Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-03-18
The Debt Question and Pnrties-Gen.
w. Ell. T.. Lee for Governor.
Manassas Va Mor,h X 1891

10 tie c,lttor of the alexandria Gazette:
Wo Gre evidently approschag q serious crisis !
in our SIsto politics. Although it is true there
can nos b, any danger in that agaiost which We
have 40 "adtq1stc, tfI,ctual remedy" yet it
becomes 50 waen We have not sufficient wisdom
end character to sp?ly tho remedy which will
avert it.
Ii really seoms that there is DO Inconsistency,
snd think may be j 1sty added, crime. that
political pIeildIoc, party pcloJ and ambition,
will not c,mmit urdarthc fair. but delusivo plea
Of bor0r, justice and patriotism. Such conduc;,
however, should no: be entirely sttrbutedto
dcpraved nature, but partly to that prevalence
Of scllishncss and Ignorance, which has become
to b. regarded by many as virtue, and fron
which largo portion OF our public mlbfortunes
have plainly cmanstea. As an immediate eV
dcpco of tho power Of political prelude, AID
tic evil which flows from being led by it, rah
or than ressoD, is observed. 10 tho singular fact
that somo persons actually Oic, that theState
by lato dc sion of tho u. s. Supreme Court, is
| deprived, in somo degree, Of the disposition Of
! her oWn finances, WHOM cannot but excite
| regret AID astonishmeut in the mirds Of all who
| really have the interest aud honor OF tho State
| OF heat. Gao less benevolent might call such
| conduct duplicity. 1t oanuot be Justly denied
| that Notwithstanding our boosted wisdom and
| greatness, ignorance exercises pernlcl)u5 iu-
hueIco 10 public affairs, fiction has uSurpod the
paoa OF fact, passion that Of reason, and truth.
gratitude, iuslIco and patriotism too often yield
| to tho power OF stt interest, plrty nn !cts aud
ambition. Undor such bilclul Influences the
welfare OF tho State has been saclY neglected
to adyaDco party schemts and personal advanO
tagcs. If wo would improve our condition aud
escape further public misoros We should prefer
intelligence to igpOraIco, virtue to vic,. end
glory to shame. Art is intended to crafty tho
scBso-scicuoo to discover the laws of nature,
elevate tho mind. abridge tho labor of man and
contribute to bis happiness.
| Oar present deplorable condition gives some
appearance, to tho truth OF remark | have
somewhere read. that republics have their rise
10 Hypocrisy, Cloquouce and ambition-ther
ond in corruption and oppression, tho worst con
| dition OF mankind.
| The conduo. of many Of tho leaders o.! the
conservative party duriog tho last ten pears 10
regard 10 tho State debt, has been exceedingly
uowso, TO u;o no barsher expression. Al
though an reacj my remarks orc not
designed to iDjutc tho conservative party, for
consider its supremacy necessary to tho welfare
and honor ct tho Commonwealth. but they arc
mado 10 tho hope that it's leaders will abandon
their mistaken bottoms IN reference to tho man.
ncr Of psyirg the public obligations and adopt
o Ley that will accord with the erent losses,
poverty. necessities and hapI 1cSs Of tho peo-
pie, which alone can render tho party SUCCESS
iu and bcucflcisl. Because somo persons can
not be malo to $40 how iorcibo roadiastmcnt
may be rcscrscd to with honor and ilst:c, is no
moro reason why it MY not be 30 than tho
clements of laws Of geometry arc rot true. BE-
cnuso SOHO men sTo not c,pabo Of judging
whether they arc SO CT not.
Many persons from hearing it SO often TO-
pented, and net having sufficient capacity to
detect It's fsllacY, believe that two wrongs can
not make Iipht, when in fact many OF our
rights arc made by wrongs, and would not be
rights ut al without such wrongs. Two famiI.
lar examples, by way Of illustration, will be sui
fcieut to prove tho absucdity of this manncr OF
oorcludiug Did not the wrongs which W. rev
ceived from tho North and othurs spprehended
gvo Us o moral, legal aud natural right 10 do
tcnd cur properly and liberty, Waioh right VIC
would not have had without these wrongs. And
did not tho Wrot Z which we experienced from
lGDgand MAKO our secession from her not only
right but tXoueratod us from eli the turptuds
OF treason which tho laws Of Eogland imruted
10 Us for our uotlo efforts in the cause cf hber-
ty and the rights OF humanity Cereioly they
did And why SO; why. because the rights of
humanity arc natural, tho sacred gifts Of the
Author Of Nature, which no human law, oon-
trac. or system OF government Gao legally, i1st-
> ~ or morally ahridgo or subvert.
But some OF tho debt payers do not heed
these great moral truths. ncr $40 TO aaal z, tho
facts 10 tho GIso, and thus ascertain how tho
debt ought to be paid, but prefer sacrifice to
mefG!; misery, rather than happiness for the
!, people. Some OF them will ask, bv way OF ar
gumcut, did sou borrow tho money? and when
answered in the affirmative. cxuiuglg reply.
well. then, pay it, and vainly imagine thoy have
gained complete victory. Such method of
reasoning shows moro weakness than wisdom.
They do not seem to know. that proving thioc
tIua, dots not "immediate|y or necessarily
prove it good or bad" 1t suit should bo in
stlutcd against person entertaining such sha-
low nolinus, on note for $780, and BIO should
have otfsetS amounting to $50. and request
+ they DO allowed a. o c;edit, aud the Judge
should disregard his request, and ask him if he
borrowed tho money, and Oh his replying 10 the
affirmative, the Judge should say, we'll, then,
you must pay it, and give judgment for the
amount of tho note and interest, he would al
ouoo SEQ tho fallac7 of bis reasoning as to how
the State debt ought to DO paid. Further, accord
ing TO the notions 10 question. man who COM
mits murder must suffer death. because the law
directs such punishment TOR that otfeuse, with.
out regard to The circumstances which caused
tho murder. Both reason and Justice forbid
such procedure. Mary persons who commit
murder arc relieved from its penalty on the
ground that it was iaslGable, so also, arc mon
relieved from paying the full amount of their
debts; from motives of humanity and public
policy, as is observed in bankrupt laws; and no
valid reason can be adduced why the same
wholesome principle or rule should DOT bo ap.
piled in tho settlement Of tho state debt. 10
argument, We should acknowledge what is true,
though it should show tue weakness OF our un-
der.taDdiDk.
A policy that would. if carried out, c,nsgn
tho rcoplo to an indefinite period of poverty
and misery, and deprive them of all hopo of 70.
lief, can mover cotquor their intellec!s. DOR com
mand their approval. 1t il fatal to tho exist