The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-01-31
4 KNOTTY QUESTION.
The Public Debt and How II Is to be
Settled. ..5 z z

Settled. d =
MEETING OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN.
TO oExcLUDEREP0RTERs FROM THE con-
FERENCE ADoPTED-ADJoERNED no THE
& COUNCIL CHAMBER-No BUSINESS DONE
THERE.AND AsuB-C COMMITTEE APPOINT
ED To- CONFER WITH THE; VISITING
FINANCIERs- THE RESULT OF THE DAYS
WORK. il
The Committees Of the two houses Of the
General Assembly on Finance met in Joint
session In the Office OF the Auditor Of Pub.
lie Accounts yesterday .rnorning-Senator
GrimsIey, OF Culpeper, presiding. The at
tendance was good, as it was we'll known
that the prsiiminaries OF the conference
with the bondhold ders were to be discussed.
Without. much ado, the committee proceed
ed to the consideration OF the subject.
Two thoughts were uppermost IN the
minds OF tbes majority FIRST; TO Keep sont
l4he reporters; second, to have only the
kh0ndhofd fders4 before the committee a:is .
EEss AS the first step fn the direction OF quiet
fand secrecy 'it was resolved that the COM
mittee would ;sit In one OF the parlors OF
the Ballard House, and have before them
Messrs. Hugh McCulloch, Samuef g. Wurd,
c. NJ. Fry, f. "A. Colston, and Isaac 81. Car
rington, and other distinguished gentlemen:
authorized to speak and act for funding
associations and great firms. IA + Z. !
|. "A proposition to invite thesG Governor was
made BY Dir, Bee0cksa md after being dir
Ecnssed BY several members was with drawn
or passed by.
Then the committee drhted into discus
sion Of the newspaper men-dellghtful
themel ,s5r-,,, ,;.E.. -, ;.
THOUGHTS ABOUT NEWSPAPER MEN. a !.
The great question with which the states
men Of the committee were called upon ut
this early hour to wrestle was whether the
newspaper men should be admitted or left
g out in the cold." s.|.t.
The conference OF bondholders held un-
der the administration of Governor Kem-
per excluded reporters and bound its mem
bers to secrecy, and-bad the satisfaction Of
per next morning. #
The committee went beating about wildly
for the accomplishment Of the same object.
Mr.. Barbour was understood to be will
ing to admit one representative from each
paper and all members Of the General AS
sembly.
| MIR. Bocock wished the committee to sit
in strict privacy, not that lie had fear as to
the result OF an open session, but because
he believed that quiet, business-like talk
between bondholders and committeeman
was what was wanted. Mr.. Bocock has a
pleasant way OF saying things-even dis
agreeable things II newspaper man is
to haye bis I" hopes crushed" no more deli
cate hand or head than his could do the
work.
MIR. Moffett, unmindful OF the great na-
tional reputation the newspaper men have
given him and his beIl-punch, cruelty in
sisted on private meeting, though willing
to admit legislators. his view was that this
committee was charged with the entire
management OF this matter, and that it
would be much better to keep off the crowd
and have nice, quiet chat with the bond
Ehoiders. *,..a@ :-5 49, + ',.- -.
-,,s.,A A sPUNKY SPEAKER. = -. +
! A!great deal more was said. 'S.1,..- a..
4 The drift. of the discussion was in favor
OF strictly private sessions OF the commit
tee and bondholders' representatives.. q
Speaker Allen, who was present as spec
tator, expressed (soHo ooce) his abhorrence
OF the project, so far at least as he was con-
| cerped., He didn't intend to be excluded.
1 He let those around him understand. that,
IL necessary, he would 60 out uponet the
street aud-buy 800 bond, and thus-qual-
ify himself--if his position OF member OF
the House wasn't sufacent-to enter the
charming circle Of financiers.
i His words were heard by some Of the
comn,itteemen, and were like centre-shots.
They began then to think, If they-the
committeeman, cfeatures-woulu be iusti-
fled in excluding members Of their two
houseS-their creators.
They thought it over, and wayered.
Finally it was resolved to admit all mem
bers; to Invite them to be present
LEVEL HEAD ON THIS QUESTION.
Senator Fulkerson. whose experience in
the General Assembly has not been value.
less, told the joint committee plainly that
il they determined to keep out the report
ers it would not avail them; that the re-
porters' would gather up the information
/ here and there and publish the result oil
their labors in the mornings, papers.
1t had been previously suggested by Mr..
Fowler that the committee have the official
stenocraphers present to take down the
whole discussion, to be referred to hereafter
if needed; to be, in fact, the record. Sena.
tor FuIkersoD, not seeing how secrecy
could be OF benefit to any one, was willing
TO have present not only the reporters, but
the stenographers and members OF the Cen
eral Assembly. He wanted the stenograph-
ers TO keep the record, and he wouldn't
think of excluding the members. Why,
they were the masters and the committee
their creature. II they excluded members
the two houses might discharge them.
PERSONAL.
Mr.. Fulkerson thought that il the credi-
tors were afraid to come and talk, where
their words would be taken down, that it
looked to him "yery much like they were
here for job"
Mr.. Bocock was considerably irritated by
this remark. He told Mr.. Fulkerson up
and down that it was q every improper "
one.
It appeared, however, that Mr.. Bocock
misunderstood Mr.. FuIkerson. The latter
alluded to the creditors. The former sup
Dosed his reference was TO committeeman.
] Subsequently there was an explanation
which was satisfactory to all concerned, and
removed all unPleasantness, II there was
any lingering.
| THE VIEWS OF GENERAL ECH0Ls.
Mr.. Echols reminded the gentlemen OF
their solemn responsibility and cautioned
them to be careful OF the attitude in which
they placed themselves. He was opposed
to having the stenographers there TO take
down every word said, and thought 1t Wouio
cause the bondholders' representatives TO DE
under some restraint. There might be
shrinking back On their part when they
found out that they were to be strictly re.
| ported. There seemed, he thought, to be