The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-02-12

paid interest, which will in q few years
oyerwhelm us by its magnitude. What we
want is compromise and settlements now,
and he takes upon himself q fearful respon.
sibility who insists upon measure that
must defeat this object.
But, sir, suppose that we could by this
bill relieve ourselves Of our whole debt,
principal and interest, would it be wise
in us to pass It.? Can there be any compen-
sation for the loss Of credit and position
among the nations Of the earth which Viz
ginia would inevitably suffer? We have the
fearful example OF Mississippi before us.
In 1870 the Governor OF that State, native
OF this State, regret to say, In time OF
high party excitement recommended that
the bonds of the State in the hands OF her
creditors should no longer be acknowledged
as binding upon her-should be dishonored,
should be repudiated. His recommends
tion. in an evil hour, was needed and
adopted. ssFdciie descensus auerni." The
way to the Internal regions is easy; and the
way to reputation is Just rs easy IL public
men will keep up the agitation and press
the people with specious arguments and
declarations OF their inability to pay and OF
the iniqutty and injustice Of the debts on
account OF which they must be taxed.
DuC WudI Will UC GuO lSSull .
Disgrace and ruin must follow. Look ut
Mississippi. She has become by-word
among the commercial nations Of the earth.
Her SONS land she has many noble ones) can
not 90 to the great cities OF this or the other
continent and engage the attention OF men
OF capital to any enterprise, however pro-
missing, within her borders. She is stunned
as il she were very leper. We have heard
but recently that one of the prominent men
OF Mississippi, gifted and accomplished, and
honored wherever he is known, upon being
urged to 60 to Europe in the interest OF
some great scheme for the benefit Of the
South, mournfully declined, saying that it
would be useless for a Mississippian to go
abroad, that no one would listen to the ap-
peals from the repudiating State. Thirty
eight years ago she committed this wrong,
and she yet bears the mark Of shame upon
her brow. The credit OF State, when once
defaced, can never be restored. I read the
utterances Of the great statesman Of South
Carolina on this subject. My friend from
Amelia has always honored him, and will, |
am sure, respect any Of his opinions.
Mr.. Calhoun on one occasion said:
"I pledge myself that South Carolina will
nav punctualy every dollar she owes,
should it take the last cent, without in
curing whether it was spent wisely 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 I hold impossible), deep'as is
nv devotion to her, and mother as she is to
me. would disown her,"
Whether we propose to repudate or not,
let us remember that the eyes OF the world
are now upon Virginia; that her every act
will be closely scrutinized, and that we
must by our acts here give renewed assu-
rance Of her fidelity to all the glorious ira
dtions of her past history. In after years,
if ans OF lis should feel that we had done
ANYTHING to bring reproach upon her fair
name it would be better for US that we had
never been born. The gentleman from She
nandoah, in his able opening OF this dis
cussion, in very graphic terms depicted the
poverty of Virginia, and said that after the
war she was left only with her soil, and that
drenched with the blood Of her best sons.
Sir this makes this land the more sacred
and dear to US than ever. Virginia gave
her noblest sons to perish in defence OF
her honor; the whole face OF the Com
monwealth is Scared with the graves
of those who laid down their lives
for her. Let us feel that we are drawn
nearer to her, that she is dearer to us in her
hours OF trial and distress, and that we
must stand together in upholding that
honor for the maintenance Of which our
fathers and brothers have died. 1t has been
said that the flag Of Virginia bears upon il
"the proudest motto that ever blazed upon
warriors shield or a nations arms -; lei
us rally around and bear aloft that flag, on
which shall be inscribed beneath this motto
in letters of living light these other words,
"Virginia, faithful and true to all her obli
cations"