The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-02-13
~. pn, 70 Discredis Coupons.

SATURDAY.. ...'''i
The Bill to Discredie Coupons /
The h,l.xnow pending in The House OF
Dclcgatts concerning counterfeit e'"po",
and recurring them to ec stamFe' W WY
Auditor as genuine before they are taseh v.
Tho s,crias In rayment OF taxes, IS uhoo@o''
od,v for the purrose OF excluding the -eon'
49, 90 much as possible from the treasury.
We do not think any one can pre'ens 'n"'
s,,ch bin Is needed for the proteceoh Oh
rna,;c officers from counterfeit coupons. IL
~ no necessary for that purpose, it weu'd De
A.oually necessary to require shesins 10 tahe
40 nk.rote which had not been stamped
the Auditor as genRiue. The sher'ns
he never asked any sach protection.
receive counterfeit notes the Auditor IS
no Obligation to receive those notes
them. He throws them out, and the
Pttf loses thern, or trace them TO those "ao
aid them to h;u, Ceuponscsuld take the
same course.
Fbe expedient IS fer no Other purpose ohah
that of obstructng the Use OF couPess TIC
paying the taxes Ibat wouid not DC cfeoE
table to Virginia. An evasion OF thst sesH
is unworthy OF a great STATE.
Virginia is not ipsovenr; and If she were :,
she should be upright and frank, ana 1,eVsF
attempt to avoid responsibility by ipdsrec.'os.
Such policy could not be oreditaofe 70
State, and must generate good seSfee 'oi
prejudice against the people OF any stS'c He-
sorting to it, ia the opinion OF tue %oh1.
The argument would be tina. such law cootd
hardly be made by The representatives. u
high.minded and generous people. Ifcfc-
fore we consider the pending bill asanyeAais
but just and upright.
The dscussieu dupon it has been eZc-teo,
and occasionally Acrimonious. Such snssSt
ne the character of any de5ate on Bill "t
this kind. The very purpose OF the on h''o'
excite the Misrepresentation f those ~ao are
not under the impulse Of se,ne prcJo&leeor
passion, and no defence OF measure 40
yolving wrong can be madesIithout a'sShne
OF excitement. The divine impulse Ws'in
is called conscience restra;Bs wrong utl! al
is overcome by passion. The" nina nfa'
conceive justification ip sonse fanc'ed grey
ance before its doubts can. be Feconclte0 aEo
It's better judgments overcome.
It is hard for SGte to be dellnquent-
worse for it to adopt the tactics oil eoasaoE.
AS to the funding bill, the record oil this pa
per is consistent. Ut never advocated that
bill. It's silence was caused byta feeling oi
respect for the public viii, The. 1ebt was q
heavy weight. as al! admitted, andI. was 'due
to the representatives Of the people that they
should make the hest disposition Mey cou'd
of it. We torbore to discuss the proposition
further than TO express 4 regret that it in
cuded the accrued Sa!er2st in The bonds
that were 10 pay interest. We expressed
the same most earnest regret that
the intcres, accrued DINING the war had
been funded in 1866 It wasa wrong 20 our
people. That interest should have been al
together abatsl. The Suie creditors would
have consented readily TO Sc giusta decision.
Indeed, we ate profoundly OF opinion. that
in 1866 the cree tors would gladly haVceco
ssented to 4 razng of the State debt >ttly
cents in the doRGr with sir per cent. on tEat.
But the people a' Virginia, through th@ir
representatives, otherwise ordered. 2be
whole debt was resumed, and the accrued
interest was funded In X-per-cent- paying
bond. Furthermore: the pcot9e. ot 'Iirassa-d a,
Through their repre-, cntatives, affirmed and
Teatiened this bash of settlement. 'The
funding act was pas,e d, and it U:as declared
constitutional By the ) upretne Cd'hrt.
And. Eere We are. We cannot rcpndiate
that act, sud We cannot rcpudae the 'con'
pons. We see no recoisd sc but TO pay them.
We do believe that a taN snay be leyFed tina;
will pay them. But whether that be doneas
not, He LOAF he the idea OF Virginia shlrk'n=
her creditors, and under tl'e-,harp devhe> ol
cunning and salse pretence s svadlns tlhe re-
sponsibilites which her own laws and Iher
own tribunals hs.e decided to be ilnaV"ld'
able.
This is our position. Bcliev inc { hat it is she
true ground OF honor, we shall ,1eplorc ,he
passage Of this counterfeit co,lplg bill ss a
dire calamity to the STATE. lrat better %
nnthipp