Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-01-01
which wcro spent 10 opening up her vast r

measured by money. The character OF Com,
monwealth marks her place among nations, and
il the guide of the individual growth and destl'
~ of her citizens. The Law is schoomas'
ter. and it will determine whether the
citizen is to be vicious or vlrtuous A genera
lion or so of bad legislation may change pei
ME from hichmiudcd aud honorable race lGto
drnrayed and dishonest mep. Nothing so soon
acsomplishts this unhappy cnd, 80 disregard
Of solemn compacts. Upon their sanctity the
whole framework Of society rests, from the
sacr.d bond that ties the family. to the strong
and subtle cord which biods 10 harmony other
wise jarripg elements in the unty OF Govern
ment. u.,
take part 10 the COUNCILS OF the state. E'po-
ciaIly is this true 10 republican form OF gov
ernmcnt like ours. Without virtue 1t csouot
survive: force must soon take the pace Of
ress,p. Aud the man who thinks ne can use
such tricks TO gain petty eud, WILL hou "ne9
too late that everything Is lost. me nope anu
only hop, of Republic is the recoRnl'loh OF
the sapcity Of contracts and the moo'ns oo'''
CATION aod supremacy OF Law:
Our duy, then, as good cltlz ,us, Is to devise
means TO Say the Debt; not to fad ways to
avoid it. II will hardly pay it to crlmloGte
gome former Legislature by general charges OF
bribery and fraud II aay oro HIS dared to
faint ,!.2 Halls Of Legislation With these crimes
let him he brought to t!ial aod punished with
the utmost rigor OF the law. Nor Will 1t any
Lore nay the d .tt t. weaken the standing
auou, the people o.! our highest Court, by re-
c.ous upon is judgment or lateerl'y,
Court of which any State might be pToud-so
learned, 80 able, aud SO pure. v
Nor does it pay the Dtbt TO plead the war
save es touching our ability. That was OF our
choice, and | bear 90 ONO who engaged 10 1t
Gem plain of its losses. though uutold wealth was
spent aud so macy lives lost that Virginia Is
.reat battlefield aud great cemetery. Alter
four years of bloody fighting, the regret was. to
see the A,g lurled even in the midst OF, and IN
view OF moro dreadful ruin. No complaint then
of loss of property; ouIy hep; of victory. NO
com plaiut of suffering and prVatoD; though
famine stare them iu the lace; only sorrow tor
the FIJI. Were We willing noT to bear one hno
d-edth part OF what We then bore, tho debt
would have been we'll nigh paid, snd triumph
equal to the victory Of arms would have s'goaIiz
ed the patriotism and devotion OF our people.
But our pseplc are not yet given over. have
not secu or heard of an individual bold enough
to avow publicly or privately the docTlna OF
Repudation. | bone ucoo Of Us will mistake
the thing fer the pane But ought DOT those
who aspire to rule in public atlilrs IL b, care-
full, lest in the z,al of parry, they Go DOT let
fail ideas. which make the impression upon the
mind of the ignorant and uuwary, that 1t Is
more important to study how not to pay than
how to pay tie debt il not DOW, the dema:
gogue, shallow aud wicked, will 5000 be abroad
10 the land, attacking Tx, poison the Vltals OF
the Stale, aud more dangerous than an lnVad'
ing army. The latter uultcs the former dis
solves patriotism. Not that The little dcmagogue
long survives; after he has done his work he Is
RENTED to his original obscurity, and mlghter
than be rides aud guides the storm.
With suct ideas 10 the ascendant, strange
picture Virginia would present. A statute book
full of provision for the protection of property
and for the enforcement OF individual contracts;
hundreds of thousands raised by taxation and
spent yearly for the education of the ingenious
youths of the country, that they may be fash.
toned into rood citizans and stalwart mon, and
yet the State that does these things a standing
fraud
l believe there is 20 dagger of such result.
However far Virginia may, 10 moments OF ex.
citeneut ar suffering, drift from her moorings,
sober, second thought will restore her. Her
people arc still earnest and true.
non payment of an honest debt-inablllty-
either for the Individual 10 tho court OF morals,
or for tho State at the bar of public oplnion.
No graver responsibility can fall to the lot OF
meD than falls upon US, now entering upon or
fec 10 Virginia. This Debt issue has hitherto
been oversbadowed by the question OF our re-
turn to the Uoion, aud the salvation OF our To-
cal self government. These objects have been
gained, thanks to the good and the wise OF our
State. There now stands out 10 bold relief,
not ouly before ourselves, but before the civil
lied world, this grave problem Of the Debt.
Then it was question of Governments; now it
is question of honor. The former cannot live
without the latter.
Those who now enter upon office, cannot say
that it ia new and uucousidered. They were
elected becaus, they profcssad to know oil
about tit was made the sole issue IN the can
vass. Even if they wished. there is 20 way Of
Sinking the responsibility. They have prom.
iscd 10 settle the troublesome muttcr Gree aud
forever hope aud believe these premises
will be fulfilled. know that, atan:!ln2 Oh high
GROUND re the eyes OF the world, they dare
not they will not wish TO cast L lGma upon
The uamo and history c! our beloved Ccmmon-
| wealth.
There is no counting the less Which its dis.
| cussion aGd unsettled condition has lnt1cted on
| our State. It has driv'n wealth and industry
| from our borders; it has created false views OF
! OF. ''gb,tips and resources. But,wJfac than al
| else, il ha, !,wered she grade ni public morals,
and col jared up ."nHclrrs trow which arc
stretching the frighlfu! -, :-"rs Of CommuDlsp:
Now is III, time to cad it. lrng onour' gu gu
! i. troubl I'd the rest of the good C':ize' Guy
enough hes it been hswked in every c; IL
centre, making ,ho faith and cradi: OF q
equiyocsl; long enough has it driven IA
| capital from oEe f this grandcsl countr !
the sun visits in his dIurnul circuit; long end ma
has it hampered thu growth Of n pooplo pnntina,
for higher and wider power 1t ouy ht now to
| TO settled and this Legislature. flesh from its
discussion, has pr omsed that ii sinai. be settled,
| Let that promise bekeot There is time enough
| in the pr, sent session. But woe to tho msn, who
| in that GET sment botrays the trust or sells the
hornor of Virgins. 1t were b tier for TIA. m an
h I'd he not besn born. For VIII IN the smoke of
the excitement ~ 1)ated away, retrlbu!ion,
swift a1d sure, will follow like M avenging Nc
| mesis.
l have an abiding faith Virginia has tided