The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-03-21
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ssv1nn,NI.,s HoSoE y AND REPUDIATIoN.
10 shs Edi!ors of The Richmond Dispatch !
Il beg leave to call your attention to o
Question. the solution OF which ! nope you
WIN call ON sonao OF our : sdudatS I. ana
q moral philosophers 2 to give. IL they wilt
cut this Gordian knot OF the whole moral
code they viii help me out OF 8 dilemma from
which the training from Pa.ey down has most
signaliy failed to lead me. Here is chance
for some champ ion that would win ana wear
che imperishabIe chaplet as being uae great
est OF moral philosophers: -
az late we. have heard much OF Vlr-
pinia,s honor REIMBURSEMENT, repu.
diation,v &C., and in their ideas OF the side
they have espousei some good, honest souls,
in striving to steer clear OF Chary bdis, would
engulpi, themselves in Scylla. Those who
cry out so yehemently in behalf Of !" honor
assert sttbat Virginia made solemn con-
tract with her creditors; that she honestly
owes the debt: that she is able to pay 1t;
and that 80 keep the stain OF dishonor from
of her escutcheon she must pay it. !"
So Tar so good. But can Virginia pay her
debt--the last dollar Of it (as some OF our
deunagogue politicians claim she car dol
without one or the other OF these alterna-
tives: Increased taxation or great reduc-
ton In her expenditures? In her present
course 1t is evident to all that she can never
payit.
An increase OF taxation would ruin many
In the central and eastern parts OF the State.
Whether it would be expedient to curtal',
at this time, the expenditures OF the STATE
leave for others to discuss. ;.
But the question for the "moral-honor !"
denayorues is this: II Virginia enters into
solemn obligations with two parties, and
afterwards finds that she cannot discharge
her obligations with both, what is she to
dos This she has done. And now the
question comes up: What shall she do
Shall she break her plighted faith with the
rich capitalists who are crushing the vital
energies OF the State, and who can afford to
lose it, or shall she ignore the most sacred
obligations that any people can give, and
leave large class OF her patientiy-laborins
servants without compensation for the laDor
performed?
Should Virginia commit an act that would
be a slur even upon brute ?-DrinS INTO
existence an offspring, however monstrous,
and refuse to nurse it? Virginia has taken
to her bosom founding institutlon-the
pub!ic-school system; and she has appointed
a corps OF efficient and faithful servants TO
guard the bulw2rks not only OF her Intel.
lectural but in great measure her moral
standing. To pay these servants first Is
Yirginia's first and most sacred duty. But
instead OF discharging this sacredly- pro-
missed duty she is putting them of with
ga promise to pay" The consequence is
that professional and competent teachers are
growing tired Of 'promise to pay" are
Competent to fill other positions, and are
seeking other arocations in which they
can maintain themselves and their faml-
lies: and others who are incompetent ana
careless, and can find nothing else to Go, are
attempting to train ~ up our youth. IL IS
useless to follow up the conclusive results
results pernicious in every sense OF the
Workmanship from the present course
OF the State Board in regard to her treat
ment OF these public servants. II she IS
not going to pay, and pay promptly, these
faithful servants, then let her cease to libel
all that is Just, noble, and holy, by monthly
and yearly making the sacred obligations,
and as often violating them. Her present
course in this respect is Il more ridiculous
parody upon truth and society than is
!" grangerism (" upon commerce.
But she goes farther still in the great farce
and fraud. She issues her scrip. "We
promise to pay" and then refuses 10 take
her own scrip, eue7 as tareS. Let her con-
tinue this course, and drive all competent
teachers from the field, to find other occu-
pationB by which to live, and by the next
generation she will be as noted for her In
tollectual dwarfs as she has in the past been
celebrated for her intellectual giants.
By irresistible circumstances man with
4 numerous family OF dependent children
becomes involved with distant creditors,
and in trying to maintain his family and
rebuild his fallen fortunes employs trusty
servants, and one especially to guard and
care for his children. By promises be puts
off his creditors and his servants, and by
bad management he goes on from bad to
worse, until it becomes evident that he
must do something to rid himself or the
ever-increasiDg burden. What should he
do! Ignore those faithful servaats, the full
benefit of whose Iabors he has received?
or, should he break the pledge he cannot I'LL
and compromise with his creditors? "He
that careth not for his own household hath
denied the faith, and is worse than infdel."
Had he not secured the labor OF those SER
wants his family would have starved. He
is doubly bound to them, and should fulfil
every obligation with them.
The cases are parallel. Virginia hired
these servants to prevent the mental starva-
ton Of her children-the worst Kind Of
Starvation. Shall she persist in the farce OF
monthly pledge given but to be broken
She should either discharge or pay them,
Now. want the g moralhonor'' states
men az to tell the world which would be the
deepest disgrace to Virginia's honor: de-
fraud this class Of her worthy servants, or
compromise with her bondholders She is
doing the first, aud she has tried it to per-
fection., Shall she continue it, and prove
herself ga whited sepulchre, fair without
but within full Of all uncleanness 2?
do not believe in reputation, nor do
believe that these worthy servants should
be thus deirauded-the last sharers Of the
loaf The people OF Virginia can decide
what to do. Every honest man who is in
dulging beyond his ircome will cast aside
all luxuries and retrench. A Common
wealth should do the same.
Please ask the 6 moral-honor" statesmen
to help me out Of my dilemma.
Either pay competent teach in oar pub
Tic schools or remoue the farce, and let
mcritorious competition build up priuate
schools TO educate the rising generation.
ROANOKE.