The New York herald., 1879-11-23
VIRGINIA POLITICS.


ING THE STATE DEBr-INTERvIEw WITH THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN STATE COM
MITTEE.
RICHMOND. Nov. 20. 1872
Tho recent alliance of the rank and file of the re-
publican party with the readjusters wing OF the
old conservative party. has produced most con-
fused and extraordinary condition of political affairs
in the Old Dominion. This alliance or afiliatou
has resulted in carrying majority of both branches
of the General Assembly, which meets on the 4th Of
December next which body will devolve the cleo
ton OF the State officials. county Judges and
United States Senator to succeed Senator Withers.
Upon the casting of the republicans. who In
minority in the General Assembly. will depend the
election of these officials and upon their action will
also depend the political future OF Vrninia as re-
CARDS party ascendancy. In view Of the complicated
state of affairs thus briefly outlined, the HERALD
correspondent to-day called upon Major B. W.
Hoxey, who is the chairman of the Republican State
Executive Committee. to ascertain his viows on the
situation. Mr.. Hoxey. besides occupying the posi-
ton he does as republican is also singular to say
= readjuster. He was formerly Assistant United
States District Attorney for the Eastern District Of
Virginia. and disregarding President Hayes civil
service rules chose to retain his position as chair
main Of the Republican State Committee. and thereby
forfeited his Office. He has very decided convictions
and is independent enough to maintain them.
CoRREspoNDENr-what your views about the
late election and its results, especially affecting
the prospects of your party in this states
Mr.. HoxEY-I have little to say on the matter that
has not already boen said and reported in tho
HERALD. One thing, however. want to note. and
that is that tho Northern press and the so-called
conservative press OF this State have been guilty Of
publishing a great deal of trash about "repudia-
tiOn There in tha
Both sides repel the charge that they repudia-
tionists; both claim be willing to pay the debts
and every dollar of interest that the State can
bear. but they differ to the means of doing it.
The debt payers or funders they are called,
claim that the present Mccullough bill is the true
one and the othsr side that the bill s imperfect and
mischievous.
n6PEnFEcr1oxs OF THE M'cuLLouoH BILL
CoRREsPoNDENr-What is your opinion a. to that
settlement?
Mr.. HoxEY-I regard 1t as q monstrosity. II the
question were simply one Of refunding the six per
cent consols. and tho 'peeler" bonds into bonds
bearing the rate Of interest provided by the bill,
even ii these latter bore tar receivable coupons
should be for the bills but it is not The State Of
Virginia deals with . Of men who don't own the
bonds and don't represent those who do own them,
and don't even pretend that they do. There is no
contract which can bind any human being to refund
his bonds, and the result will be that the syndicate
created by this law will fund all the bonds It can
get; 1t having tho sole right under the law to
fund-wiIl get its commissions the refunding,
and then will quietly drop the matter. We shall
then have the spectacle OF debt divided into three
First-The new bonds bearing IN average rate Of
interest through the forty years that they run OF
tour per cent
Second The present six per cent bond. with tax
receivable coupon.
bonds bearing nominally six per cent interest but
really drawing none.
lature embodied in the Mccullough bill measure
known the Allen amendment authorizing four
officers Of the State whenever the revenues Of the
State insufficient to issue 'nterest certificates,
receivable for taxes, a sevonty-hve cents on the dol
lar" This done to make the six per cent bond
holders fund their bonds; but Its authors do not
seem to have considered that in depreciating tho
taxpsying coupons OF the old bonds they were de.
and that with twenty -Ave per cent of the old
per cent bond would still pay four and one-half
per cent-half OF one per cent more than the new.
This practically delegates to these officers
the power of discounting the credit of the State At
twenty-five per cent six months. and Of taxing
interest certificates whenever the revenue Of the
State shall be insufficient"
COURSE THE REPUBLICANS.
CoRREsPoNDENT-Do you believe that majority
Of the republican party concurred with you In these
Mr.. Hoxxr-I don't think that majority of the
republican party thought or cared anything about
the debt question. They voted republicans for
their own candidates wherever the local leaders
would permit nominations to be made. In . letter
published In the Richmond WAtg, October !. sd-
vised this course and had that advice been followed
throughout the State firmly believe that would
have had majority in the Legislature. It 10 funny
to hear tho conservative prsss squeal because. -
debt question. but did take opportunity to deal
blow ut the conservative party At what else should
which is devoid of particle OF conservatism, wss
organized Tor their opprcssion. and faithfully hss
Il done lie work; eo orgsnized ss the true repuo'
gies 70 the breaking down Of the republican party.
1t adopted in 1873. constitutional amendment
requiring the prepayment of . cspitation tax "a .
prerequisite to voting with the avowed purpose OF
keeping the negro from the polls and OF raising the
jury law as practically excluded the negro from the
jury box. 1t gave to the county judges the power
Of appointing judges of elections and OF correcting
them. however. to appoint judges from both parties
where practicable" The grand result Of all these
ton of nearly 100000 votes to thirteen members in
the last Legislature, and to make possible the dis
tJorsensen s Congregational Districts II the negro
or any other republican should fail. any opportu-
nifty Offering to dea blow at the conservative party.
he would bo either more or less than man.
WHAT RKPuBLIcAxs ExpEcT.
ConREsPoNDENT-What.i in your opinion. will be
the course of the republican member In the Leg.
islature soon to meet?
Mr.. HoxEY-I am not authorized to speak for the
party and can't tell what its will be. hope,
however. that on questions outside Of the state
debt. the members will act together as party. 10
ia impossible for us to control legislation but
may and expect to secure repeal or modification OF
the obnoxious laws OF which have spoken, and
also due recognition as to some OF the State on
ccs which IL 10 vital to to control. cannot be-
eve that the hostile factions of the conservative
party will over como together again 1t has broken
to pieces OF its own weight and because Of its evil
deeds which have returned to plague 1t. think I
can see In all this presage OF similar condition OF
things throughout the South. That the democratic
party In the different States under different nancs
to suppress the negro u voter will hnd out before
the election of 1880 that their mission 10 fulfilled
and that ''the In over"
CoRREsPoSDEST-Will the republicans support
General Malone for the Senate7
Mr. HoxEY-I think that largo majority Of tho
republicans elected to the Legislature will support
him before any other conservative.
CoRREsroxDKNr-Is Malone regarded the most
advanced native republican in the statca
Mr.. HoxRY-I have never heard that General
Malone has declared himself . republican. On the
other hand ha has NaYa Acted With tho conaorxa.