Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1878-02-26
The Brooke Amendment to the
Barbour Bill.


The Brooke Amendment to the
Barbour BID.
On Thursday the 21st, the
House of Delegates having under
consideration the Barbour Bill as
il came with amendments from
the Senate, Mr.. Fowler offered a
substitute for the Brooke amend
ment, which brought on a regular
engagement, we quote from the
Richmond WIG of the 22nd:
The vote was then taken upon the
fifth amendment of the Senate
Mr. Fowler offered the following as
a substitute for b e amendment
Nothing in the act shall be con-
strueG as compelling the creditors of
| the State to compromise their legal
rights, it being the intention of the
General Assembly, by the provisions
| Oh lib act, ~ lCiiCNC LSC DlCoGHL ~
n~ancial embarrassment of the Stale,
with a purpose to secure an ADJUST
meut of the public debt, with the
consent of the creditors if practicable
and without discriminating between
them. upon fair aud equitable prin>
ciplcs."
Mr.. Fowler said he thought the
Senate amendment looked like stu>
~tiGcaljon.
He said: I DO not Ike the lan>
guage of this Senate amendment
1t contains within it elements shjch,
in plain p~arlance. are deuominated
qualification. Il declares that moth
ing contained in She bill Is intended
10 impose any obstacle between the
death Of the State-the ruin Of the
CommoDHeaith-and those who are
intent on her death. The essential
principles, the soul and spirit Of ibis
Bill No. 90. Is the iEtsrPosjtlon Of
obstacles between the State and her
impending ruin and the language Of
this amendment is intended TO render
migratory the whole power ard po-
tency Of this bill as it Went from the
House to the Senate.
MIR. Anderson asked ifthe gentle
men from Washington meant 10 de-
priye the creditor of any Of his legal
rights.
Mr.. Fowler Sir, l am opposed 10
the theory that the creditor has any
rights which render necessary the
destruction Of the State. I am and
have alnayS been, as is we'll known,
unwilling to allow the public creditor
TO be the sole judge Of his rights, or
that he shall take tbe sovereign pow
ers Of the Commonwealth in his own
keeping and suspend them at his
pleasure.
The substitute is one which I think
every delegate present should sup
port and defend. | declare that it is
MT our purpose to deprive the credi>
tor &C. his legal rights, and in that
word rights is concentrated the whole
o,eetior, at issue. It defines the in
%tention of The General Assembly, by
this act. to relieve the present inan-
cial embarrassment OF the State
is this what the gentleman Objects
to? 1t defines purF o>e to secure
an adjustment Of the debt with tie
consent OF the creditor, il p%ractic bic
Is this the object of the g%entlen al :
opposition? 1t declares our purpose
to avoid in this adjustment any dis
elimination between our creditors
There is the rub, sir. | suspect. Ii
proposes that this adjustment shah
be on fair and uitable principles,
and under this flag We go into this
engagement again.
The vote was then taken upon Mr..
Fowler's substitute, and it was reject
ed-ayes, "A noes, 48.
Sneaker Allen (Mr. Graves in the
Chair moved to reconsider the vote
by which the substitute was rejected.
lie warmly urged the adoption OF the
substitute
Air. Mohelt urged the adoption Of
the substitate. The whole ides Of
the Senate amendment Sas 10 defeat
tile bin. He did not ike the Ian
guaee of the amendment.
NIr. Robinson. Of Portsmouth.
contended that the Senate amend
ment did not really alter The meaning
Of the bill.
Mr. d, of Petersburg,
thought it would be a fatal mistake
on the part Of tie re-adjust"rs to OP-
pose these Senate amendments. lie
thought the amendments, though
trivial. improved the bill. he dis
liked to disagree with his friends.
Mr.. Harvey warmly urged h e
passage of the substitute proposed
by Mr. Fowler,
Mr. Popham urged the adoption
of The substitute.
The motion to reconsider was then
adopted-ayes, 65,' noes 81.
Tie vote Was tLen taken upon the