The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-05-04
Law and Order.
no cisllized people can put NTH U any

nnm,o,anity where condition OF law and
order docs not prevail, No people can pos.
sess thst invaluable assurance that they
stand before tue world as respected and
trusted who live In political community
whose public honor is tainted and whose
faith Is broken. There is a party ip virgil
GINA whose principles, il they have any,
lead to the conclusion that the popular VIII
is unresuained by any law, human or Oh.
vine, and that will is the only measure OF
!. their power and their right. Clearly TINS
would. were it recognized and obeyed as
true. eliminate Virginia from other commu-
mites and free her from obligations.
Pledges could not bind her; obligations
would be nothing. The people have put
to deny their obligations, and they are MI.
They have but to call a convention TO
abolish the past and begin anew. all obli-
cations, al government, may readily be an
initiated, and the State be born again,
knowing no Obligations to anybody, ana
by the adjustment OF the whole previous
system Of government abolish every act
and every Judgment OF that government.
Is Virginia ready for such thing rs this
he IS a liar who says she Is. And yet there
are dead-beats and soreheads-men OF dis
appointments and irritations-men who are
propitiated more By the disappointment OF
Others than they are by the success OF any
body-mea who hope more from disorder
and social commissions than they possibly
can from peace and order-who are invelgh-
ing against every good thing in life-who
are preaching crusades against law ana
risht-who speak Of the land as II 1t were
in chaotic condition; and WIG are seek
ing to bring this very chaos upon the Com
monwealth.
These people are madmen. They are in
capable OF doing anything for good, and
are devoted to promoting the desperate con-
dition from which they hope to derive per-
sonal advantage. Men OF this character are
like the loungers about the scene OF laWless
outrage. In the midst OF the general mis-
rule they can hope to bear off spoiis that
may give them that means of subsistence
aud comfort which they have not the ener-
CIV and consistency to acquire by honest IN
dustry and virtuous persistence as good
citizens and conscientious men.
Now, we proudly assert that the people
OF Virginia are law-loving and law
abiding people. The moment they under
stand the present disturbers OF the public
peace--the moment they perceive that the
agitations OF these people are merely sordid,
an I'd that they hope for personal advantage
BY involving the community in distress and
discrace--they VIII repel them with con-
tempt and hate. They are too wise, too
honest, to be carried along by such unprin-
ciDled men, who invite them to dishonor
under the false preteNt that that is the road
to their exaltation in the opinion OF the
civilized world.
The people OF Virginia are law-loving and
law-abiding. They will respect the ludg-
ments of their properly constituted tribu-
mails, and will not be SO dead to honor and
Justice as to hope to avoid either justice or
honor by upturning their government
through the violent processes OF mad par
tisan contention Of the people.
The national system is one OF confede-
rated States with central government rep
resenting them all. This central govern
ment has Just defeated powerful attempt
to break it up, and thus gains immense
strength and incurs new obligations. More
than ever it is bound to maintain its author
ity and its dignity. The United States
stands as one of the very first OF civilized
powers on the earth. She is compelled to
maintain this position and cannot allow the
nation to sink jot or title below this
grade.
Now, then, the people OF Virginia are
part OF this great power. They must re-
gard the Federal Government as theirs.
They are wise and conscientious enough 10
accept the fact, and to acknowledge all the
obligations it imposes upon them. They will
do what they can to maintain the honor and
dignity and force OF their country, and will
neyer-no, never-decline to submit to the
law and judgment OF the Government When
ever clearly ascertaned.
So.we come to the point that whenever
the duty OF the State to comply with her
obligations to the public creditor is defined
by the high State or Federal courts the peo-
pie Of Virginia will submit and perform
their duty, whatever the soreheads, malcon-
tents, and conspirators may say to the con-
trary.
The people Of Virginia are too civilized
and too conscientious to hope to escape
from m honest obligation by processes ylo-
lent In nature and articles at war with
public peace and public safety-destructive
to domestic economy and ruinous to the
reputation of State and people for Integrity
and reliability.
The people Of Virginia are for peace and
the regularity and permanency that can
only be secured by civilization and virtue.
For these they will stand firm and inyinc:-
bic. Away with the agitation that leads to
fraud and dishonor-that gives no hope, no
faith, to these people Of Virginia, whose
honor is untainted, and whose reputation
before the world is too good, too bright, to
be brought down amidst the clouds and
dust OF dishonor and disgrace.
Resumption.
The Senate is upon resumption. We