The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-09-26
An Important Letter.

ALLAN was written very recently IN reply
to one from a friend OF bis who counsHlled
him to caution and elaboration before
giving in his complete ADHESION to the, poll
CIV OF the settlement OF the Virginia debt
under the MoCULLooH law passed at the last
session OF the Legislature. Mr.. ALLAN re-
iects the friendly counsel and eenceiyes' 1t
to be his duty to cooperate with the great
BODY Of the sensible and patriotic peopiefof
Virginia in supporting that measure, main
tanning the honor and integrity OF the state
in securing its honest enforcement. s..
The letter OF Mr.. ALLAN is creditable to
his good sense, and bis idea of his duty as
q citizen as well to Virginia as to the Ma
tional Government is honorable to him.
No one State can prove disloyal to its pub
lie obligations without inf1icting stigma
upon the national character as well as her
own. And Mr.. ALLAN states the case point
edly and truly when he says that those
southern men who lose their devotion TO
public honor would sooner strike bloWSat
the national than at state credit. as he
SAYS: "The success Of reputation ideas
"throughout the South means the election
d" OF 1873 representatives to the National LIE.
gislature, every oneof whom would mnch
"rather strike blow at the credit and help
I" to violate the plghted faith Of the Fede-
I" raj than his own State government"
Mr.. ALLAN takes the orthodox, sensible,
and patriotic ground, and his example Is 10
honorable contrast with that OF some OF the
lending Destructiyes, who are marching
steadily along the path Of reputation, and
are traitors to their own State as well as TO
the honor and credit of the nation. Their
success would best attach disgrace to the
nation. ,.u.
MR.. ALLAE'S LETTER. =. ..'
Now, my good friend, let me say few
words in reply to your kind advice as to
my course in regard 10 the question OF tne
State debt. realize painfully and fully as
YOU the advantage it might be to my future
political prospects to play the craven cow
ard. or, still worse, to sacrifice by active Ell
rs..- t,-Aat ..-;.,"i,.'n, ha"a,,sa tha nI1hlic
mind has become diseased on the subject OF
moral obligations. I feel, too, that a large
majority Of our party friends are charmed
by the syren songs of the soullesS schemers,
whose only aim Just now is to obtain a
prominence they never could have won in
q fair contest with the intelligence and
virtue OF the Commonwealth. But nope
[ have sufficient moral courage left to resist
appeals which am convinced onl ~. preatne
the word OF promise to the ear" but VIII
"break it to the hope" AS Republcan'
believing the one great and almost the oniy
- S}nSn
benefit we can now. contend lot IN State
politics is to guard and protect our Tree
school system, and convinced that the rur-
Their agitation Of our financial condltlon can
but paralyze the success OF that systems !;
heiieving also that under the operations OF
the Henkel bill, in conjunction with the
McCul,och bill, we have gained great
advantages for our schools, our credit, and
onr material prosperity, cannot silently
see nv party friends taking course SO ut
terly suicidal" Again, the Republican party
az the nation owes its present unity and
strength mainly to its fidelity and good
faith-first, as the champion Of universal
manhood and equal rights, and secondly, its
answering rectitude in Its attitude towards
the creditors OF the nation. Now, the sue
cess Of reputation ideas throughout the
South means the election OF 1873 Reputation.
lists to the National Legislature, every one Of
whom would much rather strike blow at
the credit and help to violate the plighted,
faith OF the Federal than his own State gov
ernment; because the debt in the one in
stance was, they say: largely based upon
their property in slaves, while the other was
created in the struggleto destroy the money
value Of every slave, and thus strip them of
the basis Of credit on which they contend
their State debts were contracted.
AS Republican, then, cannot lend my
influence to a movement which tends, II IL
does not directly seek, to blot the brightest
page in the record Of my party.
While admit that through the fear OF
party disintegration the Conservatives nave
been unwilling to meet this issue until the
disease, like fostering sore, has eaten
through the body polite, and spread to
alarming proportions; while l fear that a
large proportion Of the colored vote has
been seduced by false impressions and
empty promises into temporary alliance
as unnatural as to me distasteful, still, with
an abiding faith in the ultimate triumph
OF good over evil-right over wrong
virtue over vice. can calmly await the
time when, all these hollow, professions un-
masked and the true character OF the pre-
tenders made known, the sober second
thought OF the Virginia people-white and
black-wili bring Them back to the princi.
Piles OF honor and truth, and enable them,
"though stripped OF all else, " to leave that
precious legacy TO- their. posteritF. g,:.;z4
With kindest regards, very sincerely
yours;f ar 80 s~tE&a EDGAR ALLAN .
- - THO M = H''