The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-09-24
Virginia.

Virginia debt had not used the word sex
istence" with regard to the securing money
for the support Of the Government. He
SAYS, ssTo secure the existence OF Govern
ment." Is there any doubt about raising
the means for that? Have the people come
to such pass OF indifference to the Com
mouwealth rs that they might not iee'
obliged to support it.? The word implies
se.rfn,,v TOO much. 1t implies the posi-
bility Of the perishing OF the stare iol INC
want OF that necessary to its existence
r.yenne This should never be thought OF.
VI the people of Virginia have come to sueo
. mass "a to make her support doubtful, we
shonId think it time that they should vote
themselves unfit for self-goyernmcnt, ana
,v;tbdrav. that some more capable commu-
nity might enter the realm and rule the
country Cor us. .a".-
We have no such idea as that the Nir-
ginians are unwilling to support the Gov
eminent, or that they are unfit for Seif-goY-
eminent. They are still Eirginians-wor-
thv descendants OF noble sires. True, many
have been dcludcd by the "prophets OF
eyiI"a the demagogues, who, to get places
where they can live upon the Government,
represent the people as oppressed that they
may win their gratitude by offering to help
them out OF their troubles. The trick has
succeeded so far rs. to deceive many; but
those many will be undeceivcd In time, and
live to anathcmatize those by whom they
were deluded.
Mr.. HUNTER, we are sure, meant only to
use q phrase which had sort OF technical
accuracy-one strictly explicit in political
sense. But it does more. 1t implies q
rather forlorn condition.
We look upon Virginia as more happily
conditioned by far than she has been since
the war. With the whole South she reloices
that all her southern sisters have been set at
liberty by the conciliatory policy OF Presi-
dent HAYES. She reioices that now all the
South can, without interruption from Fed
eral interference, proceed with their do
mestic industry and plans OF Improvement
They are indeed free. But sue has had the
advantage over others, since she has gov
cred herself and been free from the opprcS-
sions Of Radical rule since 1870. She has
had longer freedom and she is better off than
some OF them. ..
1t is no time for dependency, and we
deplore that some people should still re-
present her public affairs as badly OIL. We
are getting better and better. II the next
Legislature be wise steps may be taken to
put an end to the gloomy apDrehenslons
and the baleiul agitation OF demagogery,
which are now doing the State much harm.
II the law taxing drinks is honestly en-
forced that will make up the deficit of rere-
nue.. If it is not honestly enforced it will
nevertheless yield considerable revenue
quite enough, with reasonable assessment,
close collections. and economy, to meet the
demands OF the Government. But there is
the sinking-funG, which article y, section
Sth, of the Constitution directed TO be estab-
lishcd. That fund amounts now to about
four million and half Of dollars. The
annual interest upon it amounts to about
S370,000.
Last year the Legislature failed to pro-
vide for this interest. Suppose this in
leTcSI uaO uScu l1oNAatSo Ava AASSSeSA IL
"peelers " at $50 it would have purchased
5000, 1000 OF them in one year, or S1,eO0,0O0
in two years. This more than sweeps away
the deficit about which so much fuss has
been made and is now being made.
This industrious &c sinking fund.-" which,
properly attended to, would be ever wear
ing away the public debt, will utterly wipe
it out OF existence in less than genera
ton. What, in the name OF reason, then, is
the occasion for the commotion in the
State? Personal ambition and demago-
gerry are at the bottom OF it all. Nothing
else. The worst thing about the public
debt is that demagogues are raising great
excitement over it as means OF getting
themselves into the public offices and liv-
ing upon the money of the State whose
credit they are doing all they can to impair.
II the people only exercise proper discre-
ton and send proper men to the Legisla-
ture these demagogues will disappear like
locusts, and, disappearing, remain seques-
trated until the next epoch Of excitement,
which naturally gives wing to them.
The State, SO far from being straitened for
the means Of "eXistence," is going on to
flourish with her very good people, who, in
the long run, will be faithful and true and
see that their State shall lose nothing Of her
good fame. ~ r.