National Republican., 1883-01-23
MooRE,s AMENDMENT.
His Plan TO Compel states to Pay Their
Debts Approved.

The following letter from prominent busi-
ness man in New York is only sample, Mr.
Representative Moore says, of many he is con-
stantly receiving from all parts of the country,
expressing an earnest sympathy with the
spirit of tho constitutional amendment re-
Gently offered by him, looking TO the creation
Of power TO compel dciaulting states OF the
union to pay their just and legal debts The
name and address of the writer arc withheld
at Mr.. Moores request:
NEW YORK. Jan. lS--My Dear Sir: As the author
Of the letter which inclose, am constrained TO
express to you the pleasure with which read in
this mornings World that you propose taxing ac'
ton in the matter.
which exempts the state from legal responsibility
for its acts, puts the state upon It's honor to do no
But when the state refuses to recognize the OBJ
legation of honor and takes advantage OF its eN.
emptiun from legal responsibility to descend to
acts which violate not only tho common law, but
also the higher law of right and wrong, then II is
surely time that the state should be made ameh-
able 10 some power higher than itself We are
posturng before tho world as model republic,
and our inside finances are I'm some localitics) IN
worse condition Of rottenneSs than tno3c OF even
Egypt or Turkey. THIS condition OF things Is
standing disgrace, not only TO the states which arc
i'm arrears, but TO the whole country, ana the ma
toms sense of dcccncy and sef-rcspect should
compel a change The only way in which the
defnuliug states can be compelled to make set
uement with their. creditors, and to put them.
I
through constitutional amendment.
Public sentiment throughout the country IS
awakened TO the Importance OF the matter, and l
nm convinced such an amendment would Do
heartily ratified by the Legislatures OF all the dent
paying states ! look NJ the matter from busi-
ncys mans standpoint but appreciate OF course
! that the adoption of an amendment htting the
! case is iraught with many complications. IhcTe
are difficulties In the way which can he overcome
! only by the rNrost stutCsmanship, Clearly, the
state should bo subject to suit ior Obligations in
default, aud liable in tho event of non-pay.
mcnt for Judgment to its creditors to amount OF
| their claims.
| Should not n Judgment against state during It's
pendrucy operate to prevent transfer OF any real
| property within such stntc2 should not II state
under Judgment be barred from any participation
| in the national councils?
But how shall n judgment against q state be col.
| leCtcd2 That's the question. IL Judgment shnli
! result In nothing but u maudamuS, which en-
| forces no obedience to ITSELF then the Judgment,
OF course, helps nobody.
There are states when cannot pay their debts,
| While they should be amCnnhle of course TO SUIT
| for their obligations, and should be compelled 10
make settlement With thoir creditors thcrc should
| be ut the same time some proviso III any amend.
ment bearing upon the matter protecting such
states from injustice at the hands of their credi-
| tors. For instance, Judgment should not be is
sued for s50000OOO against state able to pay ony
| Sl0,OO00O1 TO prevent such injustice ought there
not to be clause such as used TO exist in the old
United States bankrupt law to the cfCctthnt nu offer
! of settlement by debtor acCeptcdby onc-hnlf the
| number of creditors holding one half the amount
of all the claims should be eacCepted By ALL II the
World reports you correctly, Nll honor to You for
your honesty and cyurage, and belieyom me- F' D.