The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-08
T'f,p Public Debt.

10 the Editors Of the N>pGtch;
/ sec that you make question III your
papci of the liability Of Virginia for that
portion OF The debt OF west Virginia for
which she was liable when she was o part
OF Virginia. OF course virginia IS laDIe
for that dcbi Its West Virginia Is liable Tor
our debt, therefore you are maintaining Ma
homes ylcious doctrine without seeming 80
know it. But propose, as Mahone - no"
in tbo senate Of the United STATES, 10 sug-
pc>t that tie shall take the bull by the horns
instead Of involving his own state IN TIE
homeless and dishonest course 81 ftddlu>t-
menl, ana probably IN hl0od,hed TOO, Tor re-
adjustment is impossible under TIE C0nSti-
tution of the United STATES, FOR under thit
Constitution aud the LAYS maze III puIsu'
lancc of it The decisions OF the supreme
Court are law Which cannot be sci aside un-
les BY battle, although 1t is Scven-to'eight
court. Adjustment aud roadlustmen', "hcn
applied TO diliicuiics, mean tue acl oil agree
m(nt between the parties; leddjustmcnt
cannot take place, therefore. uOIess both
parties consent. Rcadiu>tment, 50 called,
by one party i. Reputation, which Is the
refusal Of tlat parry 10 pay what be owes.
While the two Vnrgnias are liable for
tie whole debt to the creditors, and
bound to pay it, the Unlled STATES
is liable by the law OF nations for
the debt, and bound TO pay it. am
writing in sick-room, aud therefore may
not quote the Law accurately by PAGE oil the
volume but, aCcCl ding TO my recOlleclon,
YOU will find The subject very fully treated
in WhestOn's Law OF Nations, page %, d
sea. and note, and, indeed, by every DINER
publicist; aud in Wheaton YOU will lind
that when Texas was applying to be an
neXcd TO the United States, and, as 1t was
supposed, was about TO be annexed, Eng
laud applied, through Ler Ministers, ana
gave notice 10 the United that II Texas was
ceded 10 the United States she must pay to
England the debt which Texas owed her
people, which was $4,000, 600. When Judge
Chase came TO Richmond to hold his hrst
court after the war be was dining at my
house, and as tie United states was then
claiming in England h right OF Succes>i0n'
by which alone sue could claim 1t, all The
money and property OF the Confederate
States TO be found in England, | SAID to the
Judge. as we sat under the trees at I" La
bunum," " How il this, sir l. 1t net the
law Of nations that if any one conquerlng
nation claims the property Of the conquered
by right Of succession, by which alone
she can claim il, is she not thereby
D0Unu 10 pay 3i lne ucOls vi HCi
yiciIm!" To which he replied, "Cer-
tainly; and l have been trying to beat
il into their heads AT Washington, but they
will not believe me-" And will here add
that Judge hughes, of the Federal Court in
this city, has affirmed the same doctrine in
the case OF the United States rs. Smith by
ovcrruliug the demurrer OF the defendant
10 the complaint OF the plaintiff. Now. let
General Malone, if be is really a brave as he
save be is, cease from his efforts 10 degrade
Virginia by his repudlatng her debt, and
introduce in tic Senate OF the United state,
a bill 10 pay the debt. JAMES Lyons.
February G, ISL.
TAs We have often Stated our views upon
the point, discus, cd by our venerable and
respected >pondent, we will not here
repeat those ViewS.l