Connecticut western news., 1878-01-17
THE NATIONS HONOR.

THE NATIONS HONOR.
 We have been asked by one of the most induettial citizens in our field for newspa- per work, space for few remarks and . quotation from another journal concerning question of vital importance to the whole people; 1 e the ques1on of honestly paying our National obligations. We promised in our first newspaper published nearly seven years ego to stand entirely aloof from all politics. and we have faithfully kept our pledge, as those of our readers who have been with us from the beginning will bear us testimony. The matter our correspond ens now wishes to discuss through our col amns Is not question that divides the pe.o pie into political parties, but one that e.orma c division line between honesty apd dishon- esty. The question is Shall our Govern ment pay Its debts in accordance with the terms expressly understood and agreed up- on at the time 1t incurred it's obligations, or, shall 1t rspudiate its pledges shall it pay honestly and fairly what it agreed to pay. or, shall 1t pay only in part. saying to it's creditors who came to it's assistance in it's great tune of need: We acknowledge that we had your money, but we have the pow CT to balance our accounts with you by paying you only in part, and we shall do %. This is not politics, but rascality. and when our venerable and esteemed corres- pendent comes to us for space to battle wlsh high handed dishonesty and rascality. it shall be given him. He says:
 The subject of repudiating debts is not only before the states of Virginia and Ten nessee. but is prominent before the Nation. Congress has already inflicted deep injury cn the business interests of tho country ty tamPering with the currency question. and threatening repudiation, or partial repudia- tion ;at least, of the Natlon's debt, thereby eainslng the Nations honor.
 Much is said about ''bloated bond-hold- sfs. "' If the holders of Government bonds he'd not been willing to loan money to the Government, what other people would have done sof And if we could not have bor- fowed money GnsWhers. what would have been tho condition of our country to-day ? The men who did net loan money to the Government in its hour of need, snd who had the means, are the men least tenacious about the Nations honor. The Richmond D;spoteh. the leading paper of Virginis puhlishss an editorial article entitled he ssate's Right to Borrow Implies the Obli- gation to Pay," in which the following passages occur.
 If the right to borrow be necessary to the public protection and public welfare, the duty of maintaining the public credit as a political question must be imperative; but 1t is . duty :exacted by civilization, A na- ton that should borrow and refu1e to pay. would not only destroy it's ovn credit bu, would become offensive in t.ns eyes of oth- CT nations, and In every D onest mind there would be in-pirea . feel Ing of ayeraion to. ward the delinquent P,tates. This borrow ing of money tor r.e public good is one of the mostimports.nt exefcises of public au. thontY. A possible to naintain its dig nity by fapaful compliance with the sol. emn obiig1tion incurred in the act of bor rowing The refusal to comply with the faith pli&hted in the process degrades the Ack to the infamous level of highway rob- bery, and, in the opinion of all civilized people, renders the state altogether unwor shy of recognition a such.
 The people who live under government which hes forfeited it's public credit by faithlessuess will be plunged into innufner able adyefsitiee. Public discredit bnngl upon them private discredit. In all ths walks of life there will be discredit and in- jury. The finger of censure will, from ev- cry direction, be pointed at their state, anc her Bone will experience something like unmitiRnted remorss which is described al the fate of the condemned of higher thar earthly court, who will call upon the noun sSius to fall upon them and hide theil aaame.
 When our fathers created our Fedora Government chiefly to direct exterlor con cerns and foreign intercourse, they never dreamed that any state would ever fail tC pay it's public obligations. Had they ap prehended any such thing there would have been some clause in the Constitution to provide against any such forfeiture of pub lie honor. For no state could lose it's pub lie credit and forfeit it's public honor with out indicting injury. not only within 1t own boundaries, but upon the Nations reputation. We venture the idea that thu people then directing the public affair would have eet down . failure of state tt maintain it's public honor ss tantamount f, failure to maintain its tltle to statehood and we really think that State whose leg. islasicn and moral character has led it int embarrassment first, and repudiation after wards, should be deemed unWorty of asso cia.ion in the confederscy of states. Wer she remanded to the territorial condition and tsx-Gsthsrers appointed to collect taxe from her people, and pay her debts, would be no more nor no less than whs the demandS of justice would require.
 Happy are the communities who fes that their conduct has been such aS { prove that 60 far as they are concerned th Revolutionary Fathers were correct their trust in the integrity and honor of th American people. Shall not our own pet Die of Virginia be clsssed amongst tbel happy peopleI If they desire such dest nation, let them abhor the evil suggestio that they are not able to maintain the pu lie honor; and above all let them avoid . who propose to compromise the public il teerity by the dsceitful artiice of ''enforc. equity" or "forcible adjustment. It is [ better than repudis ion. Successful.
 makes the state freebooter and lar pirate.
 "NU1G SeCIA1LRs.n-The latest thing ol ts the Mum eoeisble." The icea is We teRn ID its origin. and popular where it b.
 bssn put in operation. The ladies of or
 of the churches. or the lady friends of
 charitable enterprise, prepare to hold Q s
 xiss of "mum" soeiables for the benefit
 their church or their society. Of soura