The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-01-02
The perturbed Spirit of Radicalism.


The Perturbed Spirit Of Radicalism.
Raa;calism il like man labcring unaer
denr,un, tremcns. Il is never at rest.
wants everything altered. Nothing satisfies
il. Anything but what is. That It sfo"'u
pcrplex Virginia is strange. and s'a a.
strange. The venerable State known Us tue
most conservative of all States~-tlie State
above reproach and above stain. Hard
is the day that subjects her to the inroads OF
Radicalism and destructlveneSS.
The Virginia Legislature binds the State
to pay certain part Of her public debt in
certain way. Asubsequcnt Legislature, con-
Tossing the obligation to pay, objects 10 the
manner prescribed by its predecessor, and
repeals and annulS that. The "manncr'
prescribed by the preceding body bound the
State to take the claims for interest upon the
bonds of the State in payment of debts due
to the State. This the holders Of these
claims declare to be contract entered into
by the State with her creditors, and there
fore inviolable and unrepcalable by subse-
quept Legislature. The sheriifs being in
strncted by the subsequent Legislature not
to receive the claims for interest on the State
bonds in payment Of debts due the State, re-
iect them, and case is made. 1t is decided
in favor of the public creditors by the Circuit
Court, and the decision Of that court Is sus-
tanned by the Supreme Court Of the State.
According to the understanding In days
past that settles the question. There il no
more to be done. The High Court of APP
pcals having decided that the State was bound
to receive the claims for interest on her
bonds, that Il contract was made with her
creditors that could not be abrogated, accord
ing TO the conclusion invariably drawn hy
our ancestors, there was no more to be done.
The decision Of the Court was understood to
be the final definition Of the law in the case,
and everybody bowed submissively.
But now what do we see? The highest
court pronounced us guilty of usurpation
questioned and argued rs though there was
any power to set it aside inside tie Cotstt-
tuition and la,rs. This is all strange in Old
Virginia, and looking at il in the light of
political philosophy it argues fearfully tor
the State. 1t has been eXpounded by high
authority that the first dawning of the life
of nation is manifested in "lcgal develop
ment": in the formation Of "lcgal fibre ;
the adoption of law and the obedience TO
law and that the ygor and unity Of the
nation were always in proportion to its wise
laws and public respect for them. Tried by
this test we must be painfully impressed
with the signs Of dccadence shown by the
lmpatience of the law and the contempt for
the decisions of the highest tribunal for con-
STRUNG law manifested amongst men of stand.
ing and intelligence in Virginia. lticspcct for
law and its systematic enforcement displays
the compactncSs and force of nation, then
INSTRUMENTATION TO law-disrc@ard of the
decisions of the highest judicial tribunals
must show the decay of national strength
and the sad waning Of the national devotion
If the loose sense Of obligation To law--ii
the loose sense Of the public honor be pam
ful--When we come to consider the causes
of notification. Personal ambition--pos.
session Of control OF the Offices Of Stutc-
power to control the legislation of the State
tor the promotion Of particular interests
these are the motives which lead to an igita
ton that is degrading Virginia and sinking
her credit with the world
This is the whole matter in a nutshell.
For this the laws must be resisted, and for
this that august tribunal which lms since the
foundation of the Commonwealth enjoyed
the unqualified respect of the people OF Viz
ginia must be dcrded aud condemned.
1t is not that Virginia j. not able to pay.
Look at France gathering up the means to
maintain her honor from her very ruins.
To-day her bonds are worth twice the
amount of those of Virginia. Virginia has
wealth. She has the means to pay, and it
will be to her shame if she does not. The
tux to support the Government comes next
TO bread Shall man argue that he owes
money and cannot pay his taxes! He may
az well argue that his blood cannot afford to
circulate because he is in debt, and therefore
he must die. The State is his life. 70 it,
protection he owes his privilege 10 hold what
he has, his security III all his possessions, und
his very life. Shall he say he cannot pay his
taxes? The idea is INDUSTRIOUS. 1t is the
first Of his obligations, and there is no ex.
clse for falling to meet it save utter and
hopeless poverty. No man can hold pro-
perty and with justice decline to pay his just
debt to his ncighbor, and tar greater is his
obligation to pay the state.
There Is money enough 10 meet the State
debt in the possession Of the people, lund
everything they have belongs to the state
Halt the money spent in whi>key in Vir.
ginia would probably pay the necessary tax
TO redeem her honor. a political commu.
nifty which denies its solemn obligation to
the State should cease to be q political COM
munity, and pass under the yoke of some
power able 10 rule them and make them re-
spect law.
We cling to our faith in Virginia. Her
people are law-abiding and devoted to their
State; and their ultimate action will, we be-
lieve, sustain our Judgment of the Vir.
ginia character. II that Legislature which
votes itself $4,000 OF $4,000 for doing
nothing does not pass the necessary mea-
slires 10 maintain this character unstained
it will be taithless to its trust and they
will have to render an account of the gross
delinquency.