The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-05-17
The pebt--Faots.

Il Il hardly necessary 10 undertake 70
argue with an opponent who ignores oil
The facts Of the case. 1t Is Of course I'M
possible TO convince man who has deter
mined beforehand not TO be convinced.
But the voters a. a mass do not belong TO
either OF these classes OF mcn--wc mean OF
course the white voters. They are ready
TO consider all the facts which can he pre-
seuted TO them, and willing TO be con-
WINGED in proportion to their desire TO be
right. To them we address ourselves
when we argue TO prove that the success
Of The Democratic party viii result in no
disturbance Of the pu5llc-debt settlement.
We said "facts.v Dut there is really
only Que fact necessary 10 be stated IN order
to convince every fair-minded voter that
the charge Is false that the Democrats in-
tend again to reopen the debt question In
any shape or form. That fact is that they
would not be able to do so II they desired
10 do so. Let us look into the matter.
Washington county was the first In which
delegates to the Lynchburg Convention OF
July were selected. Who are among the
most prominent OF the delegates from
that county, We answer, ADRIAN FuLKER-
SON and Judge G. w. WARD. These men
and thousands OF other original Readius,ers
will be represented In that Convention.
Judge LYBRo0K, JOHN Il. MASSEY, Gene
raj NEwBsRgY, Colonel +. q. RUFFIN,
Judge FINNELL, and many others are now
numbered amongst the regular Demo-
crats-now that the State debt has been
settled. The next Legislature will be
Democratic, we hope and believe; and we
should like to see large Democratic ma
lofty in that body; but in Senate OF
forty members and House OF Delegates
OF one hundred members there cannot
be large absolute majority, however
large the relative majority may be. II fol-
lows that there will necessarily be among
the Democratic members original Reid
justers enough to prevent any such foolish
action being taken as our opponents charge
win be taken by our party when 1t shall re-
gain control OF the State government.
But, after all, is it not absurd TO suppose
that even the most devoted Debt-Payers
among the Funders would be such fools as
TO desire TO reopen the debt question: All
OF them now deny strenuously that they
would, II they had the power, under
take TO repeal the RIDDLEBERGER law, or
disturb in any way the settlement Of
the debt which has been adiudged
by the highest court in the land to be con-
stitutionaI and permissible. Why do they
deny 1t! Because, so the Coalitionists say,
they wish to be popular-to get the votes
OF. the people. Very well. Concede that
they are influenced by 10 higher motive
will that motive cease to operate upon them
after their elections VIII il not the rather |
gain strength asa consequence OF their sue
cess? Are not the men who have tasted |
the sweets OF Office the first men OF all |
living to take the field and ask the voters to |
support them again Surely they are.
VINO, then, amongst the regular Demo
Gratis are expected to REOPEN the debt ques-
ton? Those Of them who were origi-
nal Readjusters certainly will not do if.
Those Of them who were original Funders
would be unable to do it, besides being too
anxious to please their constituents. Other
than these two classes there will be in the
Legislature no members except the COali- |
tionists. Ergo, there will be no person nor |
class in that body either ready or willing |
to pose as political martyrs. Such martyrs |
are scarce in these days.