The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-10-05
"Wise and Timely,


suggestion of Hon. James G. Blaine. that
the Federal Government should come to
the rel ef of Virginia by paying at least a
portion Of her public debit as swise and
timely" This may be the sincere opinion
of our contemporary. But what will the 9TH
er States have TO say about it There is
not Northern or Southern constituency
that will endorse the proposition. Each
State has as much as it cares about attend
ing to, in paying its own debts. without be-
ing indirectly saddled with those of its
neighbor. The Northern States look upon
the present condition of each Southern
State as the result of its own management
or Encouragement, and regard them as
alone responsible for them, and amenable
to their DE- mands. The other Southern
States think Virginia 5 condition no worse
than theirs, and wo.ld enter an earnest
protest against beng indirectly taxed to
pay our Obligations, while they shoulder
their own. In 1876, hen it was charged
that the success of Tilden ard the inaugur-
alton of a Democratic administrations, with
the Solid South the controlling power in
shaping legislation, would be followed by
appropriate to pay rebel war claims"
and even for the slaves cmancipated, that
patriotic and untarnished statesman had
to publicly declare that nothing of the kind
would be done. If the propos ition of Mr..
Blaine as to the Virginia debt we're practi.
cally adopted, it would be- but short time
before every Southern State would d mand
the same consideration. The distinction
drawn by Mr.. Blaine, between the loss OF
Virg ia in rich and valuable teri itory. viii
not weigh a farthing. The cI,attn of the
STATE of West Virginia was The result oi
public sentiment in that poliio Of the Old
Commonwealth. Long before the war, such
sentiment had deep root, and had not the
strife of the sections been inaugurated.and
no attempted dissolution of the Union
been made, by this time, the State of West
Virginia would probably have bt en- ere aled,
with the dividing line On the Blue Ridge
instead Of tie Allegheny. 1t is not correct.
therefore, that it WAS the suggestion and
the act of the FEDERAL government that
Virgin ia was shorn of her richest domain.
1t Was the consumma ion OF desire long
entertained by many Of the leading men Of
of what is now West Virginia, intensified
| and cIystaizt d y reason Of the ordinance
of secession, and practically carried out
after Virginia had decided to throw her for
tunes with the Cotton States.
! Tie suggestion of Mr.. Blaine is nothing
more. practically, than bubble, and Illus
trates to what flmsy resorts the Bourbons
have TO appealto help their desperate cause.
Not only was it not wise and timely" but
it as extremely unwise and inconsderate
for MIR. Blaine to have made such uttei-
ances. 1t cannot possibly do him any good
cannot add to his popularity nor his REP
utation as sagaciOus statesman-but, on
the contrary, places in the hands OF his Re-
publican opponents a terrible weapon OF
assault, and gives his Democratic enemies
the fact and the opportunity upon which
TO renew and strengthen their warfare
against him.
Taken as an evidence Of sagacious states
manship or the indication of wise political
strategy, the extraordinary suggestion will
| be regarded as unfortunate. IL will not lie
accepted as proper, either in the light OF
party policy, of constitutions right, or
public eXpedieEcy.
No one State, VIII ;ther 1t be Democratic
or Republican, would be willing to be taxed
indirectly to pay the debts Of another
State.
The whole theory of our government
would be contravened by the Federal gov
eminent interfering in the affairs of the
States to the degree of assuming its obiga-
tions, or any part of them, and surely
| it wonld be obnoX ious to the sticklers for
State Rights and the brawlers against the
Capitalization of power in the National
Government.
1t would be manifestly ineXpedient,
were one or the other of the two great par
ties of the country in favor of such policy,
for it to be seriously proposed tat the OBJ
legations of State, created by the Legs-
lature in its sovereign capacity, should be
discharged by the Federal government, be-
cause of misfortune that had overtaken a
Commonwealth by her own act. The par
ty that would support such policy would
not live through national election. mol
would the representative OF that party lie.
ceive the electoral vote of single State q
the entire SO.
Nothing would be more gratifying to the
Democratic party of the country than for
the Republican party to accept such a sng
gestion and go before the people on it. An(
it was in the hope of getting Republicans
to endorse it that the Democratic press o.
Virginia is giving it such prominence, ant
commencing the wisdom and tnfeliness'
of it The object is to provoke division
of Republican sentiment at this time as be
tween the friends OF Mr.. Blaine and PTcsi
dent Arthafto The end fllaa the Liberal eanss
in this contes may be weakened and Thu
Bourbon faction st4epgthened-that Wis
may be defeated and Massey elected. ant
VirginiaWiiee more be dominated by one O.
the msst conupr and pr"iigate politica
organizations ever known to the country
The game is too transparent, and tho
scheme will fall still born.
Regulating Freight Charges.
The Supreme Court of Illinois has recently
| delivered an jmDOrtant decision one in which