The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-10-18
The Fight of the Funders.

|
From the German.
The Fight of the Funders.
THEIR PRETENSE THAT THEY HAVE &C
i CEPED THE DEBT SETTLEMENT Who'll.
i LY MEANINGLESS.
Special Letter to the National Republican.
RICHMoND, VA, Oct. An otwithstand-
ing the fact that the bourbons of Virginia
assert in their platform that the debt ques-
ton has been forever blotted out of the
book of political issues in Virginia, they
are nevertheless making it the leading is
sue in the present compaign. Ever since
the passage of the Riddleberger bill the
debt question has been repeatedly brought
forward by bourbon democrats in high
standing in their party, and, like Banquo's
ghost, it will not down, but will forever
stand prominently forward if left to the
democrats to settle. Attorney General
Blair, who is one of the ablest and most
fearless leaders of the liberal party,
has been actively engaged in fighting
for the state in coupon suits for two years.
| Upon his arrival in Richmond from Staun-
| ton, where he had been in attendance upon
the session of the supreme court looking
after coupon cases, your correspondent
called upon him at his office, and had quite
an interesting interview in relation to the
| debt question.
| SAID your correspondent: ''You seem
| quite engaged in your official affairs. What
| is the trouble?''
''Ye s, answered the attorney general,
| II have been at Staunton in attendance on
| the supreme court of appeals, now in SEES
sion, and where had quite an important
| commonwealth docket, but my secretary,
Mr.. Ward, wrote me that my presence was
| needed here, and 50 | ran down to attend
to matters."
"What particularly demands your official
| time just noW?"
More coupon suits against the state
Here (holding in his hands a large package
Of papers) are ten new Coupon suits
brought against the city treasurer of Rich
mond by different merchants and bankers,
in the circuit court of Richmond, and here
are three writs of error that have receiv-
ed. They are taken to the supreme court
of the United States by MI. VIM. l.. Roy
all, the recognized counsel for the foreign
bondholders, from decisions rendered in
the circuit court of the United States in
favor of the State of Virginia in the three
cases OF Smith, White, and Carter against
the treasurer Of Richmond. These are the
common law suits brought by Mr.. Royal
before Judge Hugh L. Bond and which
won by demurrers to his declarations, sus-
tanned by Judges Bond and Hughes. You
must not confound these common law suits
with those decided by Judge Bond against
the commonwealth, and which were in
functions sued out by taxpayers prohibit
ng our treasurers from levying ON their
property for taxes. These taxpayers had
offered unverifed coupons to the treasur-
ers and they We're refused and levies made,
and Judge Bond perpetuated the injunc
tions. will appeal to the supreme court
Of the United States in all of these injunc-
tion cases, and am now at work on the re-
cords.'
'How many coupon cases have you in all
in which the state is concerned. and in
what courts are they?"
''There will be some six OF seven in the
supreme court of the United States by ap-
peals; about 25 in the supreme court of
| Virginia to be heard at Richmond early in
| November; ten in the circuit court of
Richmond, where there were seventy at one
time. Others are now pending in the Rich
mond courts, to say nothing of those in
other cities and counties which amount to
over fifty. The total will exceed 100 ca
ses,''
"What effect has these suits had on the
funding the debt?"
THE decision of Judge Bond andathe
numerous suits have almost entirely stop
ped all funding. Nothing could have more
completely blocked our progress in settling
the debt unless it was a total repeal of the
coupon act itself"
''What result do you expect from the SUI
preme court of the United States?"
II confidently expect the supreme court
of the United States to realfirm their de
cison in Antoni VS.. Greenhow, and this
will, in lay opinian, reverse Judge Bond in
the cases decided by him adversely to the
commonwealth. Judge Bonds decisions
in these cases are, plainly, in direct conflict
with the supreme court in Antoni VS..
Greenhow, which | won over MI. Royal at
the December term in 1882, at Washing
| ton'i
Have you any other coupon cases of
| special Importance pending?n
| Eyes; the Baltimore and Ohio railway
has the commonwealth enjoined in the
! United States circuit court at Harrison
| burg hy Judge bond, and l must appeal
from this decision there. This arises from
our effort to make the valley branches DO
Gated in Virginlal of the Baltimore and
Ohio railway pay taxes on their rolling,
stock, property, &C., and our levy for which
was /. enjoined by them through Judge
Bond,
| did the other railways enjoin?"
mo; the Baltimore and Ohio railway is
the only one, in OF out of the state, that has
failed OF refused to comply with the laws
of the state. and pay it's taxes in money or
verified coupons. This company has defied
US, and we are now tied up in federal
court by them, and prevented from the
collection of their taxes. except in the I'M
verified and unidentified coupons tender
i ed by them.
do you then consider the debt question
settled?"
1.-THE Realjnstcr party passed all just
and proper legislation to settle the debt on
fair and equitable principles, and the SUI