The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-24
Tho Debt and Virginia Politics.

"Ip the multitude OF counsellors Is sale
w., saws the Good Book and the language
would seem TO imply that rs II Is because
each counsellor may contribute something
TO the common stock OF information, so a
multitude OF words may sometimes be q
good thing. At any rate, an incidental re-
suit Of the little complaint we made a Few
DAYS ago against the Petersburg Iade1-Ap-
peal has been an explanation OF what IL
means when il asserts, a. Vt has over and
over again asserted, that the debt question
has not been removed from the political
field in ~virg,nia-an explanation which
ought 10 be satisfactory even to the "con-
ycrts 20 the support Of rtadjustment" OF
whom the Inder-Appeal spoke a few days
aso. Our Petersburg contemporary says:
$50 far from e~ndcavoring TO leave the
imprcssion that other Democratic papers
agree with US in thinking that Tue debt
question will continue 10 c an issue IN our
State politics, we candidly admitted a few
DAYS ago the contrary, and depiored the
fact that our Democratic contemporaries
shut their eyes deliberately to the true state
81 things. They are crying peace, peace,
when there Is no peace. Anew months VIII
prove whether we are right or not. See II
every candidate for the next Legislature Is
not required 10 pledge himself 10 support
the coupon-kilier act. The consent OF the
Democratic party is not necessary TO make
this issue. The party has the option OF
fighting or surrendcrlng, but in either case
tho test will be made just the same. We
are not suggesting n policy, nor arc we adj
vocaiing the pcrpctuation Of the debtissue.
We are simply dealing with a fact
This reminds us OF the boy who stated
In his composition that pins saved many
persons' lives, and who, when asked TO
explain, replied, "By not swallowing
them.o The d%ebt-qucstion viii be an issue
in our State politics next fall because when
tho Democratic candidates for the Legisla-
ture are asked whether its III issue ornot.
and whether they are in favor OF reopen
ing the debt question in any shape or form
or not, they will with one voice answer,
"No!v We must own that the IldeI-
dppeai is right If this is all that il means.
We have no doubt that the CoalitionistS
will charge the Democrats with being in
favor OF repeating the coupon-kiling Ia"
or OF opening the debt question in some
form: but We are equally confident
that the Democrats will all pledge
themselves against any such action,
and hold the Cositionists 10 the t.
sue Of 1~SSl-nancly. the contest Tor the
presidency OF the United States. The
Democrats viii deny that the debt question
Is IN any manner involved in the eletion.
The Ccaiitionists VIII insist that The debt
question is not settled, and that therefore
IL Is necessary that they shall control the
next Legislature. When, then, next fall
the two parties shall he disputing as 10
whether the debt question Is out Of poll
ties or not. the Hder-Appedl will say
what 1.-THE DispdtCh and other converts TO
the support Of roadiustment" now say
that the decision Of the Supreme Court of
The United states has forever settled all the
questions connected with the State debt,
end that so far as those questions are con-
oerned the Democrats are more willing
tian lnt ttdiNiVbiSlS ~ uiop th'Hi'
That this is the position OF our able con-
temporary is proved by what 1t says III Inc
following paragraph:
alt Is proper 10 say that when we refer
to the Dispatch rs supporting rcSdjust-
ment il il IN a practical, not in a partisan
sense. In this sense we do not think we
do our contemporary any injustice, for he
himself hath said il, and we know he'll
keep his wOrd-that he wouldn't vote TO
repeal the odIous coup0n-killer law if he
had 4 chince. So far rs the debt is con-
the Readiusters would run no risk
in voting FOR him for the Legislature.
to think about it, he is probably the
best candidate they could run in Rich
mond, for he would certainly be elected,
and he would as certainly vote to perpetu-
ate their pet scheme regarding the cou-
pons."
Certainly. We would vote against a bill
N repeal that law. So would ali the Demo
cratic candidates. Consequently "Read-
!usters would run no risk in voting for"
any of them. Therefore, the debt question
could not possibly be an issue IN the next
election. Therefore, too, the inde1- 1ppsai
and all the other Democratic papers are in
accord on the subject Of this article.