The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-02-23

HOUsE-JCDGE ROGER GREGORY IN HIS
FORMER sRAT--A VOTE TO PAY MRS. GEN.
ERAL PICKETT S3.000-THE RICHMOND CHAR
TER. AGAIN--THE SUNDAY LIQUOR LAW
M'D0NALDs PIsHwAY-ACTs OF INC0RP0-
RATION VARIOUS OTHER LEGISLATIVE
ITEMs-PERs0SAI.. &C.
The Readjuster caucus Friday night
harmoniZed" beautifully. General Ma
hone and Auditor Massey came in as me-
diators between Mr.. Riddleberger and
Messrs. Fulkeison and Paul. They settled
the differences in quick time. But Tor the
action OF the caucus the Riddleberger blll
would have been defeated in the Senate.
AS it was. Messrs. Fulkerson and Paul
were induced to forego further opposition,
with the understanding that when the bill
reaches the House it shall be amended
to meet their views by striking out
the 18th section. That section set
apart certain portion OF the revenue
for the payment OF interest and final ex-
tpction Of the principal. This was regard
ed by many as the one good feature OF the
| bill. Ii was too good for the RtadluSters.
1t is therefore 10 be cut out, and in It's place
there is to be put a section which viii de-
vote call the money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated to the purposes
designated. With this understanding the
bill received the votes OF all the Readlust-
ers in the Senate Saturday. All the Debt
PAYERS voted against it,
| Now it goes to the House.
MR.. PAUL's SPEECH.
Before the motion TO indefinitely postpone
the bill was defeated Mr.. Paul made the
! following speech, which will enlighten our
readers as TO how that gentleman looks at
things which present themselves in quite a
different light to the dcbt-paying eye:
| hope it will not be the pleasure OF the
Senate to indefinitely postpone this bill, but
that we will to-day. so far rs We are con-
cerned, declare by our votes for the settle
ment of this vexed question. | have no
doubt we are all as anxious Tor the final dis
position OF this matter as the Senator from
Richmond said he was on yesterday eve
ming. That Senator says we want peace.
So do all the people OF this Commonwealth.
The Senator and his party in times gone by
undertook to give to the people this peace.
They attempted it in 1871. Instead OF peace
they gave turmoil and strife. They under
took to give peace to the people in 1879.
They proclaimed through the Common
wealth from the mountain 10 tie sea, that
they had at last given TO the people what
they had been siohing for through fifteen
years
PEACE on THIS FINANCIAL QUESTION.
The people refused to accept their propo-
sition, but in popular election expressed
their sentiments in q manner so positive
and plainly that no one can misunderstand
what they mean and what they demand.
The chosen representatives of the people
selected to deal with this question have pre-
sented for its final disposition bill and the
approval Of majority OF the Legislature.
The first objection urged against 1t on yes
terday bv the Senator from Richmond (Mr.
Henry Is that it eliminates the war ana re-
construction interest. which has been nth
erto recognized by different Legislatures rs
part and parcel OF the principal OF the debt
beg TO remind that Senator that the popu'
lar mind has never been satisfied Oh that
question. From he close OF the war TO the
nresent day it has been agtated. In vari
Gus resolutions in this and in the othel
branch OF the General Assembly the propo
sjtion has been declared that
NO INTEREST ACCRUED DURING THE WAR,
and none ought to be paid. The Senator
himself did not argue that interest run OF
tbe nublic debt in time Of war, but content
record as recognizing the interest durin!
: that period. | have never been able 10 Sc
, the difference in this matter between Stat
ana an individual. Every lawyer and ever,
senator knows that interest on claim belt
- NV foreign citizens against citizens OF Nlr
: oinia does not accrue during war. Ina
nrincipIe is as old as the common law ltSen
II was settled not only in regard to our lie
volntionarv war. but in the war OF 1872 III
r courts decided no interest accrued.
4 In the course OF all my reading hav
+ found no principle Which eXcepts publI
). debt from the operation OF this fixed law.
; AsTo HOME CREDITORS,
+ tho neople were taxed during the war t
= nav the interest. Many Of the creditors +,
- ceiyed IT. but others refused TO take il.
20 NO interest accrued, it was wrong 10 pile
:; up on the principal. Ii it was original
u wrong TO compound il, and the wrong eXls
-" sill. | don't care how many Legislature
. may have said they were willing to aggI
! cate this interest and principal. The
:. have been bills that will bear the constru
= tion placcd upon them by the Senator
:. know furthermore that we have been Stru;
- Cling for ten years TO get control OF IN
= question. We have made concessions wbl'
l, we never would have conceded II we h;
- the power to exercise our own choice. No
IT. we come 10 deal with this question in
manner which will receive the endors
l ment OF the people, making ii finalty al
(, putting it out Of politics.
!. AS TO the war interest being a settl
II question. | find from the House Journi
tr on. 415. that in 1S74-'75. preamble al
y resolution prepared by my colleague l.
WoNett. Mr.. Massey, and the distinguish
q Senator from Washington county (tulk'
D sonl. and which was offered by that ser
y, tor in the House Of Delegates,
If. THIS DOCTRINE
d, was declared in that paper, ana TIE "Io
er Of compoundng the interest was poih'
ont. 1t is question when mas DC
er mooted ever since the war.
an In this connection | ask any Senator
er nresent bill showing that any OH
II, Southern State has undertaken to 90
,er much as Virginia. l ask them to sh'
IS, where a single State has cOntented us
re with striking out the war interest aio
81 and keepipg the principal solid ana inta
Ceoroia' Sonth Carolina, Tennessee, a
H. hama Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, h'
ed oil ont down the principal OF the de
es, When we to-day, the representa-
Der OF the sovereign people, present TINS =
ley IN the world as an ultimaium ana u
to settlement, we present the Dest Iecoru
M any State IN the late Southern Sonleuera
cry Notwithstanding Virginia. except III ~
property, suffered more than all tne OF
States In the los. Of material Wealth.
no, was
ume' m THE cANPING-GRoUND AND THE BATTLE-Fil