The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-05
Inndersigned, yours eprea tatiyes.i Intended

perpetuation ef the government In oil its
power and dignity &as essential 10 the
peace, good order, aud safety OF society as
essential to the due preservation OF the lid
erty and welfare OF the people; and as es-
sential to the best interests OF the pubic
creditor, as the only means OF securing TO
all-the consol and the peeler-a rightful
and EQUITABLE share OF oil that the people
are able to pay; Us the surest means OF
avoiding tue necessity OF formally repudia-
ting the peeler and accrued-interestp portions
OF the debt, In which the policy OF INAcTIoS-
the policy OF the funders-must eventuate ;
as the only means OF enabling. the State TO
contribute that aid to her public schools,
literary and humane institutions, cssentla!
to their due and proper maintenance; ano
as the only means Of inspiring the people
with vigor and hope and saving the Tom.
monwealth from decay. /,
2. That the authority to levy taxes and
control the collection and disbursement OF
revenues in conformity with the organic
law is ar, inalienable attribute of'the soye-
reionty OF the Commonwealth which the
General Assembly can and must exercise,
but Is powerless to ALLEVIATE.
q. That the support of the public free
schools is positive mandate Of the Constr
pose OF the people. 49,.
/. That in assigning TO the public. credit
ors the remaining revenue OF the State carer
thus providing for the due support OF tne
government, its schools, and its necessary
humane and literary institutions, undcr q
rate of taxation which you have declared
the highest which can be. borne and the
highest to which you will submit, all the
equities Of the case were fully, and fairly
satisfied. and nothing more could be done
or ought to be demanded.
This bill-the fruit Of our best efforts for
lust aud reasonable settlement OF this
question OF the debt-aiter receiving the
approval or both branches Of the Assembly,
failed to become law by lie interposition
of the Executive veto, and our endeavors
to execute your will were thus abruptly
nulhfed By the Executive OF the State
After this extraordinary exercise OF the
veto, served upon us at the heel OF the ses-
sion by an officer who stood pledged by his
own pronounced opinion that this question
Of the debt belonged properly to the Legis-
lature, not to the Executive; who, having
afterwards, in his inaugural address, de-
clared that the whole question was whether
the State was able to pay the cntire debt.
and that this was for the Legislature to de-
termine, yet has himself undertaken TO de-
termine it and to abrogate the solemn and
deliberate conclusions OF the representa-
tiycs OF the people to whom the subject had
been RENTED, and to whom it properly be-
longed, no more could be done, DISTRACTED
by fhe causes and restrained by the agencies
to which we have adveIted, than to ask that
you might be allowed to deal with the vital
question in your sovereign capacity by Il
constitutional convention or not, is you
should for yourselves determine. ....
The Supreme Court OF Appeals OF your
State has recently and more vchemently re-
affirmed the inVolability Of the funding act,
and in effect has undertaken to erect q SUI
prcmacy for its demands, which, annibila-
ting popular sovereignty, is to be endowed
with the control not only OF the revenues
Of the Commonwealth, but practically OF
whatever else may come to her convertible
into money, and to that absolute extent
which necessities. and in terms suggests,
that you, by your Legislature, ought to and
must raise the rate OF taxation to such an
amount as will pay full interest upon the
debt and support the government, its
schools, and its institutions, while tie Exc
cutire OF your State has said substantially
that your public schools are a luxury and Il
fraud by you upon the public faith. faint
upon the character Of, your children, and
that your schools, literary and humane ill.,
stitution, and even the State itself, should
perish unless the provisions OF the funding
bill are carried out. >1.... G.i
This state of the case brings you face to
face with the great question OF sovereignty
the life OF the State and the well-being OF
all it's citizens-wbich can. only be dealt
with through the agency OF unconstitutional
convention. The very preservation OF the
government. the support OF the schools, and
the necessary support OF your humane and
literary Institutions, and in reality your
freedom and civilization, are ut once inn
perilled. Your are called upon to bear 4
heavy increase Of present burdens-!ull
fifty per cent. upon the existing rates OF
taXation-or stand Idly by and allow these
evils to come, and with them the burning
shame OF direct reputation OF all other than
tie consot portion Of the debt-the inevita-
bic result OF inaCtion-the policy OF the
funders-or else rise in your majesty, and
by the inherent powers Of sovereignty take
directly in hand the situation and enforce
such readj uStment OF the debt rs the
equities and imperious necessities OF the
Commonwea her people. and her for
tunes, with due regard to every just right
and claim and the best interest OF the crc-
ditor, mutually demand. by this decree
the Court has TO such extent invaded the
heretofore well-Getined powers Of . coOrdi-
nate branch OF the government as TO render
your Legislature powerless any longer TO
deal definitely with the situation to afford
that relief it demands, otherwise than to
make the hcretofore-stated necessary in
crease Of your taxes, which the under
signed were elected pledged not to do, and
do not understand it to be your wish that
they should, if, indeed, they were prepared
to advise you to so instruct your representa-
tives.
The disordered condition OF affairs and the
perils which have suddenly accumulated and
now come to threaten the life OF our govern
ment and your freedom are such rs to de-
mand that deliberate concern and immediate
treatment which representative body fresh
from the people, empowered to enact their
sovereign will, can only and ought to I'M
dertake to exercise:
Therefore, we, the undersigned, members
OF the General Assembly, deem it to be their
solemn duty to advise that you take mea-
sures to give efficiency and effect to your
will, by public meetings, to be held as
you may elect, and the organization OF COM
mittees for each representative district, and
we advise that you declare the following as
the principles OF your faith in respect here
of, to be consistently observed and earnestly
promoted by your representatives:
First. The sovereignty of the Common
wealth as to her domestic affairs.
Second. The right OF the people, through
their representatives, 10 determine the man
ner and rate Of taxation.
Third. The right OF the people, by and
through their representatives, to control the
revenues OF the State.