The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-09
Ynhmtund Dispatth.
The Democrats.

We said over and over again long ago
that we knew OF no way in which State
could be made TO pay It's debts unless IN the
ease OF Virginia, or any other State which
had nut out coupons receivable for taxes,
IL could be done by compelling such state
10 receive those coupons IS II had promised
to do. Well, although the Supreme Court
q, the United States has not decided in
terms that the State of Virginia IS not
honnd 10 receive her coupons for taxes
vet IL has made decision which in effect Is
,hc same rs such q decision would have
been: for II has decided that the bill rem
dcring coupons worthless Is not unconsi'-
tutional.
To assume that under these circum-
stances ihe Democrats OF Virginia arc
going TO be such fools as 10 undertake TO
oonpei the State to pay her debt is TO as
sumo what no sensible man believes. The
Democrats aIc not so scli-sacrilicing. They
are mol % anxious ior the State to pay her
delft NJ 10 engage in useless effort to in
duce the people 70 do what they have twice
SHOWN az the ballot-boX that they are deter
mined not TO do. There arc other matters
which the Democrats deem Of more i'm
portance.
Fortunately, the schemes Of the Malone
ties will be fully developed before the
Democratic State Convention will meet;
and that Convention win be thus enabled TO
act forth i'm its platform the intentions OF
The Democratic party in respect OF the pub
he debt. We have not seen one Democrat,
however, who desires or purposes to make
any further contest over the State debt;
and 50 we have taken il for granted that
there will never be another election in Viz
pinia turning upon any Of the issues a. 10
that debt which have heretofore divided the
Democrats. Further than this We have
foresbadowed no policy for the Democrats
OF this State.
Fortunately, also, this final decision, rs
we have once before said, did not proceed
from the courts Of Virginia, and thus the
State win escape many taunts which would
unquestionably have been her portion If
the higheat judicial tribunal in the United
States had not rendered the final decision
in the case in question.
We bad expected the Supreme Court OF
the United States to decide that the State
was bound in law to receive her coupons
for taxes. In the old case OF Antoni Us.
Wright this was The decision; and this we
expected the new decision to be. And the
Court does even in the new decision speak
rs if the State must receive her coupons for
taxes; but destroyed the whole object
and effect OF the decision in Ant0ni
as. Wright by deciding that the law to
compel the holders to prove the "ou-
pons TO be genuine is constitutional.
We say that this last decision, though
unexpected, is better for the Democratic
party as a party than decision to the con-
trary would have been. What would or
could Democratic Legislature have done
il the State had been compelled 10 redeem
the millions Of dollars worth Of coupons
which have accumulated during the last
twelve months and upwards? Surely 4
disturbing question is removed from the
arena Of party politics. No Democrat has
longer any excuse for keeping up coali-
lion with the Republicans Of Virginia.