Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-25

shs ssts AAS GOls fa FrivCes % pxss and rcOeivsd
the prSe contracted to be paid Does no. this Ggree'
mSDt between the Commonwealth and the pAriissspOs-
seas every element Of cOntrsct? Does il not confer
vested right en- the party licensed! l. no, that right
founded on vAlua lie consideration, paid BY him, and
received into the Treasury of the s.atst
With what show Of right or justice, then, can the
State undertake repudAts this oOntrAoti They may
legsA,e prOIp:elV and say, no more licenses shall DC
ganted-no more contracts shall b, entered nto-out,
certainly they have right TO repudAte an existing
conirae-to break bargain already made, aud the eon-
Alteration of which they have already received.
The Consultation Of the Confederate States expressly
declares, Art Sec lO"NO State shall pass any law
impanipE the obligation Of contracts"
Il not this law impsrng the obligation Of contracts
Consult the Attorney Genero and the Judges Of the
Court of Appeals, and see what they will say
Parties under the authority Of the licenses granted
by the State, and in tu'l conf lencs that her faith
would remain inVOllte, have incurred large expenses
to prepare to carry business legalId by the Safe,
and from which the State draws large revenue and just
they about to begin, the Legislature steps IT. and
reTokes the privilege which had beea bought and paid
for on the terms prescribed by the State herssf Is this
just-is it fair between nan and man Ga the con.
trary, It anything but REPUDIATI0Nl If this is to be
the established rule of legislation who will place tIust in
the faith and honor Of she Safe! Who will place con-
ienOe in her Stocks, any other obligation she may
incur
But it is slid the est Is to cheaper bread to the
people This one OF the faVorite erpedents, by
which Roman demagOgues commended themselves to
popular favor. The younger Gracious ard Cesar il
reoclecs Alright opened the grAnares and distributed
from the public crib to the poor They had the partial
thu. the grain belonged to the pubic. But the
substantial effect Of the modern Law is take the pro-
perty of private individuals and give it, at cheap rass
70 the multitude This is the first step towards agrarian.
sm. Cheaper grain ars you may cheaper land after
wards Take the products Of the soil rs and viii be
easy take the soil Isse future day. If you may
Gus tR the markets Of the farmer and compel him to
les his crops rot or to dispose Of them at half price,
Why may you compel him to sell his land ct similar
dePreeisOu' Some men have more land than they can
cultivate Food is necessary for the people. Why
should the greedy monOpOst of land be allowed to play
the dog in the nanger' Why not make him sell al that
ne cannot cultivate, and thus cheaper food for the null
isude'
Tlis ia dangerous policy which the Legislature is
about to inIusurat0 kldiealism underlieS it. Agra
rIuism is iI vital principle. Better pause and reflect
before the Statute books Of Virginia mArred BY an
&C. so obnoxious to criticism.
The farmers Of the country will understand it, They
all see that under the specOus guise of checking in.
temperance, and cbsapenng grain, deadly blow aim.
ed At their interests. While every other class of
respiug rich harvests of profit while boots cost
slo or $40 con e seTeny6Te cents iron three prices
oothi1g worth g. bragns tO-s1,I trebled and quad.
ruped-ths farmers be selected as the peculiar
Jet. of Legislative Itack,-hey to be ground to
the du'thsy alone to get old prices for what they
have sell when they have to pay three prices for all
they have TO buy
We repeat, the farmers will understand it. and We
OPP 4, toe election, they viii remember it, They
the governing power in this country. They are the
WArIeksl Let ii be borne in mnd, that while they
make rulers, they can also break them