Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-03-12

rom that line along winch lie the credit
nd prospriety of Virginia.
Pursuing it, can find no excuse for
Ter in the denial of the debt-in the
means Of its creation, nor in war, nor in
visitations-save as simply |
.tfecting her ability. L do not now, and !
lever could see, any use in urging its |
on any other ground, eth |
n in whole or part. Any other is sus-
aimed neither by morals or law. If Vir- |
yinia is able to pay the debt the Legisla.
lure ought at once to provide the means |
% do it. The declaration of the platform
hat announced the principles which
guide the people of the State sthat they
would scorn to repudiate her just obliga-
tons, and are resolved to preserve in
violate the public faith and credit" only
confirms these views. It is no disregard
of them THAT the convention earnestly
urged upon the legislative and executive
branches of the Government the impor-
lance of using all just and honorable
means of bringing about an adjustment
of the obligations of the Commonwealth
which will bring the payment of inter
est upon our Indebtedness within the re-
sources of the State derived from the
present rate of taxation, and do equal
Justice to all classes of the creditors. u
The one clause ScO79eed to repudiate and
resolued to preserve inviolate the public
faith and credit-the other earnestly
urged the adjustment therein stated,
and followed it by q clause, which in
dictated in part how it was to be done
by the legislative department. using
every effort to reduce the expenditures
of the Government, and return to the
methods of frugality, economy and
moderation practiced by our forefathers,
and approved by former generations OF
Virginians in the palmiest days of her
prosperity" They saw no peculiar ma
gic in the werd, fifty cents or the one
hundred dollars" that they should
thwart their 'resolve to preserve in
violate the public faith and credit; ;"
they felt as they declared, "that they
were SO true to the past glorious history
Of Virginia and so proud of her good
name and fame amongst the nations OF
the earth, that they would scorn to re-
pudiate her just obligations"
The men who composed that cenYen-
ten, one Of the largest and abless that
ever met in this State, knew nothing to
prevent the payment of this debt, bat
inability. Nor do I. They knew, and
you and full well know, that the con-
ditien of our State is very different from
what it was when the debt was made
Then we were rich; now we are very
poor. Then we held within our bounds
enc of the finest countries in the world,
stretching from the ocean to the Ohio,
with variety of soil and salubrity Of
climate which belonged to no equal area
of which we have any knowledge
II, oh oct frAV1
the Mississippi Valley, with its exhaust
less resources, to the sea, by which we
owned one of the grandest harbors on
the continent Our people were rich in
this worlds goods High education
held wider sway than IN any ether coun-
try. save Scotland only. Our colleges
and universities were more numerous
and of better grade than those of any
| State in the Union, from which annually
were issuing ingenious youths, who were,
| in turn, establishing schools, from which
were going out fresh and increasing
forces, to ada so the brightest ornaments,
as well as the strongest power nation
can have. Behind us was history, tbs
| like of which has never been surpassed
| in whatever constitutes human glory,
and Of which our people were justly
proud.
Now, cur condition is very different
War came, and with it, al! its woes. Il
came because the honor beneath which
these great blessings born and grew, had
| been assailed. It's fortunes were against
us. We were defeated. Our territory
| was rent. Our government was for 8
time taken from us. Our property was
destroyed. Almost every foot OF sol
was pressed by the feet of contendins
armies. Our very social organization
was broken up, and those who had hith.
erte been slaves were clothed with citi
zenship, bringing about state of things
| harder of solution than even loss OF
property. The very framework of Sc
eisty had to be reformed thing fal
more difficult than the simple restOra-
ton OF wealth.
| No true man and lover of his country
complained Of these things. He fell
that the honor of the State, though pre-
served at such cost, was net expensive
| The wager of battle had been Joined tC
save it; they did not mourn that it haze
been saved at SO great a sacrifice.
| The very same question is offered tc
us again in another form. The duty pre-
scented in 1861 to preserve cur State in
| tegrity was not bit mere binding than
that presented in 1873, to preserve and
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