Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-20
MILLS BURNED.


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missing.
To the People or Riehmsas uty.
A very large proportion of the cred
itors Of the State OF Virginia reside in
the kingdom Of Great Britain. These
have organized themselves into syn
dicate, and have appointed me their at
torney to press their claims upon the
State in the courts Of justice. A paper,
which is being circulated in the city for
signatures asking the Chamber Of Com
merce to call meeting Of citizens with
view to getting them to pledge them
selves not to use coupons for taxes, de-
mands some notice from me in my repre-
sentative capacity.
When the Supreme Court Of the
United States decided the case of An
toni rs. Greenhow, nearly three years
back, | announced TO the public that it
had decided the main issue in favor Of
the creditors. and that what was de-
cided adversely to them was matter of
no consequence. No attention was paid
TO my claims, but the public. without
critically examining the decision itself,
went off in the belief that the decision
Of the court was a virtual release Of
the State from all her obligations. My
view of the decision was at once pressed
on the Hon. III. l.. Bond, United States
circuit Judge for the districts Of Vir-
ginia. who held that my view of IT was
correct.
Knowing that all the people Of Nir-
ginia believed Judge Bonds decision to
be opposed TO that Of the Supreme
Court, have refrained from pressing it
further than was necessary TO secure
another decision of the Supreme Court
at as early a day as | could. To this
end test cases were prepared and car
ried to the Supreme Court. Its docket
is so crowded that a case is not reached
for decision for more than three years
after it gets there. and the Court re-
fused to advance my cases on my mo-
ton. But the act OF Congress gives
the State pcremptorily a right TO have
them advanced. have used Judge
Bond s decision no further than to force
the State to move to advance these
cases. last March | went before the
Finance Committee of the Senate, and
after explaining to it the opportunity
that Judge Bonds decision gave me to
embarrasS the State hOpelesSly in the
collection of her revenue. stated 10 it
that would not bring another suit or
press any one then pending if the LegiS-
lature would pass an act calling upon
the Acknowledgement to move the Su-
prrme Court to take up and decide the
test eases. My proposition was scorn-
fully declined. Since that time
have pressed Judge Bonds view OF
the law. until the Board of Com
missioners of the Sinking Fund
| felt constrained to write to the Attorney
General calling upon him To move the
/ Supreme Court to advance and decide
my cases. Recently lac made this mo-
tiOn. and the Supreme Court ordered
them to be argued on the 10th Of March.
/ at once abandoned all pressure of every
kind on the State, with view to wait.
ing until all men could learn from the
Supreme Court who was right as to the
law. Neither myself nor any of the
creditors that | represent have had
any connection whatever with the
suit of Parsons rs. The Audi
tor. When il was brought
was requested TO take part in it, but !
at once declined and urged that it should
be abandoned. So far as ! know but
two of the creditors of the State have
had anything whatever to do with that
suit, and ] warned them at the start
that they were engaged in what would
prove prejudicial to their interests il
they persisted in it. ] wish, therefore,
that the people of Virginia shall know
that whatever is offensive TO them in
that suit the creditors Of the State are
not responsible for.
And now let me ask Is it possible
that the Chamber of Commerce of the
city Of Richmond will do any such thing
as il is asked to do? All that the cred
itorS Of the State arc engaged in is an
effort. in quiet and orderly method,
to get the judgment of the supreme ju-
dicial tribunal of this Union upon the
question, What is the law of the land
respecting these coupons: Richmond
is commercial centre. and her
parks and streets and markets
have been built up through the
agencies OF commerce. II there is any
thing on earth which commercial pros
perity demands il is submission to law
and respect for contract rights.
Are the people Of Richmond city to
be frightened out Of their properties
by bugabOo and made to turn
their backs on everything they have
heretofore lived for through the tenor
of a name: : cannot and will not be
lieve il. WILLIAM l.. ROYALL.
Twas A SUFFERER from Dyspepsia. and
Dr. David Kennedys Favorite Remedy