The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-22

Yet. in both respects neE Naiuo ~
tive rather than present, and Ior angn. .naI
I can see tothe contrary sue VII navy s.,.s W
ioan very considerably upon the tntufc
~, ,eaa the day OF her resurrection. These
Tisosters will not be laid ut the
door of Virginia by any sane and
disinterested people, and hun1bly submit
that II when Virginia was allowed in some
sort 70 reassume her own responsibilities
She had thrown off n weight which could
scarcely with propriety be called her own
we should have heard but little about either
the Injustice or dishonor OF the transaction.
Unfortunately, however, some OF our wise
financialists found such prodigious stores OF
wealth underlying our PROSTATE fields ana
wasted industries that they seemed to sup.
pose we could double the public debt ana
still throw it of without any sort OF d'1-
Guilty. These hasty and childish estimates
were sent North and to Europe, and the
debt became one Of honor II not one OF JUS
tice. -,
Now, il the debt can be paid no one VIII
be more pleased to learn the fact than tue
present writer; but am sadly airaid IL
never will be paid without most thorough
change in both our public and private sys-
tens. Our legislators must be more wisely
chosen. and must be expected TO address
themselves to the public good, and not 10
the wbims and interests OF their favorltes !;
they must not only have earnest hearts, but
clear heads; so that when they construct
punch.law again they will not be liable 10
The suspicion that they were little unaer
the influence of the LIQUID to be puncneo:
Our people, also, must come to leei that
they are all Virginians; and should Try 10
strengthen one another's hands from Tie
promptings of a sound and LOFTY PATRIOTISM.
We may pirate as we will about paying Tue
public debt; but we will scarcely pay IL by
| the methods now in use. Let us look at tue
Situation as seeu through the eyeglasses. OF
plain old citizen.
In the country the most energetic are Just
bcpinnipe to recover from the prostratlons
oS the past. and, with their best endcavors,
they more often get new clog than they
throw off an old one. Here is one fact
which will illustrate n myriad: a small but
very desirable farm, whose buildings are
worth $4,000, was offered for Sl,1o0, IN
GLIDING crops, farming implements, ana
stock. and it is yet without a buyer. In
our cities the case is bad enough, though
from different causes. In Richmond, for
eyamnle. we have in various departments
~ trade sonic of the most skilful and hon
oroble mechanics in the world, and yet
many of them lang1lish and almost starVe,'
while our thoughtless people send their
money abroad to. build up the interests OF
other communities. One may go through
Richmond any day and he Will hnd tue
articles mostly sold are OF outside manufac-
ture: and vet our homemade wares, ac-
cording to quality, are often cheaper. Ihe
same facts, l make no doubt, hold good OF
the other Virginia cities. There are many
Confederate soldiers in Richmond who
made q right noble comment on the insult
ing text, "Virginia will buster great
deal, but she will not fight; but these
heroic fellows must be lett to their fate,
while DIR magnanimolls people must get
their matches and stoves and carriages from
abroad.
All this must be changed il we would pay
the public debt, or, indeed, havethe respect
OF the people who get the benefit of our abb
surditics. In Richmond we must regain the
spirit OF 1861 y, when our men and women
presented spectacle of elevated patriotism
worthy the admiration Of the world. Our
other cities must do the same-not in mlta-
ton OF Richmond, but from their own ar-
probation OF the crisis. Then, perhaps, Il
"chan@e may come over the spirit OF our
dream "-slowly at first, but afterwards
more rapidly.
When we see our legislators paying re-
spectful attention to our Governors sensi-
bic and earnest response to their own suS-
gestions about 'retrenchment; when we see
our banks and merchants give the prefer
ence to our own mechanics; and when we
see our women (whom Heaven bless go in
quest of odd Dominion matches, and Dixie
brooms, and Richmond stoves, and the like,
then we may hope that our people arc grow
ing patriotic, and that by the next ccnten-
NAL we shall have lifted the public debt.
HoPEwELL,G HANOVER, VA. j. X. Il.