Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-25

defaulting officer is not discharged at
all. but is expressly bound forever for
this difference. This system Of afford
ing this relief to sureties (who are al
WAYS favored in the general policy OF
our laws) commenced in the session OF
1882, when there commenced de-
probation Of State securities, and has
continued through the two sessions Of
lS79-'sO and 1872, in which this
party now denouncing it had decided
majority, and the ects passed by them
then are identical with these they now
complain Of. The system can be de-
Tended not only upon principles
of liberality, but also upon grounds
of strict justice, as the State
loses nothing by receiving her
own paper in payment of debts due
to her, and while a benefit accrues to
the surety the principal is held forever
bound for the amount Of the difference
between the cash and face values OF
the debts Of the State thus paid by the
surety. We also can show from the
record that the members of this party
who have charged upon us the passage
of fifty more of these acts than did
ever pass have actually in this very
General Assembly approved of the sys-
TEN themselves. 1t will show that
many of these bills were offered by Ma
honeites to benefit most probably their
own political friends. The record, care
fully examined, will show that of the
fifty-two acts passed at the regular ses-
sion twenty-five passed both houses
unanimously, and none of the others had
more than six votes against them, except
two, one Of which had eight and the other
twenty-four, and of the nineteen acts
passed at the regular session for the
benefit Of treasurers' sureties, five
passed unanimously in the Senate, two
in the House, and ten unanimously in
both houses, and Of the rest four of
them had only one vote against each
one, and one had five, one six, and an
other fifteen, which large vote against
the last-named bill was, we fear, be-
cause it benefited one of our promi-
nent Democratic leaders, who was
surety on defaulting treasurer's bond.
OF the thirty-three relief bills at the
extra session twenty-three passed unan-
imously, and only ten with any adverse
votes, of which five had one each and
the rest from two to ten, the largest
vote against any being cast by Dem
ocrats. OF the sixteen passed at the
extra session for the benefit of the
sureties of defaulting officers, nine
were passed unanimously, the rest
having scattering votes each against
them from one to five.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER.
So, therefore, the record shows that
the Readjuster members are respon-
sible, together with the Democrats, for
the passage Of all the eighty-five relief
acts-those for the benefit of indi-
viduals as we'll as those for the benefit
of the sureties Of defaulting officers.
Indeed, there was no party vote on any
of these acts, as some had Democratic
as well as Readjuster votes against
them. Members of both parties pre-
scented and pressed them, as they bene-
fitted their personal or political friends.
If, then, this system was so iniquitous,
as their platform charges, why did not
their members in both houses denOuncc
them by their voices and oppose them
by their united votes, and why did not
their Governor strike at them with his
veto? The truth is that this whole
charge is an afterthought now made by
a party in prospect of dire defeat.
Charging all these relief bills as up
wards of seventy acts to relieve de
faulting officers and to raise a cam
paign fund Of 100000 thus actually
stolen from the State, they are con
fronted by the stubborn facts upon the
record that only thirty-fye were acts to
relieve sureties, and not their default
ing principals that the sole benefit
enured to the sureties belonging to botl
political parties that no money wa
raised at all that acts Of this nature
were passed by every Legislature il
which they had a majority, and wer,
acquiesced in and really participated
in by their own members in the las
General Assembly.
We have a right, from the utter men
dacity Of us charge and its eviden
object to deceive the people by pre-
tended show Of facts and figures
charge which seems to have bee
framed by parties who had access t
the records, counted the acts, and mus
have known the true facts herei
stated-to believe and charge upo
them that all their other accusation
alike sweepiDgly made in their addreS
are alike false. For these reasons W
will not notice as many of them as W
might do otherwise.
CHARGE ABOUT ABOLITION OF Col
MISUNDERSTANDING TAX.
The Democrats of the General Assem-
bly, are charged with the abolition {
the collateral-inheritance tax, for whic
they are not entirely responsible, as tn
record shows only four votes wer
against the act in the Senate, two {
each party; and only twelve vote
against it in the House of Delegates, {
whom two were Democrats. This ia
upon sll property bequeathed or DE-
scended to remote relative is a
odious and unjust one if it Is free froI
the constitutional objection Of not bein
an ad ualOrm tax. Besides, the part
that put them in power had created oil
Of it new Office, not existing befor
aiiording nice pabulum to two Of the
political favorites.
THE Observation-Disclosures
CHARGE.
BY implication their platform chargD
upon the General Assembly the estal
lishment Of the old principles Of fire.
hold qualification for Office and su
frage, when the statutes of the Con
monwealth, before as well as aft
1850, when the latter was abolishe,
abound with requirements that certs
officers intrusted with certain duti,
should be freeholders. Who ev,
thought it unconstitutional, imprope
or unreasonable to require Jurors a.