The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-02

A
TEN RE-EsrABLlsHED- PROSPECTS OF THE
VALLEY RAILRoAD--YoRKT0wN CENTEN.
| NAL, &C.
Iu the House Of Delegates at 12:4G yester-
dav the consideration OF the Senate bill " TO
rees;ablish the public credit the bill
adopted by the caucus and put forth under
the patronage OF Mr.. Riddleberger--was
commenced.
The pending question was the substitute
proposed by Mr. Ross Hamilton.
The galleries and privileged seats were
all packed when Mr.. Cogbill, OF Amherst,
claimed the floor and addressed the House
In opposition to the Caucus bill. He began
with statement OF how the debt was cen.
iracted~all before the war, not cent
| since-and how the justness Of the debt
with the exception OF the two thirds set
| aside for West Yirginia) had been acknow-
ledged in the most solemn and emphatic
| manner by all The General Assemblies since
the war. and by the Constitutional Corven-
! ton OF 1867. The history OF the funding
bill OF 1912 was briefly skelched, and
the decision OF the Supreme Court OF APP
peals thereupon explained with that terse-
ness and vigor.. which mark all OF Mr..
Coghi's utteIances.
lie quoted General Mabone's speech at
Mozart Hall and his letter to his friend in
Alexandria (recently published In this pa
peri and demonstrated that until the caucus
bill came forth it was not proposed "to i'm
pinge upon the principal" Five General
Assemblies and conventions recognized the
principal OF the debt, and their action w:s
acqulesced in by the people Of the State.
No such issue as Is now presented was made
before the people. They were induced to
believe that the Readiusters were for the
payment OF the whole principal, but were
opposed TO the tax-receivable coupon. and
to the non-taxable bonds, and that between
them and the Conservatives there was no
other difference.
Mr.. Coghill, proceeding to careful an
alysis OF this bill, pointed out its lnequali-
ties and uniustness. He drew attention to
the Tennessee case--the sandy foundation
upon which this Riddleberger superstruc-
ture is reared-and showed very clearly that
that case will not tit here, and that the right
to enforce the contract was an element
OF the contract itself, and the creditors
could not be deprived OF it. Further, that
the reasons for repudating portion OF the
| debt are wholly untenable. The objection
able features of the q" loan-certifcatt J"
were pointed out and commented upon.
Mr.. Coghil had the floor at 2:30, when
the chair was vacated.
MR.. CoGHu.L's SPEECH CONCLUDED.
| Speaker Lacy resumed the chair at 8
O'Clock, and Mr.. CoghiIl continued his
speech. arguing that there was no public de-
mand (as there was no iEstifcation) for the
reduction OF the principal of the debt. and
the leaders OF the Readiusters on this floor
! had heretofore admitted the principal as re-
i hx, Uoanpl-.
reviewed the record of the other side on this
question, and claimed that their course was
not marked by candor and sincerity. and
| that they were now going bow-shot be-
yond what they had promised in the late
canvass or what was expected or them.
They were taking new position and a new
departure.
MIR. Coghil discussed at some length the
feature OF this bill, which proposes that 1t be
submitted to the people. He said that never
but once before had the like been done.
The State OF Tennessee submitted a bill
somewhat after this order to the people, but
il was rejected, and the courts were not
called upon to decide its constitutonality.
Here it was proposed 10 say TO the people,
Vote for this bill or vote for nothing; "and
that you call popular sovereignty and that
YOU call carrying out the will OF the peo-
pie! !" Mr.. Coghill declared his BELIEF that
the preamble of the bin at least was tue
work OF General Malone. General Malone
was in the hall at the time.]
SHALL THE BILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE PEOPLE.
| At the close Of his speech Mr.. Coghill
| moved to strike out the seventeenth sec-
tion-submitting the bill to vote OF the
people.
Several members smang to their feet as
Mr.. Coghill sat down. The Speaker recog-
nized Mr.. Lady. He demanded the pend
ing question. Mr.. Wilkinson appealed to
him 10 withdraw it, as several members
wished to be heard. Mr.. Lady declined to
withdraw it. The call was sustained on
diyision-ayes, so; noes, A.. Mr.. Hanger
demanCed recorded vote. Ordered. Re-
sult-ayes. 50; noes, 43.
Some OF the visitors began to applaud
when the vote was announced. and the
Speaker said il they continued that he
would have them brought to the bar OF the
House.
The pending question having been or
dered, the vote on striking out the 18th
section resulted as follows: Ayes, AZ
noes, SO.
! HAMILTON SUBSTITUTE REJECTED.
| Mr.. Lady demanded the pending cues
ton. Ordered-ayes, Sc; noes. Al.
Mr.. Hanger asked what was the pending
question.
Tbe Speaker said that it was on the adop'
tion OF the substitute offered by Mr. Ham
| ilton.
MIR. Hanger SAID that the bill had not
been read through in the hearing OF the
House, and it was the right OF each mem,
| ber TO attempt to perfect the original Dill
before being called upon TO vote for The
substitute. Be desired to have 1t read, and
he wished TO amend the preamble. lie
made that as a point Of order. The Speaker
oyerruled 1t, as the House had ordered
vote on the substitute. MIR. Hanger ap-
pealed from the decision Of the Chair. The
Chair was sustained on recorded vote
ayes, "a; noes, Al.
Mr.. Hanger (at 1857 moved that the House
adjourn. Result On recorded v0te-ayes,
A; noes, 55.
| Mr.. Hanger moved to reconsider the vote
by which the pending question was Or
dered. Not agreed to on reco, ded vote
ayes, SO; noes, As.
| Mr.. Hanger moved that the House ad-
journ. Rejected on recorded vote-ayes,
AZ; uoes, 50.
Mr. Ross Hamiton's substitute was re-
jected.
| Adams, Stephen Flizparick. ABB. Morgan. Geo W.
| Harbour, Is. j. Fray, John ID. Mushbach, u. a.
| Chamberlayne, Gibson. J. z. Nelson; wm. N.
j. Bampden Goode. III, ~. nicoi, g. w., y, \,
| t,oghiIl. n, A. HAMILTON. X. Payne, Wm. Ii.
| naiion Martin Hanl er, NJ. Pits. Charies