Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-03-06
\ PIOUS FRAUD,

dVlloeIalrIf 81
PIOUs FRAUD.
BY planting seeds ofrepudlati"n in the
organic law, The fruits of which they
proposed tn reafIrr 10 gather
Whatever value may be pul upon
the school system, However much We
may hope from its tnture growth, the
Constitution does not put ii on any
higher grounI than the debt then ow.
ed. 1t could not without absolute
qualification.
Its trainers and the people who
adopted it saw no virtue in an educa-
lion for their posirrty of the meals
of getting which they would ever be
ashamed. They looked mp the debt
as OF too high dignity thus to be
treated. because it was an obligation
then in being, and recognized as hay-
inc both a legal and moral force. And
in that very instrument which the bill
c,lls the fundamental law, OF sucf
binding power, they acknoTledse OF
provide for the payment OF the then
and now existing debt in six separate
clauses. That the whole of an instru,
mpn. must be taken togo ther to arrive
at the intention is
CASsN or CONSTRUCTION
we learn in the horn-books. To save
The makers and endorsers, | think
that they ought TO have The benefit Of
that clDon
But the friends of the bill say that
the amount of tax is specified within
certain limits, which shall be laid Ton
the support of free schools, and which
is binding on the Legislature. So
much worse for their argument. Fol-
the Constitution does not limit the
amout which shall b. laid for the pay
meut of the dekt, and which i. at least
none the less obligatory.
| canuot, therefore, sec how lhepre
amble saves the bill. either uppn the
ground OF necessity for the prescrva-
ton Of the States sovereignty AM ex-
strnce, or the obligation OF The organ
ic law l. is fiat denial Of the latter
in its refusal to carry out It's pr0yis-
81 Jns for the payment of the debt.
NOR CAM SEE
how the fifth clause bring, any relief
In my view am not aware of any
power in the legislature to take away
or force the creditors 'to compromise
their legal rights And If it had,
would it be any solace, after having
used it., say 1t was not meant Nor is
it any moro solace, after having in
this very act taken away those rights.
to tell them it is only done "wiIh Il
purpose to secure an adjustment o the
debt" l. there any better time than
now to carry ont the purpose!
This bill does not help to that end.
am sorry to say | see no peace in it.
1t is a proclamation of war against
those to whom we are in debt II is
an array ofahe creditors Under the
Constitution OF the State we have
sworn tosupport there i a tribunal TO
decide that issue Beyond the State
there is
.Sn7trp CONSTITUTION T., only
which. as the supreme law, orr oalbs
equally bind u.s. Under its provisions
there is tribunal to which there is
appeal. These have been both spo-
ken. Why seek them again, even
though sure Of effecfing reversal.
when we can try TO "secure an adjust
nent" which ill bring peace without
loss of sine or credit ?
Is it beneath the dignity Of The State
to look upon it as a plain business
matterl The creation of the debt was
go. Why not its payment or adult
meut? 1t is not by seemingly indi
rect or doubtful ways that things That
are good and great are done. am
very sure you do not mean such ways
though the world might think Jon did.
ADD that by some subtle alchemy you
to dissolve that golden chain
which hove vsr or wherever We may
90. must always bound and bind both
State and men.
FRED W. NJ. HOLIDAY.