Daily Republican., 1881-07-29
Re.adjusters and Debt Payers.

1AcsAU anu DCOS 4 py SASs
1t looks now as If the Read uater pa
ty of Virginia had assimi!atcd the me
.jor portion of the Republican patty
phe State and it is extremely douhttU
if there will be third party in the field
If the whole Republican vote can b
transferred to the Readjusters and tn
latter will be able to hold their owl
there Will be no doubt left OF the over
throw of the Bou, bon, Of that State II
the approaching State election Muct
has been said against the Rcadjuster'
because they have undertaken TO read
Just the State debt, and this has been
conveniently called reputation by
those who do not properly understand
the question. Much of the debt Of Nir.
ginia was incidental to the late rebel.
lion, and as matter Of course the .,co.
pie of Virginia, a large majority Of
whom were either active participants OF
sympathizers with the Confederate side,
had no decided inclination to pay of
debts incident to the war which was to
subject them to loyal government. In
this way the debt instead Of being paid
off was left go by default with interest
added upon principal, until Virginia
was in a fair way to becomea thorough
ly bankrupt State. Something had to be
done. The creditors ware becoming
troublesome. About this time sprung
up the Read juster party led hy Gener-
federate side, whose bravery in he field
of battle and loyalty to the Conirde acy
while there was any, could not be qles-
toned His position was that Virginia
would surely pay what she hon
estly owed, but she would NOS pay
West Virginia's share. That State
which was part Of old Virginia at the
time that much of this debt was con-
tracted, and though afterwards. made
into separate State, Mr.. Malone ahd
thousands of other Nirginians contend
ed, was entitled to pay her proportlon-
ate share of the deb. West Nirginia's
share would have been nearly one-thlrd
of the debt and it was this one-thi.d
that M. Malone and his party dec.ln-
ed to pay. This is what was called sea-
ing the State debt and for this the Re- |
a justers Of Virginia have been charged |
with reputation. The assumed char
acter Of Debt payers by the Lourbon |
Democrats sits but lily upon the party
that paid neither principal nor interest ,
when it was in power, but it answered
a political purpose and it was used for
that purpose. The difference between
the .Readjusters and the so called Debt
payers of Virginia is, that the first
promises to pay q certain amount and
pays it, and the latter promises to pay
all and paws none. When this debt |
paying business in Virginia comes TO
be properly understood by the people !
they will be surprised TO see TIL" dupll-
city and deceitfuluesS of the Bourbon
Democrats We are not sufficiently |
acquainted with what led to the crea-
tion of the Virginia debt to know whcth'
er West Virginia should pay the part
that Old Virginia refused to pay or not
hut We think that question involves a
principle which affords some just!iica-
tion for the actions of the Read justerS. |
There are circumstances connected |
which 90 far to show that the EeadjuS-
ter party 10 no; the dishonest and ilsiu-
cere gathering it is represented to be, it
has declared in favor Of free eiectiOns
and fair count Of votes. 1t has come
to the aid of the colored people Of the
State and defends them in securing
equal rights. 1t pronounced it favor of
popular education and the increase of
schools and money raised and eXpCnd-
ed for that purpose slows that it per
fDrms what il promises. We're we Nir-
ginians, with the light which We now
have, we have no hesitation in saying
that we would vote with the Read juSters
because we would be favoring the pros
perity Of the State, the good of the peo-
pc, the educational interests and the
rights ot citizens. We are therefore
pleased ~ sec indications Of u union of
all opposed TO the iudolrnt do-no,hing
principles OF the Bourbon Democracy
Of Virginia aud we hope to see it1 over
thrown hy an enlightened pubic opinion
and the ballots Of men who want 70 be
free.