The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-23
Federal Aid Then and Now,

r. OQr tflenU IUe eultVi5 VI ss1sssS 81 49,
barg Herald, speaking Of Che passage hys inc
General Assembly of resolution merflerlal-
izips Congress for the passage OF an apprc-
priatlon Of ss, 100000 to the completion OF
the James River and .Kanawha canal, says;
"What a holy horror would such propso.
sition have provoked In thetsrginta asseme p;
during the days Of Father Riteh!e, ane Win
what laundering anathenas Wouia 10 nave
been received by, the Enquirer Even inc
SsateS rights Wing, under MI. flcasahts.
would have been horrlicd at such pam,
for material aid from the Federal treasury.
General kelly is correct so far rs mr.
RircuyE is concerned. He died firm OBJ
poser of the appropriation OF any money
from the Federal treasury to mtefhal I'M
proyemcnts. Even his removal 10 Washing
ton not long before he died did not make
any inroads upon his faith. But Dir. Pleas
ANTS was always opposed to Father klrcinl
upon this point. he was in favor Of the ma
,ional road, which was begun By the ciie-
raj Government and was stopped by a
triumph of the States Right party after it
had been constructed as far US Wheeling, we
believe. The bill establishing toll-gates Oh
the road was defeated, aud the system which
proposed 20 penetrate the GiiIcrcHt sections
bv leading national roads beginning at the
Federal capital was auanduncd. Inc hSiit
over the toil-c,,tcs was prolonged and bitter
Under JACKSON the public debt OF the nation
was paid of. and Old Hickory recommended
that the surplus in the treasury should be
divided amongst The States. Congress passed
an act for the purpose OF making this
division, and each of the States was IL
formed that certain sum, its distributing
share, was In the treasury at it disposal,
All the States except Virginia took their
shares but Virginia got on her high horse
and never got down from him. SHE was not
to be corrupted by the filthy llcre OF tue
Federal Government. Notwithstanding that
Mr.. RIrcnIE was the ardent supporter OF
General JACKSON, he was unflagglng i'll his
opposition to VtrSinia's receiving the sum
offered her under General JACEsoN's recon-
mcndution. Her share Of the surplus was
Wing and Democratic parties-the former
advocating its reception, the latter its reJec'
ton. Father RITCuIE representing The Dc
lnocrats and Mr. PLEAsANTs The Wings, dis
PLAYED as much energy and spirit i'll their
discussion Of this issue as OF almost any
other that was involved in the political cam.
pai2ns Of the day.
Virginia's quota was not quite $4,000
aud upon the question OF receiving it she
wasted very many times the amount by dis
cussing the matter il the Legislature. Such
paItry SUN as $4,000 would not NOW ell
gage tue consideration OF any State. But no
State would regard IN offer Of that SUM BY
the Federal Government rs involving the
question Of state rights. Itmight be regarded
by some northern State as too contemplate
to write receipt for; but il not it would be
snapped up with ayility and clcanucSs.
Father KIrculE may be almost said TO re-
semble the Chief of the Pascagoula Indians
in being the last of his tribe, and i'll fighting
till lie persisted. State rights were almost
buried with him. They did not long survive
him. But neither he nor HAMPDEN PLEA
SAINTS would fail to lie shocked by the untore-
seen, the undreamcd-of, woes that now cast
gloom and misery over their once happy
land. However these gifted men may have
differed i'll their lives, their great hearts
would bc filed with agony ut the ills which
nov Cypress their people. The issues Of
their times are Ill swept into the grave Of the
past. and tic country is indeed revolution
led. Our friend KELLY calls up pleasant
memories, but equally eNcites painful re-
erets at the change that is come upon us,
which sinks into utter contempt the political
issues OF the days of PLEAsAS1s and RlrcmE
in comparison with the present struggle for
tue preservation OF social integrity, public
honor, and public liberty.