The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-05


itae govefnnaens has been framed, and which
| I believe Is equal to Che solution Of amy pro-
bien that Is likely to asise Id our States ex-
perience !; indeed = will 90 further, and
assert, that is NOT more likely to be solved
rightly by reason Of the diverse views re-
sulting from the various sources from which
the Judgment Is enlightened, each gather
ling knowledge and wisdom from different
stand, and each under the same heavy
weight OF responsibility.
These are the lessons which are taught by
the history OF governments like ours on this
continent and beyond The sea, and which
are the outgrowth Of many experiments
and many failures. i think the rise, pro-
gress, and present status OF this State-debt
question Is another evidence Of It's truth. (
It presents q very different aspect from
what It did twelve months ago. Men were
iaDgry then, and attributed difficulties to
the subject which really sprang from their
own erroneous or uncertain views or mis-
apprehensions OF the views Of others. The
General Assembly met after q heated can
yass,, and the subject went before them IN q
chaotic form, and weeks and months were
spent ip discussing points that were under
l.broaaer,light regarded and treated as irrele-
want or false. = d IA .5.
Upon the General Assembly fell the duty
OF investigation. in all its bearings, and dill
| gently and energetically it did its work. L
| believe it took in and covered the whole
| field, and left nothing. as far as lay in its
mower, undecided. And though the main
question remained unsettled with the credi-
| tor, It would be a mistake to say that no
thing was accomplished. The arena was
cleared Of irreleyancies and the subject
stripped Of matters which had caused bitter
| controversy, and but one single issue left
| with which any subsequent legislative body
| would have to deal. ~ fT-
1t will be easily recalled what those mat
tors were, and how much trouble and con-
| troyersy they caused on the hastings and in
the halls OF legislation.
1t was declded-that 1890. =.
-; . THE DEBT WAS JUST,
| and that the State ought to pay it; and no
doubt was left in the conclusion that it was
| founded in considerations that demanded
| its recognition. Its assumption by the Fed
| eraI Government, upon the ground OF our
| being a conquered province, was not insisted
on, and Fam sure never Will be, especially
| when the correlative is admitted as equally
| true-if we be conquered province our
| property is mortgaged for the payment OF
| the debt. The resumption Of our sovereignty
and our recognition by tue Federal Govern
ment disposed Of that point, and the Lcgis-
latureso treated it,
The back, including the war interest, was
also fully discussed and acted on. and de-
cided according to law and justice. and as it
had been several times before decided by
previous Legislatures. IL. ~.
Bur, probably mostimportant, The amount
OF The State debt was thoroughly investi-
gated and strictly ascertaiued, no longer to
be IN element. of inaccurate representation
or wilful MISREPRESENTATION Nothing caused
more trouble than these misrepresentation
or inaccuracies. The ignorant, though
honest and patriotic, citizen, was struck
dumb and felt powerless when 1t looked
| mountan-high right in the path OF the
States growth and prosperity, ana utterly
hopeless of removal by any strength she
had or was likely in the future to acquire.
The amount, happily, was ascertGIned, fix
ed, and clearly ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS closing
the door upon the charge Of any Wlful or
attempted reputation OF the principal o.
the debt. b. t..t r..
This was important work, but it did not
embrace everything the General Assembly
did. It passed bills OF retrenchment and
reform, which became and are, now laws.
1t used freely, and perhaps to the drawing
Of blood, the pruning-knife, and spared no
department of the Government, thus show
ING an earnest desire to come to some etcc-
tive conclusion, aud reducing expenditures
to merely living rates, apply the surplus to
its lust Obligations under the Constitution.
The first finance bill that passed both
houses OF the General Assembly failed to
become q law, because, on constitutional
objections, it did not receive the approval
OF the Executive. And the public free
school bill failed for similar reasons. These
acts OF the Executive have since been ap-
proved by the establishment of similar prln-
ciples By both the Court OF Appeals OF this
State and the Supreme Court Of the United
States. 80.
At subsequent period OF the session the
General Assembly passed bill, by an al
most unanimous vote, which became law,
and which was simply in the nature OF 4
proposition to the creditors, and contained
no element OF force.
Thus out of confusion, by the compar-
| ing and friction Of opinion, came order.
PERSONAL BITTERNESS, PREJUDICE, AND Ex-
~ ~ ClTEMENT ..... ....t.
gave way before the consuming demand Of
| the States veal. Whatever may have been
| the views OF departments or their indi-
vidual members, the Government OF the State
| OF Virginia stood firm TO her ancient faith
and renown. There was no man and no
body OF men among them. as far rs know,
| who was secretly or openly in favor OF re-
quotation. and who did not spurn it as he
would stigma upon his private reputation.
Whilst there were 10 the beginning differ
ences Of opinion with regard to points Of
greater or less Importance, arising in the
| debt question. growing. out OF profound
principles OF law and policy, no one ever
| intlmated that for any reason Virginia
would or ought to repudiate just debt.
And finally III, Government decided that
| the debt was Just, and its obligation unim-
paired. No excuse for its non-payment
was or ever can be urged save inability,
resulting from causes which the State could
not control and in the dest1 uction of assets
! on which the debt was contracted and its
future discharge was based.
=. Just here arose another vast difficulty.
After the contraction Of the debt, after, in
deed, the destruction Of the assets, the
| State, by and under new organic law,
assumed an additional burden, which re-
quired, and might continue to require, im-
mense expenditure. The destruction OF the
property was grieyous blow to the States
prosperity, The aGcumulations Of centu-
ries were swept away, and often not one
stone left upon another to tell the story
OF 4 spot where wealth and refinement
had fourished. The soil, often all that re-
| NAMED to the owner and (which had
been in cultivation for many generations,
was brought in competition with the virgin
I soirof a new country by continental lines
Of railway. But, far more serious than
these, society was disorganized and chaos
prevailed In the whole industrial and labor
system; aud the most far-sighted and saga