The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-11

COAoiACA otlOho baAtoAy -
are other views Of the question it desires
to present, which it believes are not less
worthy of attention. In its opinion, ail
acts anddoings looking to reputation are
immoral in their tendency, and tend 70 tne
destruction Of ell public and private Gre
dit that they will destroy confidence Dc,
tween man and man, drive industry ana
capital from the State, and overthrow all
the business relations of the country,
founded upon the integrity and good faith
of the community. Assuming that the
State had the power to cancel debts, aud
could be- induced, from temporary causes
to, exercise it, what assurance can be gwen
that il will stop with the debts contracted
prior to April, 1867 What guarantee
have we that reputation, when once
adopted, will not be resorted to, from lime
to time, as the exigencies OF the oeotor
may, in his opinion, required
"Every temporary embarrassment
arising either from idleness or extraYa-
cance, from q failure of the crops or the
fluctuations in trade, would furnish a pre-
text for a further exercise Of the power,
and thus it would go on until reputation
became the settled policy Of the State.
aThe bare agitation Of such questions
has a baneful influence upon the CON-
mnnity. It unsettles the business opera,
tions of the State and deters industry and
capital from seeking employment and IN
yestment in our midst, for money and capt.
tai. which are ever timid, will e ex-
tend a helping hand to any community
which repudiates its honest debts.
"The State of Virginia, as we'll as its
citizens, has thus far met its honest obi
cations, and sustained a reputation for in
tesrity, honesty, and fair dealing unsur-
passed by any State in the Union; and the
committee sincerely hope that she will not
now, when she has little left to repair her
fortunes but her good name and the honesty
of her citizens, be induced to adopt any
measure that will tarnish her unsullied
reputation and bring lasting disgrace upon
her people.
ain arriving at these conclusions, the
committee has carefully considered the
peculiar state Of affairs relied upon by
those who ask such relief. They know
that it is contended that as the debtor was
forcibly deprived of all his former slaves
and much of his other property-upon the
faith of which he obtained credit-that it
would be unjust to require him to pay the
whole of his debts. The committee has
not been unmindful Of the hardships OF
the case. Where creditor and debtor are
alike innocent, who shall bear the loss ?
Both alike suffered by the events of the
war.
at was by no act Of the creditor that
~ Johko. 1oet b;o proporfv-it WAC dome
by the Government without the consent or
connivance of either ~party-and if that
Government were the creditor, there would
be some reason for saying that the debts
should be scaled, or not be paid at all.
"If the creditor is to be deprived of his
rights in this case, he might, with like pro-
priety, be denied them in every Other
case where misfortune oyertakes his
debtor, or a third party forcibly strips him
of his mean to pay, as by the burning OF
his house or the stealing of his property.
"Great as has been the destruction of
property during the late war, and heavy as
has been the loss Of debtors, the commit
tee is unable to see any distinction in prin-
ciple or in law between the losses thus
sustained and those that fall upon pro-
perty in the ordinary casualties incident
to the possession of personal property.
"For these and many other reasons that
might be assigned, the committee is OF
opinion that the Convention has no power
to grant the desired relief, and that if it
had it would be unWise and ~inexpedient
to exercise It..
cit therefore asks to be discharged
from the further consideration Of these
subjects. Respectfully submitted.
sc. Y. THOMAS, Chairman.
"January Is, 1865"
Upon this much discussion ensued.
Mr.. JAMES was speaking, when AN
question. He read o rule prohibiting
members from walking in the aisles while a
member was speaking. He said that Mr..
E. GIBSON was walking up and down the
aisle.
The CHAIR decided the point was not
well taken, and directed Mr.. JAMES to pro-
coed.
BLAND appealed from the decision of
the CHAIR.
Voice az second it."
HODGES got up to a privileged question.
"Dere was a boy in de house who had bet
ter be out'n doors. He wasn't a member,
and had seconded a motion. OATS him."
Pointing towards q mulatto boy ina men,
ber's seat.)
Mr.. MAssIE moved to bring him before
the bar of the house.
CARTER: "Mr. President, I know de
gentleman. I know he wouldn't dar do
such a thing"
LEWIS LINDSEY: "Mistar President,
I hearp de correspondence dat passed, and
I don't think de gentleman obsarued as ii
has been spoken"
HODGES: eyes he did. I seed him
open his mouth, and I seed de words come
out'n it,"
The matter was concluded by laying Mr.,
| MAssIE's motion on the table; and the dis
cussion was continued.
Mr.. MILBoURNE made his maiden effort,
He said that Jeff. Davis and his assistants
had murdered our lives and property, and
concluded by opposing the report. He
voted in favor of it, however.
Mr.. THOMAS spoke in favor of the report
His argument was one of the most conclu.
sive and sensible Of the session.
Mr.. PLATTE moved the previous ques.
ton which was seconded and sustained
Mr.. CURTIss's motion to adopt the report
was carried-ayes, Y; noes, 6.
1t was ordered that 480 copies of the
report be printed.
A motion was made to adjourn. Mr.
PLATTE moved to take a recess until
o'clock which prevailed.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Convention met at 4 o'clock.
Mr.. E. GIBSON offered the following:
"Whereas one Frederick Coles has