The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-09-07
Mr. Barbour. Of Culpeper.

The nomination Of Mr.. JAMES BARBOUR,
OF C,llpeper. for the House OF Delegates, is
a triumph OF the extreme men on the finan-
cial question. Mr.. BARBOUR is 4 smart
statesman. and hi, ingenuity has been con-
spicuous in the measures he has had charge
of. Judge STRoTuER. the former member,
holds opinions not widely different from
Mr.. BARBoUR'S. He declined to go into con-
vention with AIr. BARBOUR, we suppose,
because Mr.. BARBOUR disregarded the action
of the Conservative nominating convention
on one or more occasions heretofore. In
deed, Mr.. BARBOUR has very feeble claims
upon that party. What Mr.. STRoTHER will
do he has not announced; but that is mat
ter OF no great Importance.
Mr.. BARBOUR has already given spcci-
men OF his ingenuity Of invention. In one
OF his recent speeches he made, IN attack
upon the funding act, and developed to the
people plan by which he thought the ope-
ration OF that act might be frustrated. We
gather some account Of it from letter writ
ten by friend OF Mr.. BARBOUR's to the
Richmond Wing. This plan proposed the
issuing by the State Of certificates Of debt
OF small denominations, to be sold to taN-pay-
ers either for less or at the same price as the
coupons that are receivable in taxes-say
at eighty cents in the dollar. These would
be receivable by the State at par, she losing
twenty per cent. upon them, but getting
eighty cents in the dollar in cash, and this
she would have to pay government expenses
with-whie she cannot do anything with
the coupons but cancel them.
This adroit proposition is quite charac-
teristic of Mr.. BARBOuR's subtle genius;
but we hardly suppose that the Virginia
Legislature would favor it. 1t would re-
duce the taxes twenty per cent, and thus
greatly finnish the ability of the State to
reduce that Indebtedness, which will be q
cause OF trouble and disputation as long as
it lasts. But it is more than probable when
the State enters the market to assist in de-
grading her own credit that the tax-receiy-
able coupon will be further degraded, and
leave the State no alternative but to further
impair its tainted reputation; and there is
no telling how much the revenue may be
Iessened in the competition. Such state
OF things might please man who had no
thought above getting rid Of taxes; but it
would be far from satisfactory to q true and
loyal citizen, who would be sure to per-
ceiye that upon him would fall his share OF
the dishonor that recoils upon Virginia, as
we'll as OF that ultimate payment which
would have to be met by the Common
wealth. -l1F&/ :" a
We, Of course, know not what Mr. BAR
3oUR's scheme is beyond this development.
He is bent on doing what he can to render
the funding act nugatory. We shall see
what he and those cooperating with him
can do, and SO will they. But situated and
circumstanced as Virginia is--one Of the
proudest OF the United States standing In
sight Of the National capital, where no idea
at variance With public honor and State
solvency is ever dreamed olive cannot un-
derstand how any measure that involves
compulsory adjustment or reputation can
triumph in this old Commonwealth. But
agitation must have its day. By-and-bye
there will be brought together the agitators
and the calm, and wise, and firm repre-
sentatiyes OF the State, and they together
will stand fronting the situation and. all the
circumstances that surround it, and we
shall see what they will do with it. That
will be time for trying notonIy mems wis
dom, but mems honor and Dilblie devotion