Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-12-21
E'ssp,s RICHMOND.
Tilf, COUPON CASE.

.,l"d, and have been the subject OF the most
deliberate and anxious consideration by the
court. Every possible view Of the important
mustioiis 70 he considered were presented Ill
,rr,:,ucri; or suggested by members Of the cGurt
If H.. careful examination which the large in
ttrssts involved. and ;hc high responsibilities
Of ,ur position dcr,a',lcd Under deep and
nain:ul sense Of these responsibilities our orIn-
tors were deliberately io;lned after the most
careful Investigations
AS to the correctness Of these opinions
there is not one Of us tot the majority who has
the shadow of doubt \ reargumcnt cannot
possibly change our settled and Conscientious
convic;ions aud We have thought II proper to
dispose o! this motion at the earliest practlca
bic moment, in order to remove any doubt or
uncertainty in the public mud as to the tlnal
action of this court. The credit Of the Com
monwcalth, and the public welfare alike, re-
ouires that the important questions arising out
OF these cases should be put II rest. 50 tar at
least. as the action OF ,his court can have that
effect.
The motion for rchcaring is ovcrrulcd.
This settles the case finally and should induce
the Legislature, upon rcaSSembling in January,
to take soluc steps to cxtricatc the State from
the difficulties WHICH now surround her, and pre-
vent the question being made an issue at the
next election, when ii vii require the utmost
union and harmony to Continue the control Of
the State in the hands of the Conservatives.
\ DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.
The frs, debate in the House of Delegates
this session. took place yesterday, on the joint
resolution, offered 10y Mr. Hill. of AIbemarIe,
a,l;!ioriz.n. and directing the Attorney ttencr.
al To employ the assistance OF Judge VIM. j.
Rvicr. >on in the re argument OF the coupon
ca>,S. should the Supreme Court Of Appeals
agree 70 Il relearlug.
Mr.. H,.l expressed The highest respect for.
and confidence 10 the Attorney General, but
this case was 1he most important one now be-
for, the court The bondhoidcrs hal en-.
ployed the best lawyers III the Commonwealth,
and the people should be represented hy the
best LEGAL talent at their command. He did not
know or care what i, would cost.
NJ. Booker said no one vas more opposed
70 the Funding bill than himself, but he con
ccdcl perfect honesty 10 the Court OF Appeals.
Mr. Copton said chat the Court Of Appeals
had. by AN act Of u>urpation taken away from
the Legislature the control Of the State tinan-
ccs Forty year, ago that Court would not
have rendered such decision. In the days OF
Spencer Rome it refused to record Judgment
OF the Supreme Court of the United States be-
cause il Invaded State sovereignty. lie claim
eli that the Legislature had the right to pro
t2ct itself. Notwithstanding the decision OF
the Court he maintained the validity OF the
act decided against the effect otwhich, hc said,
would be to stop the who@ls 81 sovernmcnt,anu
turn loose convicis and lunatlcS.
MIR. Daniel was opposed TO sending mis-
II, al, INTO vt, u.ii an h
err Department Of the government The assaults
made unou the judiciary were the plain mile
stuncs on tie road of State decline. Ii he
thought the State interest demanded II, he
would 90 for the resolution, bur the case had
been fully discussed He was amazed at the
manucr in which that august tribunal was
treated ia this iiou.c. and he entered his pro-
test aralas: It.
Nlr. O'Ferrall said that the Funding bill,
f,owcd by this decision, would destroy the
powers OF the Legislature 1t would also stop
the wheels Of government.
Mr.. Critz thought that if the decision Of the
Supreme Court is adhered to, the liabilities Of
the State, together with current expenses. will
absorb all of the resources of the State before
the taxes of next year can be made available
Mr.. Gray had no disposition, By unfair
means, TO defeat the decision that had been
rendered. but the Court was composed or tal-
ible men.
Mr. Dooley was not inclined to accept the
proposition TO turn loose the lunatlcs the blind,
and the deaf and dumb land bring anarchy upon
the people, nor did he think that such would
be the result Of the decision Of the Court. There
was no necessity for further discussion OF the
subject. Ii had been thoroughly discussed i'll
the Legislature, the press, and the court.
The resolution was ordered to It's engros5-
mcnt, yeas 81, noes 50, but to-day was aken
up, aud on mUtlOn .! Mr.. Neale, oi Alexandria.
was dismissed.
The Dispatch Of this morning, referring to
the above debate, says :-''Thcre were scnti-
lnents aud opinions expressed yesterday In the
General Assembly, whose echoes sounded
strangely enough in the halls. There was a
freedom Of criticism Of the late decision OF the
Court of Appeals and a roughnesS Of alluslon to
that body which were painful to hear. They
were suggestive OF the supposltlon that gentle
men entertained the idea that in some way or
other the judicial branch of the Government
could be subordinased to the legislative, and
dragooned BY popular clamor into disc!alming
its own opinions and changing its orders at the
will of popular caprice Ii the views Of some
gentlemen prevailed we would soon see anarchy,
the upsettng Of all law, and the reputation Of
all Obligations But the men who constitute the
Virginia Court OF Appeals will be alike loyal to
the State and to their own honor.
LEGISLATIVE
The Legislature adjourns tomorrow for the
holidays-thc recess extending until the I'd OF
JANUARY, or more probably until the 9th, tor it
will be hard to get the body together In the
middle OF the week, after the irolic. If, upon
reassemb bling, however, the legislators will set
themselves about adjusting matters financial
and coustitutional-mak arrangements to Sc
cure the credit OF the State and relieve the
people Of that which is most onerous IN the
Constitution, and theu-adjourn, they wi have
done good work and will receive the plaudlts
OF the people.
In TIE Seuate, to-day, a resolution, intro
ducad by Nlr. Ward, OF Winche ster, was read
a third time, inquiriny whether The Alexandria:
Loudoun and Hampshire railroad has not made
such forfeiture as to give the Board oil Public
Works the right to resume absolute ownership
of the State stock in said road sold by the
Board of Public Works to SAID company.