Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-23
The Coupon Cases.

appeared in those papers IN regard 70
the several Virginia decisions rendered
last Monday by the Supreme Court oil
the United States. But the fact is,
those papers do not take care to inform
themselves in the premises and so write
ridiculous nonsense. Their articles re-
mind us Of the amusing articles which
so often appear in British papers con-
corning affairs in the United States.
There is not paper amongst
Ill our northern exchanges which
cares enough for the reputation Of any
southern State to induce it to inform
itself in regard TO the condition Of
things in that State before undertaking
to instruct its readers in regard to the
same. II is not inability to compre-
bend the true state of the case, but
utter indifference as to what the true
state of the case is. The patron
izing tone in which Ignorance thus deals
with such questions is an insult to the
southern people. And the papers
which aided MALONE to defeat the
settlement of 1879 exhibit the same
malignity and ignorance.
The New York Herald regards the
decision as " staggering blow at repu-
diation, (" when the fact is that Virginia
or any other State can repudiate its
debts without the least fear Of all the
United States courts in the land. Mis-
sissippi repudiated large debt. Min
nesota has repudiated. And any num-
Der of States have repudiated their debts
in the same sense in which Virginia has
repudisted hers. Virginia need never,
unless she chooses, pay single one Of
her outstanding bonds. The Federal
courts are absolutely powerless in the
premises. And but for the coupons,
there would never and could never have
been suit in the Federal courts against
the State or her officers.
Not one Of the northern papers seems
to know that the debt was the least
important question involved in the cases
decided last Monday. True to their
commercial instincts, they all look at
the matter as q question of dollars and
cents. The violation Of the eleventh
amendment is not worth speaking Of.
The arraignment of sovereign State at
the bar Of Federal court attracts no
attention. New York, or Massachusetts,,
or Pennsylvania, or Ohio, may be the
next victim for all those sentinels upon
the watchtower care. Their eyes,
like the Heralds eyes, are not large
enough to enable them to see around
and beyond the dollar. That paper is
fair representative of all that have
alluded to the subject we are discuss
ing. The Tribune makes like silly
remark about "the flower Of repudia-
tion." The Philadelphia Times trusts"
that those decisions twill take the debt
question out Of politics" Delicious
The Philadelphia Inquirer INDUCES in
the following:
"Tbe decision has all the appearance
Of doing pure justice irrespective of
States rights. and so il will receive
general applause. The State Of vir-
ginia ought to pay its debts, and there
is no scaling down possible. There
ought to be some power to make the
State Of West Virginia pay her share,
but there Is not, aud she will not bear
the burden. So the Dominion
is in for it. and she may as well rate
her tax assessments accordingly"
Never mind States rights-never
mind the Constitution--the court has
usurped jurisdiction, but it has col
lected debt for the British bondhold-
ers. But unfortunately for the IN
qmyr's sxultation, that paper has to
admit that West Virginia cannot be
forced TO pay her debts. True as
preaching. And neither can Virginia.
No court in this country has a right
even to attempt to make State pay its
debts. And Virginia is not going to
increase her assessments"
The Philadelphia Record seems to
suppose that the RrDDLEBEReER bill
was adjudgcd unconstitutional. TWAS
not even involved, we believe. All the
suits were coupon suits. Even the
Springfield Repu6lieas talks as if it
were the RIppLEBERoER bill that had
been adjudged unconstitutional.
To let our northern wiseacre critics
see that they do not even know the
most important question involved in the
decisions Of Monday last, we again re-
produce some Of the burning words of
Chief-Justice WAITE, MILLER, BRAD
LEY, and GRAY. They say:
IS This proceeding and all other pro-
ceedings on these coupons brought here
for review are virtually suits against the
State Of Virginia"
/" By this technical device [suing the
officers instead Of the Statel il is sup
posed that the eleventh amendment
may DO eysded. In my opinion this is
NOT sound Interpretation of that
clause Of the Constitution. II is
contract clause, and when the elev-
NTH amendment comes into conflict
he latter has. paramount force. II
was adopted as an amendment TO the
Constitution. or operates Is an amend-
n6nt of every part Of the Consultation
5 which Il Is It any time found 70 be