The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-03-05
Observation-Disclosures,

UnjustlyTArraigned,
The attempt of several of our Democrat
contemporaries to hold Attorney General
Blair responsible, for the Virginia coupon
cases pending in the United States Supreme
Court for not being advanced sooner than
they were, is.very.unjust to. a faithful and
efficient officer. Such advancesl can be
made on motion of the State, through its
law officers. but the law officer is under
the direction.an control in such Imatters
of the Sinking Fund Commissioners. At
torney General Blair, as we learn, was anx-
ious to make the motion long before he
did, but he had to await the determina-
ton of the Sinking Fund Commissioners.
AS soon as their consent could be gotten,
or their will was indicated, the motion
was made, and the cases set for hearing on
the 10th inst
1t is also charged that Judges Bond and
Hughes wished to avoid review of their
opinion by the Supreme Court, and that In
some way they were parties to an under
standing that the Parsons. case should in
yolve an amount less than $4,000 so that
it could not be appealed. The fact is that
they were anxious that such review should
be had, and delayed action on q number OF
coupon cases before them, in the expecta-
tion that the Statewouldm in the United
States Supreme Court to have the pending
cases determined, and a rule laid down for
their guidance. The Parsons case was en-
tered for trial several weeks subsequent to
the motion of the Attorney General before
the Supreme Court to advance the Vir-
ginia cases, and was promptly taken up as
much for the reason that the Supreme
Court would soon consider other cases
involving the same questions as any other.
Fad the Circuit Court been consulted the
amount in the Parsons suit would have
been sufficient to have allowed an appeal,
but the judges do not make up the cases of
litigants. and shape them to suit their con-
venience, or sense of the fitness OF things.
They have to accept the cases as made up
ny lilUOC Gully lAbC1CoVOu, tiiN SOiiDiAOA
them as they may be presented. Parsons
chose to name $4,99s in coupons in the suit
he had instituted, and it was not within
the discretion of the court to order him to
make it adollar or two dollars more or less.
Subsequent to the decision of the Court
at Norfolk on the 18th OF February, a
case was made up at Richmond for $28,
900, sufficient to carry it to the Supreme
Court Judge Hughes promptly gave the
preliminary injunction, the State officers
appearing by counsel without requiring
the actual service of process A few days
afterwards the final decree was entered
and appeal taken to the upreme Court.
Not only has Attorney General Blair
been anxious to have the important ques-
lions involved in these coupon cases de-
termined by the Supreme Court, but
Judges Bond and Hughes have been more
than anxious that the higher court should
rule on the cases and thus bring the whole
matter to a conclusion. But. of course,
it serves better purpose for the partizan
press of the State to assail both the Attor-
ney General and the Federal Judges. -
They hope thus to call attention away
from the reputation acts of the Legisla-
ture of their own party, which have
caused the unfortunate complications,
and to serve partizan purpose by raising
a clamor against the Attorney General and
the Judges mainly because they are not Of
their political household.
We should regret exceedingly were the
vexatious questionTof the public debt to
be brought into another political contest.
We hope the action of the Supreme Court
of the United States will be so determi-
nate and conclusive as to leave no pretext
for it, But should the tattered question
be precipitated again into the canvass, it
will be found that the better sentiment of
the State will not approve the reckless and
uniustifable assaults which have been
made upon the Federal Judges. who have
only done their duty as they understand
it and as the oaths they have taken re-
quired them to do. 1t may be regarded as
a popular thing for aspiring politicians
and scheming partiZans to raise a clamor
against those who are in position which
forbids them from defending themselves in
the political arena, but the people have a
sense of justice which will speak for them
regardless Of party trammels and the or
ders and the mandates of party bosses.