Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-27
SOME GREAT QUESTIONS.
STATUS or THE DEBT CASES.
Preparations for Arguing fhe Virginia DEB
Matters Before the United states suprems
gosrt- New Counsel Tor tho stats.

Preparations Tor Artutue the 'Hhs"~ -
Matters Before the Uslted states supremr
gourt-new Counsel Tor the STATE.
There are six cases now pending IN
the United States Supreme Conrt be-
tween the State OF Virginia and various
coupon-holders and taxpayers. one OF
these is an injunction by the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company against
8. Brown Allen. Auditor. &C., to re-
strain leyy,and collection Of taxes due
the State. the company having made a
tender Of coupons in payment OF its
taxes, which tender was refused by the
Auditor.
Another case arises upon tender Of
coupons to collector. sale by the
collector of the taxpayers property.
and an action of trespass against the
collector upon the ground of illegal sale
and levy.
~" These and the other cases in the SUI
preme Court of the United States will
bring before that tribunal very impor-
tant and interesting questions which the
bondholders and their counsel claim
have never been passed upon by it.
IL Is said that the bondholders in the
six cases are represented not only by
Mr.. Royal, but by W. NJ. Eyarts, ex-
Governor Chamberlain, Judge Swain,
and other eminent counsel.
In addition to these cases Is the very
recent case of Edwin Parsons against
the Auditor, and the collectors of the ci-
ties of Richmond. Norfolk, and Lynch
burg, which has just been taken to the
Supreme Court.
The two first cases were bills filed
by George and Edwin Parsons IN the
United States Circuit Court, each in
yolving a sum not sufficient to give the
United States Supreme Court jurisdic-
ton. They are the cases heretofore
frequently referred to in the columns of
this paper. After these two cases were
decided by Judges Hughes and
Bond. Judge Staples was employed
as counsel by the Board Of Commis-
sioners of the Sinking Fund. Colonel
Maury. the counsel for Parsons. after
consultation with his clients and with
Judge Staples. determined to file new
bill in the United States Circuit Court,
involving a sum sufficient to give the
Supreme Court jurisdiction, rather than
resort to a violent and extraordinary
course against the State officers. This
| ($2S, ,O00) bill has been fled, the decree
entered, and an appeal taken, and the
case is now in the Supreme Court OF the
United States. and will be heard along
with the six aforementioned cases on
the 10th of March.
The Attorney-Gcneral has been con-
suited throughout, and assisted III the
preparation of the case for the Supreme
Court. and will make the motion for
the advancement of it as soon as the
Supreme Court meets. which y on
March LIST (; this in order that all these
Virginia debt cases may be heard to-
geiher as near as may be.
Heretofore the State has been repre-
scnted only by the Attorncy-Gencral.
The Parsons case will be argued by
the Attorney-General and Judge Sta
pies. The latter gentleman, owing tC
a press of other business, has declined
to undertake the argument of the sly
other cases. and the Board of Commits
sioners of the Sinking Fund have EN-
ployed Judge Shipman, of New York
who will assist the AttOrney-Gtnera
in those cases, and Judge Shipman has
very eheerfully consented to appear
He is a lawyer of high standing, and Is
well known here by reason Of his ap
pearance in the Atlantic, Mississippi
and Ohio railroad case.
In the Parsons case the complainant
is represented by Colonel X. L. Maur!
and Ex-Governor Chamberlain and othe
able lawyers.
So the discussion in the Suprcm
Court in all Of these cases will be o
extraordinary interest, and worthy o
the magnitude of the questions involved