The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-02-27

olence. 70.
It's not Just to Virginia that the State
should institute q comparison between Vir-
ginia and Missouri, in the legislation affect
ing the public debt Of the respective States.
There is no parallel in the cases. Virginia
had one third OF her territory violently taken
from her, when the expenditures which con-
stitute the debt, were in a great degree made
for the purpose of developing that one-third.
The two-thirds assigned to Virginia, in the
settlement OF the funding bill, capitalized the
interest thereon to the amount OF SIC, 900, 1000
| when we were not in condition to pay in
terest ontwo-thirds of the original principal.
Missouri had nothing of the kind to confront
or contend with. Her resources had been
but slightly impaired, as compared with Vir-
ginia., She had the control OF her revenues
and the management of her own affairs, by
her own citizens, while Virginia was UNDER
going the process of reconstruction, an9 sub
sequently embarrassed and humiliated by
the funding billiob and its coupon monstros-
ity. The proposition of the bondholders now
pending in the House Of Delegates embraces
all that Virginia should ever been asked to
pay and all that she would ever have been
expected to pay, had not a cringng. syco-
phantie legislature fastened upon the people
the funding bill. That proposition, if adopt
ed by the Legislature, and the bondholders
| carry out their part of the agreement, will
be sacredly lived up to by the people. In
the Valley it will be supported almost unan-
imously, and had it been presented in 1871,
instead Of the funding bill job, there would
have been no question raised as to her pur-
pose to pay all she justly owed. The wrong
perpetrated against Virginia, has been by
some of her own people, in denouncing those
as 'srepudiationists' who only sought to get
at the equitable debt Of the State, and pre-
vent reputation, which would have been
certain to have followed persistence in the
funding bill arrangement. 1t suited the pur-
pose OF the funding bill advocates to de
nounce all who would not agree with them
in that measure as s'repufliationists." in or
der to present themselvesa as the only "hon-
or" men in Virginia, though it stigmatized
the great body of the people as dishonest and
DESTROYS OF repudiating an honest and Just
obligation. 49, ga
The mills Of the gods grind slowly, but
surely, and the truth eventually will be Ie-
vealed. Instead of implying a purpose TO
repudiate that which was just and right, the
policy of the Re-adjusters has been accepted
by the bondholders themselves, and all the
honor shriekers are now ready I'd throw up
their hats and hurrah for that which they a
few months ago denounced as 1'repudia-
tion." 1t is a SANDER upon the people Of
Virginia to charge or insinuate that they ey-
er entertained purpose to repudiate that
which they ought. in equity, to pay. The
cordial approval of the bondholdnrs' prope-
sition by the great mass of the reaadjusters,
demonstrates this. When the right Of the
case is considered and weighed, there is no
more cause to reflect upon Virginia than
there is to impugn the motives Of any other
State, let her credit be ever SO high. Pros
trated, Impoverished and outraged, she simply
resisted the death grasp of speculatcrrs, and
liz the agony of despair, determined toy throw
off the harsh and cruel impositions tpf the
Funding Bill, at any cost. This is IL the
cause she has ever given to justify the mali
cious ISLANDERS which have been sent broadcast
against her, and now that the motives which
governed in.-that purpose and the policy for-
mu!ated have been Substantially endorsed by
the other parties to the controversy, it is
about time for the honor shriekers to acknoWl-
edge their wrong and apologize for their
gratuitous and unjust imputations upon the
great body of the people of the State. $50.