The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-05-01
The Public Debt.

the funding bill and the debt question SEEK
;ne to accomplishs There is no Legislature
to attend to their arguments. The DEBT Is
nc deaf and immutabIe as the law which Gre
ated and defends it. Are they try ing to force
the issue upon the people at the fall e'ec'
tionss Are we to have canvass Win
q nav - on one banner and "repud'ation "
on the other? Ii this is not the object with
which these Journals keep up their Gamma
hle iteration " Imagination fails to explain
their course. e..
For our part, we are ready for the hght,
Int have TO say in advance that those VINO
bring it on need not count on making Tue
mischief and then dragooning other people
| into the ranks by prostituting the name OF
marty to their designs upon the creoit OF
Virginia. Make the ISSUE II you please.
March out to battle with your creoltors'
with Horace Lacy at the head OF the column,
and some other delnagogue bringing up inc
rear-guard to catch the strangers; put rely
upon il. that the men who believe thaI Inc
| State is able and 10 duty bound TO discourage
her obligations are not going to be comDeiieo
by any parry lash, or any other implement
of political comphlsion, 10 follow pain
which can only lead TO the shame ana ruin OF
| those who tread ii.
bas been played with some measure OF sue
! cess in days gone by. But 1t may DE attempt-
ed once too often. 1t may do even now 10
| some portions of~Virglnia-ln parts Oh Tue
Southwest and Lower Valley, where the
poorer classes are IS absolutely depehuen'
IInon the landowners as was ever peasant TO
the French baron during feudal times. But
tho advance of civilization and the increase
or means of communication between man
and man have changed all this so far as
the cities, and towns, and tbickIy-SestIed
communities are concerned. The poor
man, whether he be deliver, me
ch,nic. tenant, or Small-hoider,
now knows that bis own prosperity oepehos
on an infux Of capital and resuscltation o'
enterprise in the State. IL IS 10 the poor
men that the demagogues appeal when they
waot votes for their scheme of Republication;
but 10 so doing these organs are represent
ing the dishonest rich and deceiving the
honest and toilins masses. AS long as our
credit IS worthless and our bonds are dis.
bonored it is useless to write long editorials
about the advantages Virginia offers to
settlers, Nobody wants to buy land
that the owners thereof do not con-
slider worth the legitimate taxes. Nor
can we hope for the trained artisans or
the enterprising businessmen of any
other section to come into community
which, while taxing its merchants and me-
chauicS TO the last extreme, is so tender Of
the feelings Of its landowners as to accept
dishouor rather than lay upon them the bur
den which the Constitution requires and
which Justice demands. The use and disfrl-
button of money is whattb poor man needs.
Ancestral acres are to him but remem-
brance Of buried things. In matters that
move and breathe he must have his being.
Taxation Is the smallest item in his yearly
expenses. He pays dollar for bis privilege
of voting and for bis right to send his
children to the public school. The rails.
lug or reduction Of the rates on property or
income affect him as much as the ghost OF
Macsuiey would the shadow of the tabled
New Zealander. He wants money and men
invited. he needs the establishment OF pew
enterprises, the opening OF new factories.
the erection Of new shops, the incoming OF
new people, the Improvement OF new
grounds, the development of resources, the
fIoud-tide of new money. Everything that
| tends to bsing about these advances Is caro-
ia his ftyor; everything that contributes to
their hiDdrance is to his disadvantage.
Alone of all the nations these people
would have Virginia stand, oVerbearing all
her honorable history with brand az indel-
lble as that of leprosy, aud adding to her
sorrows Of defeat and disaster the stigma OF
disgrace. And they would accomplish this
outrage with the help of the very class that
has the most to gain by honesty, the most to
lose by dishonesty. They put on the garb
of Lazarus in order to serve Dives, aud come
forth laughing from feast of the tongues Of
uightineales and dissolved pearls to pretend
to particularly about the crumbs that their
tables lave discarded.
Fortsnately just now people are doing
their owe thinking. 1t is well for the couD.
try at large; hence the downfall of the AID.
ministration and its supporters! 1t is also
we'll for the Commonwealth No livery Of
heaven wal! now induce good men to follow
the emissaries Of Satan; and no power on
earth will make US disclaim debt which was
4 incurred by our fathers. and the proceeds of
/ which are being used by ourselves
I The gentaanen on the other side who think
we are not in earnest alay put this ia their
pipes and SNAKE it:-Pa:erSturg StGr.