The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-03

and things will work their own cure if left
to their natural remedial resources. +.
JUSTICE.
10 the Editors of the Dispatch: ~,
The election of executive and judicial
officers to work the machinery of our radi-
cally reconstructed State, though on impor-
tant, is not the great, duty Of our political
artisans at Richmond. The sooner these
elections are made, the better. The bitter
ness engendered between the thousand and
one candidates whose ambition or whose
wants force them into the canvass will be
measured by the time consumed in making
the selections. No other subject will be
examined with full attention until these
offices are filed nor should any long time
be consumed in deciding, when 80 many
with the requisite qualification are pre-
sented. The one great question which now
overrides all others, and which really
renders the popular heart almost
callous as to all others, is some remedy for the
ills of private Indebtedness resulting from
emancipation. The action of governments
organized to protect, and in open disregard
of their organic laws, i'll annihilating pro-
perty, is confessedly the immediate cause
of the existing condition Of the peo-
pie of the State; and the casuist who can
invoke the sanctity Of those very organic
laws, and lift his hands in holy horror at
the plea of some relief from the Govern
ment to people ruined by its action, swal-
lows the beam, but finds the mote too large
for his stomach. We have passed through
an anomalous revolution we find no paral-
lei in the past we look in vain for the de-
tailed plan by which other people have
worked out of similar situation, for nc
such situation is found and to argue from
the action of our fathers at the close
of the revolution in 1871 is wholly
fallacious, because no analogy exists, the
hardships of our day, both in principle
and degree being totally and essentially
different. 1t will be wise in our Legislature
TO recognize this important fact, which
know is true Of tidc-water at least, that ii
is impossible to pay at once the private
debts with the property now held without
legislative relief in some form; the oldest
Judgment creditors will receive in gold the
principal and interest of their demands !;
the junior judgments will remain lien
upon the future earnings of the debtor,
who, with his family, must occupy some
rented home, or move to the South or West.
In ordinary times the insolvency of even
the man who had been most wealthy
worked no public inconvenience but now
their insolvency touches one half Of the
whole male population, and is the death OF
that bigh-toned social sentiment which
made Virginia mother TO the statesmen OF
our empire, and in the graves Of which will
be buried the last hope Of bringing back
the influences once go widely felt. The
salus populi,' more, the memories of the
glorious past, as the best hopes Of the coming
future, demand such action as shall retain
the descendants of the old race, natives,
to the manor born," here in Virginia to
lcaycn the great mass of the new population
destined at no distant day, to recover the
waste places and cause our WORKOUT fields
to gladden. the eye with carpets of richest
green.
know many of our most worthy citizens
and some Of our political philosopher
would leave things to adjust themselves, rely
upon the forbearance of the creation, ant
predict with seeming confidence mans
humanity to man." With no small oppor'
tunities for observation, I can concur il
TO such reversal of the poets lines. lr
my experience bright examples of a gene
erous forbcarance have occurred, but they
are truly "rare waves" upon the turbld
streams of professional life. The remedy
is beyond the reach of private effort, ever
as the disease has originated in causes in
dependent Of private action. know 1t Ii
ooain urecd that the manacles of constitu
tional obligations bind SO tightly the legls
latiye arms that they are powerless; an'
the recent tightening of the cords IN ou
own appellate courts has caused to som
extent a feeling of despair Of any relief
The learned opinion Of Judge Rives, afte
sitting the adjudicated cases, turns upo
the legislative committees claim OF right
do by general law what courts of equity d
in special cases. The indisposition
these courts to prevent wrong by requirir
the parties to do equity beyond and will
out the letter of the contract, is conceded
and in this concession the legislator ma
find germ which, properly cultivated, wi
grow into tree, beneath whose shade
many will find shelter long enough to gath,
the requisite strength once more to mo,
onward. Again, contracts may not be in
haired but no line Of the Constitution
| State or Federal, inhibits jurisdiction ovt
remedy. Actions Mt law used for centurit
are now abolished writs of execution, ono
in constant use, have gone down undt
blows from the legislative arm; and VIII
NAV not the eleyit, almost unused, no
that it must become lever by which an
cold ,lay in winter family may quiel
he uut out of home, not share the fate {
orr old ca. sd.? Under even that by-gon
process the humanity Of the law furnishe
the unfortunate debtor food and shelter
the elegit, more exacting, now will depriV
him of both. .....
But the Congo homestead provision, il
the opinion of some, supersedes IN
necessity for further relief. To such,
mirhr say that is simply the principle Z
. renudiution clothed in the meanest garD
dictated By the enemies of our people, an
enbodying at least as much in]us'ice
any remedy proposed. Take for inStanc
the administrator who has sold i've thou
sand dollars worth Of property TO me
worth the maximum exempted and no more
They are relieved, but that poor admins
traitor must pay the whole. Aud this II
!, suit is not the work OF the convention
will lie at the door of the Legislature
for to that the authority is given 70 mas
; the sum exempted anything from one net
) to two thousand dollars. shame lnoee
| will it be, If Virginia is fallen; 50 low tn
5 her sons in her Council Chambers snai 9
knowledge to the world that5 tsnsble ther
selves to devise q remedy, they accept sul