The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-03-20


fAsssh " ie'o
1 ss,ha state pebs-@sI The Comp promise.
Slate canncfs repsidiaf aha')
lmaInsair = name that deserves respect
sam.nest states. Morally, rep,d Hating
slata d dead. POLITICALLY, she must main e
tain 4 I,te taat is not all life. She mus: be
q body cancered with the seeds OF decay.
She cannot be respected. She cannot be
brave, and her domestic economy cannot ne
;shr.ity, nor can her people be contented.
IN they have any State pride, any morai
sensibility. they must be inconsoiaoie oe"
cause Of the public dishonor of their state );
and IN they have not, they must be alike In
sensible to shame and to the contcntment
and happiness and felicity which spring
from virtue, integrity, and public honor.
A State that IS unable to meet its public
obligations is a failure; one that Is able TO
do SO and does not, is political fraud, ana
should be regarded with contempt by the
society OF States. !.
Strangely enough, our forefathers, IN
framing our Government and Constitution,
tailed to make any provision as to state
debts. Clearly these men OF heroic spirit
and untarnishcd integrity Gid not dream
that State could possibly fail to maintain
its honor by complying with its public OBJ
I sigafions. Like the crime OF parricldee IN
the early ages Of civilization, it was con-
sidered impossible Of commission, and no
punishment was provided for it.
j "A theory OF the matter entertained by
very intelligent gentleman is that as the
States cannot have the remedy OF war against
DELINQUENT members OF their sisterhood, It
must have been understood that in lieu OF
that means Of compulsion the Federal courts
we're intended TO open the way for redress
by one State suing another for the benefit OF
its citizens. The way OF redress, however,
has not been clearly defined, and II there IS
such way it must be found out by legal
proceedings.
M This idea is further enforced by the TACT
that the State is protected by the United
States from the hostility OF foreign State.
Is the. Federal Government to protect a
State from foreign demands for justice and
provide no means itself for enforcing justice
at the hands OF the delinquent? That would
make the Federal Government no better
than on iron-clad for the protection OF de-
faulting debtors.
Before the war there was not man in
Virginia who dreamed that the credit OF
Virginia would ever be doubted or tainted
by any act of infdelity by the grand old
Commonwealth. But the war brought a
change in the moral sensibilities OF part
of her people. War is demoralizing thing.
It's yicissitudcs and its distresses tend tofa-
miliarize people with trials that strain the
conscientious scruples and break the proud
spirit which defends the honor OF man.
Men learned to reason against duty and TO
excuse themselves for its performance,
and the public character OF the State has
undergone n great change. Where there was
not man before the war who dreamed that
it was possible for Virginia to repndiate
any more than did a hero Of the Reyolu-
tion of '76, there are now thousands who
demand relief for the people by abatement
OF the claim OF the public creditor
This way OF the public mind is q down
ward way, and all downward ways have an
impetus that it is hard to check. Dema-
gogues are always the engineers and con-
ductors upon the '.tacilis descensus," and
they can never be expected to impede the
progress. The various arguments against
public faith are familiar TO all, and have
been answered hundred times, but still
they spring up like the heads of the hydra,
and even the proves OF HERCULES, without
the aid Of IoLUs. would be unable to Stay
them.
!. These arguments are such as the oppres-
sions Of the North, the abolition Of slavery,
the division of the State, &C., &c. The fate
OF war, the abatement Of one third OF the
creditors claim against Virginia, the fact
that the public creditor waged no war
against Virginia, have all been stated in
vain in answer to the clamor of the 6 forci-
BILE" re,idiusters, who are those that de.
sire to compel the public creditor to sub
NIT to any arrangement OF her debt the
State determines to make. The idea OF
compelling the public creditor is according
to an entirely new morality in Virginia. 1t
is monstrousIy wrong and fndefensible. As
q way to this point, it is assumed that Vfr-
giuia cannot pay more taxes than she pays
ct present; that the addition Of ten cents
on the hundred dollars Of value cannot be
made to Virginia taxation though the very
9. HE Of the State" depended upon it. This
is mere assumption unsus.ained by the
facts. Indeed, the basis OF taxation has
been diminished by dishonest reassess-
ments of property; the personal property
OF the State is most Intellectually and dis
honestly assessed, and on every hand we
find that there has been conspiracy against
such an increase OF revenue as honest
assessment and collection OF taxes would
secure.
! The condition we represent is brought
about by a blunted public sense OF both
public and private honor. Excuses for
public faithlessness which are entirely I'M
tenable are offered, and both dishonesty and
apathy combine to diminish the public
revenue that it may appear that the State
is unable to pay her debts. 1t is we'll to OBJ
serve that this is the result Of very won.
derful revolution in the public character Of
the State, and it becomes very serious