Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-21
LITTER TO THE EDITOR.
rARIorS ToP1cS DISCUSSED,
The late Dcc,stoa or the Supreme
gouri of the Untsca states,

and QuaftcTeus lime altef Time
thought had shown to the satisfaction
of every man Of sense that the tax
payers Of Virginia had IL IN their power
to make the coupons attached to the
bonds ISSUED in 1871 nearly worthless
to the bulk OF the holders of such
coupons. Both political parties in
Virginia ate pledged TO stand
by the " Riddloberger " settlement Of
the debt, and 10 do that they stand
pledged to pay their taxes due the State
IN money with money. II is therefore
IS plain as day that notwithstanding
the late decision Of the Sapreme Court
Of the United States we, "the people of
Virginia" still have it in our power to
make nearly worthless such decisions.
repeat, that no man who acted
with the Democratic party, the Re-
adjuster party, or the so-called
Republican party in Virginia, teyen if
the late William Malone is still the
owner Of it, can now with honor go
back on his pledge. II every man in
the State will only stand by the pledge
be gave the holders OF old bonds will
soon find out that if Mr.. Royal ever
teltgraphed the English bondholders
that he had swept the decks " they
made next to nothing by such sweep
ing. There is no sort OF necessity
why the people of Virginia should
lose their senses, and so rush
TO the collector Of taxes and offer cou-
pons in payment Of their taxes. Of
course the late decision Of the Supreme
Court was no more than could have
been expected by judges appointed by
such Presidents as we have had for some
twenty-four years. A court which
would decide that a promise "to pay
money" land which promise was writ
ten or printed on paper was money
could not be expected to have much re-
gard for any part of the Consti-
tuition, much less for one particular
amendment oft. The Constitution Of the
United States, which is the supreme law
Of the land in such matters, recognizes
nothing as money but "gold and silver
coin" and forbids any State from re-
COgniziDg anything else as money, yet
the Supreme Court of the United States
seems to hold that Virginia can make
coupons legal money. There is no sort
Of doubt that the taxes due the State
Of Virginia are due in money; but still
it would seem that Virginia can call
coupons money, and make such coupons
receivable as money in payment Of a debt
due in money. That IS the substance
Of what the court of the United States
has recently decided, aud shows con-
clusively the partisan character Of the
court. The State Of Virginia lby the
Constitution has no more right to say
that coupons attached to her bonds
shall be received for debt due her in
money than it has to say that such cOu-
pons shall be received las money in
settlement Of debts among her citizens.
The power Of the State to say that any
thing but " silver and gold coin - shall
be received in payment Of a debt due
in money is expressly forbidden by
the Constitution Of the United States;
and have wondered that some of the
wise men who write for the newspapers
have never made this point.
If Virginia can make something else
than what the Constitution Of the
United States says is money, legal
tender in payment of debt due her in
money, then it would seem clear
that she could make that some
thing else money to pay debts
among her own people. do not wish
to boycott" those who are trying to
pay their taxes in coupons. but | do
want the honest tax-paying people of
Virginia, who feel an interest in keep
ing up the free schools, the institutions
for the relief Of the afflicted, &C., to
pay their taxes in money, and thus
make null the late decision Of the Sus
preme Court of the United States.
IL all voters who acted with one or the
other Of the parties in Virginia will only
stand up to the pledges made there will
not be enough Of other people (who Will
want to pay their taxes in coupons) to
make much difference. If our people
are not expected TO keep faith with the
pledges made " one to the other then
II would seem that they had become so
lost 10 all sense Of common honesty
as TO deserve every trouble that
may be brought upon them by viola
ton of their pledges. Another remedy
remains to help make worthless the de-
cision referred to. If the patriotic peo-
pie who have heretofore paid their taxes
in money will continue to do so, then
some plan must be resorted to to stop
those who have been and may continue
to wish to pay their taxes in coupons
land because they probably save fifty
per cent. by doing it,. To meet the
views Of this small minority, and so
completely kill the sale Of the bond
holders coupons, just let the State
issue anew tax-paying coupons and
sell them at such low price as would
soon drive every bondholder's coupon
clear out Of the market. | think
such action would satisfy the bond
holders pretty quickly that they had
better exchange the bonds they hold
for Riddleberger bonds. Mark you,
the old coupons were not due when
issued, and while only bits Of paper,
vet when they became due it seems
Virginia had right to receive them as
money at their face value in payment
Of debts due in money. If the State
had the right once to act in that way,
4 know Of no law which can prevent
her manufacturing new bits of paper,
and calling them new tax-paying
coupons" and selling them for what
she can get, and then receiving after
wsrds such bits Of paper at their face
value as money in payment Of taxes.
This plan would show some OF the
holders Of old bonds that it was
a dangerous thing at times to demand
"the pound Of flesh" OF course the
plan would be based on the patriotism
Of the bulk OF the people and the self
ishness Of small minority. IL GER
tsinly would not hurt any gentleman
living in Virginia. and who was the
owner Of old bonds, from using the
coupons on such bonds at their face
value in payment Of his taxes, no mat
ter IL the new tax-pay:pg coupons Tor