The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-15


Nevertheless. VIC will once more rcpeat that the
Dispatca never published q line Ill favor OF itlc
funding bill until after it had become the II" o. Tue
land.-DlSUdtch.
And YOU never said anything against it,
either. before it became a law; but your
columns were filled with communications
fayoriDe the adoption Of The infamous bill,
and most persons think they were paid Tor
by the bondhoders. OF course you had
the right to charge for them, but it SHOWS
that money Carried the funding bill through
the Legislature. Money was paid to Brad
lev johnson to write articles for the news
Dapers, and members OF the Legislature
were paid to vote for the bill. who VIII
deny this? viii the Dispatch ?-Sdtem nc
giSter.
We repeat that we never wrote a line In
advocacy OF the passage 0! the funding bill.
That bill was introduced into the Senate on
the I'd OF March, 1871. and passed the House
finally on the 18th Of the same month. we
examined our files carefully on Saturday
last. after reading the above paragraph from
the Salem Register, and could not find
single article OF any sort, editorial or other,
on the subject. In fact, during nearly the
whole Of that time fierce battle was going
on in the Legislature between Tom SCOTT
and General MALONE. and our columns were
crowded with the productions OF the adyo-
Gates of the projects OF those two gentle
mon. There was excitement in Richmond,
and much, too, in the Legislature, II we
NAV Judge from the number OF eN-
tras that we issued, and the large
number OF columns we devoted to the
railroad war; but our files give no IN
dication that there was any excitement
in either House over the funding bill, or
that ANYBODY cared whether it passed OF
not. Mr.. JENKINS 1--WE believe it Was) testl'
fed afterwards before committee OF the
Legislature that General BRADLEY Il. JOHN
son once published in the Dispatch COM
munica.ion (paid for, we presumc) in favor
OF the passage OF the funding bill. Ever
This advertisement escaped our eyes. il it i:
anywhere in our files. The funding bill
was not looked upon in those days as any
thing extraordinary. 1t passed the Senate
first. 1t went to the House, and was made
the continuing order for the sd OF Marcel
and after wards. 1t passed on the 18th. Sc
It was before the House on only six days, an(
for only few hours in all.
So the Register will see that it is totally
mistaken in all its statements except the on
that .smembers OF the Legislature were pait
to vote for the bill" That is matter o
which we know nothing. But the reckless
ness OF assertion which has characterized
the opponents Of the funding act not wei
calculated to induce anybody to credit th'
story that Virginia Legislature was bribet
to do a dishonest and dishonorable act
The gentlemen who composed that Lesis
lature were the equals, if not the su
periors. OF any body Of men that TIT
legislative halls Of the State have since
held. Nobody can name even one O.
them that was bribed, we imagine. 1t has
also been repeatedly charged that Genera
MAHoNE bought up the Legislature with
.swet groceries, when he had certain
schemes to push through that body. And
as his friends are the men who are mos
ready to charge the Legislature with hay
ing been bribed to pass the funding bill, il
may be that they know that Virginia Legs,
latures can be bought. AS We have had nc
experience in that line, we cannot draw an
inference based upon facts as to the pur.
chasability Of the General Assembly.