The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1877-08-22
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similarity Of position, and suggest dis
similarity Of intention. Tie public debt
weighs upon the right thinkers of Virginia
aS burden heavy indeed to hr borne, but
not to be weighted down with the intolera-
he addition Of the load of reputation
The Richmond Shte expresses tho senti-
ment which found voice lnthe resolve Of the
Convention. 1t says Tho payment Of the
debt is the only great pfinciple-for il has
become a principle now underlying the
politics of Virginia; aud it is not only
political, but great social and commercial
question. involving S j, does the whole fu-
ture Of the State"
: We are 10th to believe that the people Of
North Carolina arc less sensitive to their
honor or incliued to be less faithful to their
engagements than the men of Virginia.
There was perfect parallel in the origin
Of the obligatory debts Of the two States,
and there was in both the same facility for
their creation ID character for honor ne,
yer sullied BY stain, and ide,ity to
obligations never Swallowed by suspicion.
There ought to 10 continued parallel in
tie purpose u preserve that character, and
% redeem those obligations. Virginia un-
like North Carolina. is able TO make no
Determinations between galid indebtedness,
and that not valid. She was never 1t the
mercy of that carpet bag army, whose fn-
gers. to apply the language Of Judge Black.
reached into the pockets Of posterity who
anticipated the labor of coming years aud
appropriated ;heaa IN advance; who coined
the industry Of future generations into cash.
and snatehed the inheritance from children
whose fathers were unborn. Her debts on,
the contrary. are the creation Of her own
people. and the proceeds applied to their
own use. North Carolina was sufficiently
toe mark Of carpet bag rapaciiy but it is
fortunately not only in her power. but it is
her duty. 10 dishonor those drafts made
upon her pOsteriiy aud to make the distinc-
tion between valid and invalid debts so
broad that they cannot BY possibility be
coDfOunded. The Two States are then plac-
ed exactly upon the same footing. and We
do not see any step that Virginia can take
that i not strictly applicable to North Ca
rolina with this disadvantage to the for
iner. that her valid debt is double that Of
the latter. and part Of il incurred for that
unholy creation Of the war. the State Of
West Virginia. which utterly disdains all
share Of responsibility.
Il is true, as the Raleigh Observer says,
tha: Virginia IS troubled 70 provide Tor in-
terest upon the Recognized debt; and that
the time is far distant when any Southern
State can make IN adjustment Of lis debt
that will be satisfactory 70 its creditors that
will not necessitate much higher rate Of
taxation than is nov paid BY the people.
and auch higher than can be paid by them
All Of which is undoubtedly trne for the
present, aud fo- some time TO come. All
We caa ask. and al We can DO, is to protest
agsinst that loose morality shicb comforts
itself with doing no worse than others have
done. or that leyiiy which eontemplaies the
fall Of great State from il commanding
height Of honor with the same indifference
~ the bankruptcy 81 village shop keeper.
The times demand the steruest contest
against such influences; they demand tie
most esrnest effort fOr the restoration Of
TIN, primitive purity which would not tolc-
rate tic faint u disl,onar; they demand Tie
eradie.iion of those teachings of prolOng-
ed war which made the practice q virtue
Or vice alike indiHcreLi and efTsced I'll dis
tihcslons between them.
Neither tho politicians nor the press DO
justice to the people. They dlrparage their
intelligence aud they degrade their virtue
when IN truth. al the great progressive
movements Of i1te have been successful ON
y when the politician and The demagogue
q de press have been thrust aside, aud the
people spoke eat 10 their majestic su,Losi.
v.
Tie Convention movement Owed is stu.
pcndcus success to tho people. far more -.
gaeioas than iheir would be leaders. Ths
i@golse to education bss been given By tue
spontaneous demand oflhs people, pressing
forward over the tagging hardness u legis.
lasion. And the sentiments II State bonor
viii uIssys abide viiA liz people, = take
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