The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-30

Il ON THE MORAL OBLfiATION BOT6 Ot. IN
DTyIDUALs AND STATES TO PAY THEIR
/ aDEBTs-REFLEx INFLUENCE OF HUMAN
/ sLAWs-WHEN AND HOW THE DEBT WAS
CREATED-oUR LAWMAKERS, AND WHAT
THEY OUGHT Fo oBE-WHATMAKEsA A VIR-
1 GINIAN-sHALLTBEIN INSIGNIA OF VIRGIN
las SOVEREIGNTY EVER BE TAINTED
WITH DIsHoNoR, OR EVER BEsAFFIxED
To.A LEGISLATIVE LIE9 isl 4 :.2.. 4
Il Under a pressing call signed by such men
las Bishop Doggett, General Joseph e. john
tston, Rev. j. b. Jeter, Judge John a. Mer-
tedith, Mr.. =: Q. N 6lGng, ,Mr. Isaac DaYen-
tport, Jr., Colonel Randolph Harrison, Mr.
James Thomas, Jr., and many Others Of
like standing, Rey.J. ii. NJ. Curry, ID. d.,
last night delivered ct Mozart Hall one Of
/ the most eloquent, chaste, and powerful
addresses on the moral obligation, both OF
| Individuals and States, to pay their debts,
ever heard In this or any other city. The
hall, 1t is to be. regretted. was too small for
| che comfortable accommodations of tall who
desired to hear the sound ana elegant words
| of the distinguished speaker. The build
| ing was literally packed, not with a COM
monplace audience, but with citizens Of
culture, worth, intelligence, and wealth,
among whom were many ladies'; gentlemen
past the meridian Of life; goodly number of
members OF the General Assembly, the Gov
ernor Of the Commonwealth, and others OF
| like distinction and prominence.
Promptly at s O'Clock DR.. j. B. McCaw,
who was one of the signers OF the call, went
upon the platform, and in brief and happy
introductory address presented DR.. Curry
to the audience.
THE ADDRESS.
Professor Curry, after an appropriate ac-
acknowledgement OF the invitation from such
distinguished source to speak in connec-
tion with the public debt, said he would
confine himself mainly to the connection
between the laws Of country and morals.
AS jurisprudence was but department Of
ethics. the classification was not merely rhe-
torical, for law and morals rested on the
same eternal principles. He defined law, in
its last analysis, as the expression OF the
will of the absolute Law-giyer; in its pre-
sent application as the body OF rules regu-
lating the relative rights and duties of men.
Human law should be the reflection Of the
Divine law. and the two can never be in dis
harmony without prejudice to those
subject to human laws. OF the value
of laws as operating upon human
conduct there can be no oyerestimate. Laws
interpret the intelligence, the conscience,
the patriotism of people, and are the surest
index of the opinions, the motives, the
honor, the morality Of 4 nation. Dry
statute.books reflect in unmistakable veri-
similitude the features of the people OF the
times.
Law, while restraining, is also directive
and disciplinary, and IL it embody justice
and right is continuously creative OF higher.
civilization. Law, in its essence and sane
tions, is based on eternal yerities, on immu-
table moral distinctions, on Interchangeable
right and. wrong. What is good and evil,
honest and dishonest, has always been and
will always be so, and Omnipotence cannot
reverse these distinctions, which are essen
tial and inherent.
Human laws must conform to purest
morals; and the legislator, the public Of
ficer, the citizen, can no more violate moral
laws with -imRunityg than they can, violate
physical laws and go unpunshed. Justice
and morality art the tests OF utility. What
ever is not Just is not eXpedient. No civil
government can prosper in neglect or dis
obedience of the Divine law. There cannot
be two antagonistic rights. Wisdom, di-
vine and human, is founded on the fitness
of things. Physical, moral, intellectual,
and social worlds have laws OF equal obll-
gatoriness. AS no one is surprised at the
inevitable fultilment OF the laws Of gravity,
so he must expect the fulfment OF moral
laws, and vice and wrong will produce BIT
ter fruits. Punishment is the legitimate
and necessary consequence Of the violation
Of the fixed rules Of right and wrong.
REFLEX INFLUENCE OF PUBLIC ON PRIVATE
VIRTUE.
The Professor, with many illustrations,
pointed out the reflex influence OF human
laws, and showed that the average citizen
sought only to conform to the standard OF
ethics found in the statutes--neyer strove to
rise higher. As laws were the educators OF
the public conscience State could not too
sedulously avoid everything OF questionable
propriety. When government acted dis
| honorably the corruption intiltrated through
every fibre of society. Public crimes were
more noxious in their influence than crimes
committed by individuals. Because of this
reflex influence governments should, il
possible, have a higher standard OF honor
than private persons. The decentralization
so prevalent in bankruptcies, strikes, defal-
cations, were traced, in part, to the influence
OF vicious legislation.
A very easy transition, then, was from
these general and undisputed principles to
the question of Virginia's Indebtedness.
70 pay our debt was not a question of legis-
latiYe casuistry or expediency. The debt
was not contracted under the pressure OF
the war, ner by o Radical OF carpet-bag
government, but by Virginia, when she
boasted the highest civilization on the con-
tinent. There was no pretence OF fraud or
want of consideration. The abolition OF
slavery, the losses from the war, the parti-
ton of the State, did not release from the
legal or moral obligation to pay, and every
department OF government-the legislative
judicial, and dexecutive-had, since the war,
recognized its validity. Of the disastrous
effects of reputation upon the material in.
terests of the State gloomy picture was
drawn.
RIGHTS OF PROPERTY.
The first steps taken by nations, US they
emerge from barbarism, is to define and es'
tablish the rights Of property. When they
are violated and contracts are impaired
there are no motives for industry beyond
securing bare subsistence. There is nc
difference in morals, or in the results upon
labor and wealth, of interference with the
| r;o,hte oP ,,rnportu hv in dividI1oI wrong and