Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-16
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 16, 1855.
Virginia Issues.

NAh4a%@ eS
A Republican contemporary says
that /. this--she fight in Virginia--is a
State fisbt, with nothing at issue other
than State and local questions" "ei''
admitting for the sake OF argument
that that is SO, it is none the less
fact that these State and local issues
are vital. In many aspects there has
not been q State canvass since tue
war in which more was involved. The
result of the elections in the fall will
affect the Commonwealth for veal or for
woe for years to come. The result oil
the fight will determine whether or not
MALONE is 10 obtain q new lease OF
mower. The next Legislature will not
only elect a United States senator,
but will elect circuit judges and
Judges for many Of the counties.
IL MALONE succeeds in securing
the Legislature he will not only
be reelected to the United States Sem
ate, bu. will in large measure control
the judiciary of the State. He will not
only dictate who shall fill the Capitol
basement offices, but the record of his
last Legislature leaves no room for
doubt that he will seek to pass the
obnoxious measures that were defeat
ed by the aid Of the Big -Four, and
which were intended to place Vir-
ginia permanently under the heel
of Radicslism. Could issues be
more vital? But in one sense
in very important sense--it is not so
that there is nothing at issue other than
State and local questions. The election
of a United States senator from Vir-
ginia is q national matter. 1t involves
the question whether Virginia is to
strengthen the hands of the party of
peace, progress, and reconciliation, or is
to take seat in the councils OF the malig-
nanis. 1t will encourage or discourage
the Democrats of other States--aS
Democrat or MALONE may be elected
in the matter Of the fight for the aboli-
ton of internal taxes, which certainly
is not local question. But above and
beyond all this the Virginia campaign
assumes national importance by reason
of the fight the Virginia Democrats are
making, and will continue to make to
the bitter end, against the gsurpation
of STANLEY MATTHEW'S and the judi
ciai fiction by which the Constitution of
the United States was violsted and the
eleventh amendment rendered inopera-
tive. The Virginia Democrats, in de-
claring that the Virginia debt question
has ceased to be one Of dollars
and cents and has become one Of State
sovereignty, became the champions of
the Constitution and Of the rights Of
every State in the Union. In pro-
posing not to amend the Constitution,
as the northern people did, but to
cause the Constitution Is it stands (see
eleventh amendmenb to be respected
by the highest judicial tribunal in the
land, and in endorsing the dissenting
opinion Of Chief-Justice WAITE and
his three associates Chat is what the
declaration means), the Virginia Demo-
Gratis put plank in their platform upon
which the patriotic people Of every State
can and should stand. In this view
alone Massachusetts no less than Vr-
ginis, and Maine no less than Texas, are
interested in seeing the Virginia
Democrats triumph. And that the
true intent, meaning, and compass
of the Virgins Democratic declaration
on this point may become more firmly
Fixed in the public mind, we again give
its basis and inspiration--vix., the elev-
enth amendment and the dissenting
opinion Of Chiei-Justice WAITE ant
his three associates. The eleventh
amendment to the Constitution reads
"The judicial power Of the Unite'
States shall not be construed to e6ten
70 any suit in law or equity commence
or prosecuted against one Of the Unite
States by citizens Of another State, 0
by citizens or subjects Of any foreig
State"
Chief-Justice WAITE, speakin
\ through Justice BRADLEY, said;
"we have no right, IL we were di,
II posed, to fritter away the substance Q
this solemn stipulation by . neat an
skilful manipulation Of its words. w
are boundto give il its full and substar
tial meaning and effect. All this liz
tstion in reference TO Virginia bond
Is an attempt, through the medium I
the Federal courts, TO cosrce the Stat
Of Virginia into the fulhlmsnt OF h,
contracts"
Can any true man, Democrat or r,
publican, say that Virginia alone is il
terested In seeing the amendmer
quoted respected, and the opinio
quoted the hwf
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