The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-06-07
Reputation.

We have been no less panied than aston
islcd to hear that there are few scattering
men, here and there, who have been giving
countenance to the idea Of repudiating the
public debt. Reputation is Il word which
should never soil the lips of Nirginian
There is something in the idea so repug,
naut to every notion OF common honesty
that we cannot see how any man who has
the least Sclt-respect can for a moment ell
terrain it. We arc bound TO suppose that
those who are believed To cherish ideas of
this kind have been grossly miSrepresented,
or that idle words, inconsiderately uttered
have been perverted into evidence of ap-
proval Of measure so hateful TO all up
right men.
Least of i'll can we be led to credit the
idea that any citizen Of Augusta would
consent to enlist III the army Of repudia-
tors. Let people elsewhere think and say
what they please on the subject, we cannot
believe that any respectable portion of the
people Of Augusta will ever give their
sanction to such an .agrarian and reyolu-
tionary idea.
Reputation strikes at the very founda-
ton of society. 1t involves not merely a
disregard of all moral and legal obligation,
but sets at naught the rights of property.
If we repudiate the claims of public cred
TORS, what security have we that private
debts may not soon SHARE the same fate /!
Indeed we believe that the repudid-
ton Of private debts is the OBJECT aimed
at by this class of men. The overthrow OF
the public debt is but the preliminary step.
If that can he accomplished, the cancella-
ton of all private debts will soon follow, as
4 necessary consequence. Nay, more.
when people can with impunity be robbed
OF one species Of property, what guarantee
has any one that other kinds will be Sc
cure? If bonds, public or private, winch
represent the earnings of patient industry,
can be ruthlesslv seized and cancelled, why
NAV not the titles to our lands and houses
be oycrthrown in the same way!
There was at one time iu France a class
of wicked adventures, who, under the ieao
of proudhon, held that " ali properly Is
rohberv,n Their idea was that land and
property of all descriptions was the gut O
t;od Tn the human family, and that any
member who held, by Inheritance or other
wise. more than was necessary Tor MS
wants was 4 robber of the birthright of bis
Have we any disciples of Proudhon in
our community? Is any class OF our eiti
Gems prepared to give their sanction TO &
doctrine like this?
We hold it, then, TO be the solemn duty
of every well-meaning man to trown down
every sentiment or movement tending to
such pernicious results.
Whenever any man is heard even hint.
ing at reputation and disregard of plighted
faith, it gives rise to the suspicion that he
is seriously embarrassed in his private for.
tunes. and that while he is pretending to
be animated by 4 patriotic purpose to re.
lieve the people from taxation, he is really
seeking to avoid the payment OF his private
debts.
There is one, and only one, other view
which we would suggest TO our readers. 1t
is this From whom was this money bor-
rowed. and on what security?
A large portion Of it was borrowed from
widows and orphans and from the trustees
Of trust funds. These are classes of per
sons who could not use money in active bu-
siness. They sought only security for
the principal, and moderate interest
on their Investments. They thought they
had secured both by lending their money
to the grand Old Commonwealth, whose
reputation for integrity had never been
dimmed, even by q breath Of: suspicion.
Can il he that there are men to be found
who would be willing to detraud these Wi
dows and orphans OF the plttance which
had been conflded by husbands and fathers
to the care Of Virginia, in the full assurance
that the trust contideG to her would be
faithfully fulfilled! Surely no loyal son of
Virginia would be willing to bring such q
reproach on her heretofore stainless name.
Away. then, with Reputation. Let not The
word poison the pure mountain air which
we breathe.-Stannt0n Spectator. ....