Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-02-01
letter from Richmond.
Correspondence Of the Alexandra Gazette.
RICHMOND, January 81, 1873.

RICHMOND. January 81, 1873.
Tie fight over Sir. BzrtouE'5 tax till began
ia the HoGs. to-day. Both Mes5rs. Barbour
and Mofctt were detained fcou their stats by
sickuts5, aad the cuty Of op;biog for the
delcoce dev0;vad upon Speaker A|leu-Mr.
Lacy il the caai.-aua lie made very good
speech. lie dil got, however, get fully into
bis subject before The House adjourned. He
took the grouod that VIC have either to Increase
the rate Of taxation or rca6ju:t. His speech
WAS very temperate one. lie deprecated the
abuse that has been heaped upoa "the bloa.ed
bordhoier," and said that he did not farc7 the
use Of this language 10 speaking OF gentlemen
who hid loaned money to Virginia for her In;
terca! improvements. At the sameime he did
not hesitate to boldly proclaim bis views upon
this 1ucsiior-aalcd by some all. absorbing.
lie was 10 favor Ct such readjus;mant as
would bring the expenses OF the State within
her rec, ipt-. At the s.mctime he declared
he vas opposed to reputation. lie laid down
the orioioo, that any i0creas, Of taxation upon
property vas impracticabIe, and this, be said,
was the key note OF the whole scheme. lie
said that in 1850 the debt vas about one mil:
lion. Thcn the i1tcrnsl improvements sWa'Ied
il to thirly-ihrtc millions IN 1860 lie con
trasted the Coalition Of Virginia DOW and thea
that IT, SO far az revenue is c)Dcerocd. lie
said, since that time, our population had b:cn
decreased $40. 900; two thirds Ct taxable values
had fallen of; We have lost ooc hundred aud
sX:ccn millions ca personal property; have
los. by Cur slaves t7o hundred and forty
five million dollars; 10 Internal improve,
mcns thirty.sx nilion one hundred thous'
ard dollars, aod also az immense loss from
bark; indeed we have nothing left but the soil.
He claimed that the lundicg bill was piece
of unTise legislation. This was al. lie gave
| the gaot!emen Rho voted for il credit Tor being
aciua'cd ty honest and patriotic motives and
| did Dot abuse them. lie charactcrs ID the pas
sage CT the funding bill as az act of forcible re-
| Adjustment He said When the fuodng bill
passed there were eighteen hucdred thousand
dollars 10 the treasury, and TO day the State is
bankrupt ADD the Auditor is running through
| the streets trying to raise enough money to pay
the members their per diem, Aud yet 10 the
face Of these facts it was said that readjustment
vas not necessary. Uoder this state of affairs
reputation was working itself out. lie said
FIVE ~ million dollars would be due the lst of
July. How, he asked, do We propose to pay
this? VIII We repudiatc ii? Capitalize ii? II
it was to be paid, taxes must be increased. lie
asked what il your scheme? Do you propose
to tcudcr the creditors four per cent. bond
! with coupon attached when he has 10 his pocket
a six per cant bond with coupon attached, and
do you suppose he is going TO throw away the
latter for the former? At this poi6t in his ad-
dress the House adjour1ed He will continue
the discussion to morrow.
General joseph f. Johnston has signiGed
his iGtcntiOn 10 accept the nomination for Con.
gress from this distr;c,. OF course every one
will vote for the gallant old soldier and he will
60 through Tithous much trouble. But at the
same time, the friends OF the various candidates
feel great disappointment They had hoped
that the General would decline the proffered
honor. But it is not 10 any mans nature to
dCc'ioc nomination for Congress. 1t rested
with the General TO sly II will take il" and
he did sag So and he has it. II caonot be said
that the people CT this district are not grateful.
for General Johnstnn has not been living long
among them, but With one heart and one voice
they rendered Lees great lieutenant this honor
aud threw aside all ques!!o1s of age, experience
and qualifications.
Senator Stevens, the co!ored Senator from
GreensviIIe. is disguised. He says he will not
come b.ck to the Legislature again. The
pace - uOt WORTH the trOuOlc lie purposes
10 engage 10 mercantile business.
MIR. William II. G5sbt, one of R;chmond's
most popular Singers, is 10 give grand con
cert at Mozirt Hall on Saturday night. He
saw that everybody 10 town was going to hear
Rev. Mr.. Raiosford every night, ard he accord
inglywro;c to the church authorities askingthom
not to have services Saturday night. They
have coDplicd, and Mr. Grants concart will
be a success. Ali denominations are hocking
to hear Mr. Raosforl preach.