The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-06
Our COPY is from the publisher.
!. n. ".;'. IFor the Dispatch.l
John c.: Calhoun and s. s. PrentfSs
z, .!.,#t''l'E ~, Rapud a ION. '''''

80 -.-' 49, Oh Reputation. 49,. .,.,...s.r
History, it has been said, is philosophy
teaching by examples. In these days OF re-
pudiati on and semi-repudiation, under the
plausible and deceptive, name OF August
me7,t, it may be useful, to recall one memo
rable example as a warning to the present
generation Of what has been done and said
about reputation in. former times. One OF
the most interesting and instructive sources
Of Information on the subject that the 'wri-
ter has lately met with is the &c Memoir Of
S. S. T entiss,'' in which may be found a
full account of the gifted Mississippi ora
tors connection with this unhappy ques-
ton, which was assailed by him with all the
powers rot his mighty intellect and match
less. eiouuence. It was in the; year
ls4e that the hydra of Reputation first
reared ats head in Mississippi, and for four
wears it WAS the leading question that more
than all. others occupied public attention.
The following extract from letter written
by S. S. Prentiss TO q gentlemanI1n England
who, or some; OF whose friends, had made
an inyestmeDtin Union BGnE bonds. ISSUED
under authority of the Legislature OF Mis-
sissippi, and for the redemption OF which
the faith of the State was pledged,) will be
sufficient to explain the origin and history
OF this question: -. :, w.. &C.,.
t "In the present instance Reputation re-
suited out OF a contest between two polit-
lfcal parties, though it formed no element
Of either. These two parties were very
| equally divided, and slight influence was
sufficient to give to either the preponder-
ance. at this iuncture a .fe,o reclctesS and
pr0figate de'nag0gueS, observing the en-
barrassed state OF the country, which was
then at its height, seized upon the idea OF
repudiasing the public debt, and threw it as
makeweight. into their own side OF the
political scales. A few persons-for the
most part among the ignorant: and credu-
lous-alarmed at the thought Of increased
! taxation, phich the de1nGg0gueS told them
,couid consume all their substance, and eX-
cited by; artful appeals to their preiudices
and bold assertions OF fraud on, the part OF
the purchasers OF the public bonds-were
led, away by this dishonest doctrine. and
thus enabled their, false and crafty leaders
to succeed in placing their party in power"
J, How like this picture is the one now pre-
sented in Virginial The same .artful ap-
peals to the prejudices Of the people against
The fraudulent and bloated bondholder; the
same cutlery about increased taxation the
same contempt for the .plighted faith Of the
| State-showing that the pestilent race OF
demagogues that ,flourished in Mississippi
fhirty-odd years ago have their living pro-
totypes in those of the present day. What
| reproof to all such the following manly
and eloquent words Of John C.. Calhoun, as
expressed by him in letter written at the
time that the shameless idoctrine of repudi-
tion was threatening to spread from Missis-
sippiinto other States OF the Union:
81 pledge myself that South Carolina will
pay punctuaily every dollar she owes,
4 81 m bp In 81 ~,
CURING sohether it eoas spent aoisely or fool
ishly. Should I in this be. by possibility
mistaken-should she tarnish her unsullied
honor and bring discredit on our common
country by refusing to redeem her plighted
faith (Which hold impossibleH deep as is
| my devotion to her, and mother, as she is to
me. would disown her." .'.,.
Shall Yirginians be less sensitive as to the
reputation and honor Of their State than
this noble son OF South Carolina? T. j.
BoTEToURT COUNTY, October IL, 1877. .