The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-01-31
Remarks Of Mr.. Paul IN the Senate on
Messrs Bro oks and Koiners Bills.

MIR. Paul in sub stance said: Mr.. PreSi
dent do not propose to detain tile Sen
ate with any very lengthy remarks on the
bills presented by the Senators from Augusta
and tauquier, but l rise to enter most earn
est protest against the feature contained in
both, which makes the coupons receivable at
and after maturity for all taxes, debts, dues
and demands due to the State. No bill shall
receive my support, countenance or vote,
that contains this feature. 1t Is this provis-
ion in the existing funding bill that has crea-
ted the widespread dissatisf action among the
people that is now agitating the whole Com
monWealth, and it is gravely proposed, aud
the propositions earnestly and ably advo CAT
| ed, that the measures presented for rea d :
| just ment of the public debt shall contain the
same Ubiquitous, tyra nnical and oppressive
! provisions; that the crime of robbing the
State OF her sovereign right to control her
own resources, shall be repeated that she
shall continue, as She is now, a pitiable sup
plant at the feet of her creditors that it
shall be left to her creditors to say how much
money she shall give to her free schools-how
much to the support of her government how
much to the support OF her lunatic asylums-
In short it Is proposed to strike from the
/ limbs OF the Commonwealth the shackles in
Which SHE now writhes, in order to put upon
her newer and stronger ones. 1t is fact,
that Senators had as we'll recognize first as last,
| that the people of Virginia have determined that
the State must and shall resume control over the
taxes collected from her heavily burthened and
hard pressed people. To pass either of the bills
before the Senate, would be to enact new fund
ing BILL the more odiouS and objectionable, be-
cause enacted against the extreme protests OF the
people, and in the light of its ruinous operation
in past and present.
In reply to a question by Mr.. Brooke, as to how
funding bill, MI Paul said. he proposed to do 1t
by enacting such legal and constitutional meas
nres as Will defeat its operation and make it to
the interest of the bondholderto accept the terms
OF settlement offered by the State. That the true
policy of establishment and that which he advo-
Gated, is outlined in series of resolutions which
he had the honor to offer in the Senate at the be-
ginning of the session; and he read the sixth
olution as follows:
&c. That while we are anxious and determined
to pay the creditors OF the State all that the di
minished resources of our people will Justify
and repel and utterly discard the idea OF repu-
diation, yet we are determined by all legal and
constitutional means to resist and defeat the OPP
Grafton OF the funding act, and to re assert the
sovereign right OF the State to control her own
revenues
straightforward, common-SenSe business man
ner. High flown and empty decamation,eul ogis-
tic OF the traditions glory and honor of the Com
monweath, will not pay one dollar; and the hon.
lies on morals read to us i'll this cham Der during
Sunday cannot repea the law of r. inaxorahe n %"
cessity. which demands the preservation of the
Government as the first and highest duty of all
its citizens.
He claimed to be as jealous of the honor OF Vir-
ginia any Senator on the floor he had proved
his devotion to the State by giving four years OF
youthful life to her service and sealed his devo-
ton with his blood.
In reply to the Senatorirom Augusta,who seems
to think there is some application in his quota
ton from the decalogue--"Thou shalt not steal"
to the opponents of the bill, he would refer him
to another Communication shalt not le.' You
have promised to pay,you say you able to pay.
and you have not done so.-The State has not paid
full interest for eighteen years, yet you are al
honorable men,
And to forcible re-ad ustmen.the said all leg
isation is forcible the funding bill is forcible
measure; the bills before the House are forcible
in this and they propose to put tn peelers on an
equal footing with the coupon holders-reduce
the value of the LATTER and compel the coupon
creditor 10 accept a new bond at four per cent. |
He asked tle Senate to reject both bills and said
that at the proper time he would offer substi- |
tute.
Want OF space prevents our giving more than an
outline OF Mr.. PauFS speech -JThio