The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-22
Orr LEGISLATURE.

The press of the State Of Virginia have
been generally handling our new LeSisla-
tire With gloves off. For OUR part, we are
free to admit that they have fully merlted
every blow that has been given them. We
were of those who prayed deyoutly to be
delivered from the last Legislature as Il
BODY, but we now begin to believe that
pcrhaps it would have been better to let
that swarm that had damaged the old Com
monwealtli as much rs they could have done
remained i'll the capitol, for it seems that their
successors have set out with the determination
of running the old State. We are no great
stickler for the great bugbear the funding
bill. This skull and bloody bones seems to
have run half Of our,peoplc mad. For olrpart,
we think, with some slight amendments, that
it would have been the wisest measure passed
by the last Legislature. We think so, with
out having State bonds of any character what
ever. During the recent canvass we were
really amused at the various candidates upon
the hustings; at the bare mention OF the fund
ing bill they would distort their countenances,
combat the air in al imaginary puglllstlc en-
counter with some hideous monster when
applied to by the masses to define and explain
the features of this odious measure; we were
invariably struck with their lucid expositions,
of gentleman pacing the deck Of steamer
with his son, when the child asked, "Pa,
what makes the steamer moye?" "Well,
my child, that thing-um-bob there works up
and down and bitches on to the crink-um-
crankum that works sideways down there,
and the thing-um-bob pushes the crinkum-
crankum, and the crinkum-cranhum pushes
tie thing-unl-bOb back again, and the boat
goes right ahead" We think many Of the
masses were left as wise in regard to the fea-
lures Of the funding bill. When the new
Legislature assembled we spoke eulogistic OF
it: we conceded more talent to it than to the
last Legislature we gave it more character
upon the whole; we thought outside mf1u-
ences would not operate upon it US 1t had
been intimated to have done upon the last
Legislature. The people expected great
deal of them, but, alas, they were doomed to
disappointment. One Of their first acts de.
precinted the bonds of the State to such an
extent that the outside world may well point
to the old Commonwealth and say, There is
stain upon your escutcheon-you have re-
coded in the scale of honor. And our people
cry out that this practical Reputation has
been brought about by their public ser
wants without their consent. But short
time since with what pride we would
announce to the world that we were
yirginiaus. When the war closed We
cried out that all was lost but honor. How
now? We conceive the idea that the State
debt stands upon the footing Of individual
debts. If you repudiate one you must repu-
date both, and we would not be benefited
by this-shall always oppose reputation i'll
any form. We never could see any difference
between debtors; the man of honor is as
much bound to pay the millionaire as he is
to pay the bcggar. The State has issued its
bonds, outsiders have invested their money
in them, and are as much entitled to pay
as our own bondholders. But, say some, he
only paid fifty cents in the dollar. LII choose to
sell my bond for fifty cents, that is my look
out, and does not release the State. But we
gay it is q hard case for the tax-gatherers Of
the State to demand payment of taxes, and
vet when the bondholder asks the State to
pay him his bond or the interest thereon the
Legislature say you can't get it.. What Is
that, gentlemen? !.
And, again, viii you reduce the widows