The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-09-11

receive intellectual cultivation, andare anx-
ious to make good their theory by practi-
cal demonstration. The free school system
cannot flourish in Virginia under the pre-
sent laws, and there is no hope Of the pas
sage OF proper ones, so long as the party
now IN power remain so. The superiority
of civilization of which universal educa-
ton IS the basis, over one in which general
ignorance prevails, has been signally taught
the world in the recent conquest of France.
Here in Virginia, the prevalence OF
ignorance among whites and b acks is APP
palllng. immigration, enterprise, capital
all shun us IN consequence, though vital to
our prosperity. We cannot afford to neg
lect this important subject of popular edu-
cation and no real advance will be made
in it, so long as the system is in the hands
Of its enemies. The Legislation of the last
General Assembly was but an affectation-
display of how mot TO do Il and this vital
work, under ostentatious pretenses of
doing something, will actually be left I'M
done, until the real friends of free schools
achieve their direction. The great majority
of our people desire the establishment of a
thorough system, by which instruction will
be carried down to every child in society !;
and we protest to them that they can only
realize their earnest desire by aiding the
free school party of the State--the Repub-
lican party--to obtain its control.
THE STATE DEBT. ,se
In their management of the State debt,
this same legislative majority have betrayed,
as in their action on the homestead, cal
lous disregard of the interests of the peo-
pie, at the instigation of brokers. With
the Supreme Court of the United States
always open to an amicable and defnitiye
litigation of the question of West Virgina's
obligation for portion of the debt, it has
neglected to take that dignified appeal, and
tri1ed with this most grave subject b.
means of partisan commissions, which have
resulted in nothing and which wear all the
appearance of the preliminaries of bro
ker's job. Had the Attorney-General of
the State been directed to institute proceed
ings in the Supreme Court for settlement
with West Virginia, that difficult question,
which can never otherwise reach an adjust
ment, might ere now have been finally de-
termined.
The leading object of the public works of
Virginia was the development of the re-
sources of what is now West Virginia
Under the surface of that State lay nearly
all the coal belonging to Virginia, and con-
tiguous to this coal lay also unlimited de-
posts of iron and other valuable minerals.
ilAll were valueless until they could be
reached by railroads and canals from the
sea. Virginia relied for remuneration for
her heavy outlaws on public works, upon
the development that would be impaired to
the region now West Virginia. But when
she had brought her works to the margin
nf hot tat b., i,
long and patiently expected remuneration,
rated from her and created into new
State. She thus loses the fruits of her en-
terprise, and is intercepted from the returns,
Tin increased values and sources of taxa
tion,) which constituted the main object of
her public expenditures. These are left a
redeemless burden upon her shoulders.
The principal beneficiary of these outlays
is, and will continue to be, West Virginia;
and is her obligation for a due share of the
burden of the debt to be evaded under the
specous pleas of State funds lost by Sc
cession, and OF appropriations expended on
eastern soil?
Then why should this settlement be pro-
crastinated by commissions, and the real
merits of the question concealed in a laby-
rinth Of special pleadings? Preliminary
to any funding of the debt ought to have
: been settlement with West Virginia and
as there is no probability of a proper adj
justment of accounts inter parties, the SUI
preme Court of the United States should
have been resorted to long ago. To keep
it out of that court is to make job of the
business, in which both States are liable to
be heavily tleeced. a
The principal object of the expenditures
representing the State debt was the develop
ment of the resources of West Virginia !;
and how can it be assumed before adjudica-
ton that Virginia equitably owes two
thirds, while West Virginia owes only one
third? The assumption is arbitrary and
without warrant.
A most premature step in the legislation
was the compromising of the interest of the
debt before the State could pay simple in
terest. The present debt is $4S ,812 ,565,
of which SIG ,57S, 421 is due in the form of
interest. The funding bill, authorizing in
terest to be bonded Tor funded, adds a mill
lion of dollars year to the interest charge
able to taxpayers. When we consider
that the greater portion of the bonds have
fallen into the hands of brokers and specu-
lators, this million Of dollars is gratuity
voted by the Legislature from the people to
the capitalists of foreign cities and it is easy
to conjecture the source from which the
funding bill was inspired. The original
holders, both in Europe and America, of
those bonds which have not gone into the
hands of spectators, were willing to ac-
cept certificates of debt for the interest due,
bearing no interest. The compromising
measure is {; gratuity. f. Z
The scheme of allowing coupons to be
paid in for taxes was contriyed in the
interest of spectators in State bonds.
Under it the poor will have to pay their
taxes in money, while the capitalist and
Spectator, who can get coupons at dis
count, can evade large portion of their
taxes. Dishonest sherifs may collect
full taxes from the people in money, and
then may pay them into the treasury in
coupons purchased at discount. Thus
the scheme is eontrived in the interest of
rings, and at the expense of the people. So
long, moreover, as coupons are receivable
for taxes, the State is compelled to levy
taxes to the full amount of yearly expenses
and interest.
The effect of making these coupons re-
ceivable for taxes will be to introduce them
as currency among the people, which, be-
ing less valuable than national currency,
will drive the latter out nf circulation Tha