The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-03-21
Republication.

Reputation. 5...
In the House Of Delegates, IN the a's os
s,on Of Mr.. Ga,rrlra's resolution, Mr. h,p.
, nSs. ;. said. .Gentlemen may hurt tne
chs sn,,he, Of repudlationist, but l nufi IL
Ut wsh seorn and contempt" Bravo
p.nn,.,,nerR! It's vile epithet indeed
And auy proud virginian should hnrl II back'
and up. and down, and trample upon IL for
=. :. ,;is-ss vile as reputation itself-and
It is delightful to see Mr.. RIppLEpAaesR st,s-
,natiziug this great moral crime as II &C.
RI, II this Reputation be so horrible why
.,,v,d re nossproceed at once with oil our
IND md all our strength to take measures
a. oro;a itY Mr.. RIpDLEBARdER ana all Oh
W. .non that unless the States revenue Is
increased reputation is inevitable. AS 'hat
,s vile, why let us avoid it as we would the
~orst Of calamities, not excepting death it.
,o,f It is better to die with honor than
live in shame.
And yet, as noble as is the resentment OF
Mr. R1ppLnBARaER, he and all who concur
with him should have care 10 this critical
period lest they are betrayed into mistakes
Look at Mr.. GRIFFlrH's proposition: IL
urges upon the Legislature 10 refuse TO pay
the matured and past due obligations OF the
State and to take money out of the Treasury
70 buy the State bonds at discount. Mr.
Gs,rr,rH certainly did not understand thls
proposition in its true light, nor could Mr
Rmp1EBARGEs have criticised it closely
Yet what would the world think
iti A State refusing to pay hel
debts takes her money into the market anc
buys her own bonds at depreciation;
depreciation due to the fact that she has fallee
10 meet her obligations, to redeem her faith
plighted and replighted time and again. She
violates her honor and takes advantage o.
her own wrong. What would be the gene
raj judgment upon such State! 1t Wouio
be fearful. We scarcely know how Fr.
pinian could hold up bis head in the face Oh
it In any strange place.
A stout resolution, an indignant repudia'
tion of an unworthy motive, Is hne; out
noble words butter no parsnips. Ihey must
be sustained By proofs of the spirit OF honor
from which they proceed. AS General HAR-
VIE used to say, Resolutions don't build
railroads. Where's your money!" So that
when men repudiate reputation let them
show the "backability" of their resentment
by raising the money to prevent repudia-
ton. Give us the proof of the faith that is
in you.
We say, and We say it with pain, that the
Legislature of Virginia is just now in a bad
frame of mind. 1t Is in state OF impractl-
cability and incertitude. II it continues IN
this condition there will be no increased re-
venue, no payment Of interest except through
the funding-bil coupons; there will be de-
fcieucy in the Treasury to meet current ex'
penses, and the State will be absolutely bank
rupt.
Are gentlemen ready for this ? Does MIR.
GRIFFITH, who claims not to be repudia.
tor, think that he avoids reputation when
he says positively that he will not vote for
any increase of taxation whatever-either
by way of new subjects or on old ones?
And can Mr.. RIpDLEBARGER hope to prove
that he means not to repudiate, and that he
is determined to redeem the honor and good
faith of his mother-Virginia-by likewise
opposing any increase Of revenue!
We admire Mr.. RlDDLEBARGER's indigna'
ton at the imputation of being repudia-
zionist. We hope he will prove the faith
that is in him. We speak Of him and Mr..
GRIFFITH as representative men. Let them
come forth like gold refined in the furnace
aud show the injustice that has been done
them.
We tell gentlemen that crisis has come
about in the affairs of Virginia. The growth
Of her debt must be stopped or she must be-
come bankrupted, helpless old State, with
out the means to maintain her government.
If gentlemen can stand this picture without
another effort to avoid it, very well, let them
say SO. If they cannot, let them show their
State devotion by going to work with Vigor
and intrepidi:y to avoid fate the disastrous
consequences of which we cannot eVenim-
agine, much less describe. Now Is the time
to show public devotion and puoi'c honor.