as an imnuiaGion upon his manhood
and repels it with scorn. s.fgsl % |
Mississippi does not stand alone in the ex-
ample OF reputation Size has but followed |
precedent established by others long before
her name was written in the history Of Sttes
What Government, therefore, has a right to |
impugn her honesty, or cast reproach on her
fair name? Does it belong to England so to
do ?s Edward l. borrowed money to pay the
debts his father, in order to get his soul tout
Of purgatory.,' Richard II. extorted l, 100000
pounds, under pretext of borrowing, Which
acas ,aeper paid. Henry VIII. compelled. Par
lament to pass two acts, offering him all the,
money he had received in loans, thus dscharg-
ing him of all the obligations he had come
under, and all suits that might arise there
upon. Charles, by closing the exchequer, in
1872, defrauded the creditors Of the State out
of 2,8oo. 600 pounds. British Ministers never
think Of providing for the discharge of the
principal of the debts of the Government, or
if they do, it is in conformity to the maxim
to cancel the capital by general bankrupt
cy, in order to bring the State home" This,
too, has been the practice of France in the
financial history of which country innumera. |
BILE examples Of such policy areto be found
Our foreiathers never made provision for the |
redemption Of the continental Money |
which sank worthless in the hands Of those |
who had received il in payment Of their dues. |
Docs any one dare cast reproach upon the
memory Of our revolutionary sires, OF. upon |
the escutcheon Of their descendants for fail
ing to redeem these obligations? But the
most signal and least justifiabic act Of repu-
diation, was the Bankrupt law Of 1911, passed |
by the United Safes Government, at the in
stance of the party Of which Mr.. smedes was
a member, and in whose name he doubtless
still elories. Under the operations Of that |
atrocious law, millions Of debts the most sa-