The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-10
GEN. GEO. ]. HrNDLEY ON THE SITUATION.
The Recent suprc,ne-Court DECISIONS
10 Me Editor of he Dispatch !:

To The EdtfOr OF He DiSP"'"''
II the meagre report OF the decisions y,
the supreme Court In the virginia hnu
Louisiana cases be correct, the dsDt que,
tjon Is indeed settled, and we might rs WEI =,
number Il with the things that are past. ~
Is truc that the Virginia ease did NOT Pre- pr
sent the exact point involved in inc "hiu-
dleberger hilIn proper, but the SupIo.,i,'i
Court having decided that "Coupon-hliiei
No. 4; is constitutional, Of all the Wor,n-
loss things man could own taX-recei.-
obIe coupon is the most worthless, ana II i
absurd 10 talk OF testing the matter itr-
finer. II is also true that the LOUISIANA
cases were not exactly in point, but tue
Court used language which sounds ominous
IN those familiar with our debt question
for instance, the following: ,.o
.sThat the executive officers owe dut! 10
State alone. and have no contract rem
tions with bondholders. They can on,l
act ne n State directs them TO act. ana hoii
n, state directs them to hold.
That the political power cannot thus De
ousted and the judiciary sit in it, place"
As LAWYER / think these decisions
s,uud. and as citizen / hail with delight
such indications OF q return 10 heallily
State,'-rights doctrines by this august tri-
bunal. So. y,
novino the debt Of Virginia as ascertained
by the LEGISLATURE OF 1S70-'I 10 the Ist
cent. because believe thai we should
stand by our bargain. whether 1t he goou
or bad. / never was 4 believer IN the Wis
dom OF the "fundIng act.' On the con-
trary. from my seat in the succeeding
legislature pronounced il at that time To
he lust what il has turned out to be-thc
fruitful source OF untold evil.
We'll for lis had 1t been il majority OF
the Judges Of our Supreme Court hid CO.
ipcided i'm opinion with Judge Waller Il.
Staplcs. and sustained the repeal OF the
funding act by the Legislature OF ISL ~.
though i'm Justice TO the majority OF the
courtl il ought TO be said that when Tile
case of Antoni rs. Wright WAS decided
there had been some decisions OF the
United States Supreme Court which went
lar TO sustain the doctrine laid down by
our court. The tendency OF every depart
mcnt Of the Federal Government has long
been to dwarf the powers OF the States
and 10 treat with contempt and derision
any claim on their part TO the exercise OF
sovereign power, but since the great
commotion consequent upon the agi-
taflon of sectional issues has ceased and
reason resumed its sway all things begin
to settle into their normal conditions. and
the Supreme Court once more swings back
TO its post OF honor rs the chief corner
stone Of the Constitution. These eases,
close upon the heels OF others,
declaring unconstitutional some OF the
most odious features OF the enforcement
acts. afford indubitable evidence OF return
to sound constitutional principles, and all
of lis can afford TO discard the preiudiceS
and anim0sitics cngcndercd by the discus
sion of the debt question and rejoice to-
gcther over the victory OF states rights and
local sell-goycrnment.
issues Of far grCatermOmcnt now demand
our attention, and chief among them. in
my opinion, is the issue OF negro domino
ton i'm the government Of our State. ii
matters not to us that solid ncgro cOn>tit-
uencv is for the time being masked by the
brazcn front OF few whites animated by
Inst Of power. We cannot submit 10 the
Of the negro, organized rs a
solid power. and retain our claim to supc-
riority. Whenever the negroes choose TO
divide and range themselves irrespective 81
race considerations on both sides OF the
issues OF the day they will cease
TO be dangerous; until then they will be q
menace TO or institutions. IL is
a great mistake to suppose that every true
Democrat is d" FunGer."
|, in common with thousands Of others,
bowed to the decision OF our supreme
Court on the debt question as the tar
whilst ! deprecated 1t most heartily, and
never have believed it TO be sound tar.
" hat has been the result? Another fu-
tile attempt to "bind Samson with green
withs,' rs the recent decisions OF the SUI
prcme Court demonstrate; the disruption
OF the Conservative party, the dcmoralIza-
ton OF our people, and the turning over Of
our entire state government 10 the negroes,
led bv comparatively few whites. the
saints OF free ballot and 4
far count" who would rather rule in hell
than serve in Heaven"
No greater folly was ever pcrpetrated bya
party Than by yours IN tackins itself on to the
tail OF the " funding bill" unless, indeed,
it be the passage Of the act itself
j. it not time we had let It 90: EXpe-
rieDcc has taught Us that if we fail TO cdu-
cate the people up to our ideas OF honesty.
1T ltlNl We fdilItt hlup lhNhl iillp ihNtl>-
urcs.
| do not believe that the people prefer
the RCadiuster leaders and their methods
they simply selected the most available in
struments TO rebuke their natural leaders
for attempting to infringe upon their SOW
ereign rights by the puny interposition OF Il
taX-reccyable coupon. Repeatedly did
they declare al the polls that they would
not submit to the odiouS taX-rcceiyaOle fea-
turc OF the debt settlement, thing invent
ed by brokers and stock-gamblers 10 enable
them TO stand between unwilling States
and their taX-gathercrs and intercept the
whole revenue by means OF these pocket
executions, but still we persisted in the
effort to cram it down their Threats.
y wary and INSCRIPTIONS enemy saw
his opportunity, seized upon it, and the
result is before us.
Let us make no more mistakes, call no
more hard names, and use no harsh words
towards our Democratic brethren. We
need not grieye over the past either, for
time and teeming prosperity will effect
more than all the force bills that ingenuity
could devise. Sooner or later the moral
sentiment OF the civilized world and re-
turning sense Of justice, aided by full cof-
fers, will induce this State, as in other in
stances has been done, to satisfy whatever
may be the just demands OF its creditors.
GEORGE j. HUNDLEY.
MIR. Royal Heard From.
NEW YORK, March 8. 1885.