The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-02
NATIONAL HONESTY.
Good Faith and the Law Of Nations nv
Applied to state, County, Municipal
and other Public HOnds.

Applied TO state, County, Municipal
and other Public H0nds.
Editors IntelliGenCer.
have been for many years the constant
reader Of your daily issue, not so much
on account OF its political complexion
as for the able articles Of many OF your
correspondents and the sensible and well
timed editorials it furnished. There is
one subject to which you have OCCASION
ally referred, and one that l think the
honest people Of the country should turn
its attention. You will understand the
power OF the press OF to-day in moulding
public opinion, and in guarding both indi-
yiduals and nations from the commission
OF error. The subject above referred to is
the reckless manner in which States,
municipal corporations and associa-
tons OF almost every kind issue their
bonds for large sums OF money
payable to bearer and throw them
on the market 10 be taken not only by our
own citizens, but the subjects OF foreign
countries with which we are in close COM
mercial and friendly relations without
making or trying to make any provision
for their redemption.
All such frauds are dishonorable in the
extreme in those committing them and
highly delnoralizlng in this tendency. To
sec the honored seats OF Tazwell and Cal.
houn in the Senate filed with the hdeous
embodiments OF reputation, would be
hnmiIiating not only to the proud sons
Of Virginia and the Palmetto State, but to
every patriot OF this land who cherishes
the honor OF his country. And such Is the
decentralization OF our people that all this
and worse may happen within the next
decade.
But it is not only the loss OF national
honor, or that the perpetrators OF such
frauds 20 unwhipped OF justice or the
pcCuniary losses Of their victims that are
10 be considered in the treatment Of this
subject. Many Of those bonds go into the
hands OF Ore;gn goyernments-subjects Of
the great powers OF the old world. Nations
don't settle their grievances with indi-
viduals, States or corporations, they deal
with their peers. 1t is conceded that all
governments have the right and that it is
their duty to redress the wrongs inflicted
on their subjects, either OF persons or
property, by the subjects OF other nations.
We claimed and exercised this
right when we sent Commodore
Decature to Algiers and Tripoli;
and we are now exercising the
right with the White River Utes. When
satisfaction Tor the wrongs is not given
the injured nation may declare war and
punish whole nation for the misconduct
OF few individuals, or In many cases the
injured nation may, under the well
defined laws OF nations, issues her letters
OF marQue andIreprisal and levy on the
property OF her citizens, and take satisfac-
ton in that way. Suppose million dol.
lars OF the bonds OF the city OF Wash
ington, or the State OF South
Carolina, were to come honestly
and fairly into the hands OF subject OF
Great Britain and payment was denied.
Could he not apply TO his Government for
redress; could his government do less than
to call the attention Of the Government at
Washington TO the subject and il the mat.
ter could not be adjusted ought not the
English Government to issue her letters
OF lnarque and reprisal and attach the
IIupelNN VI hluCllS0h IltlAGIn VIZ tHG Illku
seas or within the territories Of Great
Britain, and SO attached, dispose Of the
same through her courts and pay 10 her
citizen the debt, interest and cost. All
nations have their maritime courts to
adjudicate matters OF this kind and kin
dred subjects We have no right to erect
government covering vast territory
right in the midst OF the commercial and
Christian nations OF the earth to be used
rs city OF refuge, within which thieves,
robbers and scoundrels OF every kind can
with impunity cheat and defrand the rest
OF mankind. We have the right to make
such wsand regulations among ourselves
as We choose. We may expose the honest
earnings OF our people to all the invasions
that dishonesty can invent, but II we
would make history for ourselves, OF
which our children may DO proud, and
avoid dangerous complications with our
neighbors, we will have to erect for our
selves as people higher standard OF |
honor and good faith in our dealings with
mankind. Coon FAITH.