Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-20
the next preceding general el, ,ction sasl'
vote in the Affirmative.

substitute for the above amendment !:
/" Provided that no such election shall
be valid unless there be cast at such
election in the aggregate majority OIL
the voters voting at the next preceding
general election"
Mr.. Petit got the floor and opposed
the amendment. He quoted the anu
sing efusion on the taxing and sale oil
bachelors, which brought forth applause
from every quarter.
Mr.. Petit had seen statistics to show
that 5000. O00, 900 is spent annually for
drink as against $3.50, 200, 900 for eda-
cation. "Such showing" he said, " 10
my judgment, is a stain upon the nine
teenth century and blot upon our
boasted civilization" lie was in favor
of a fair local-option law, and hoped
this amendment would not be adopted.
Mr.. Rbes thought the amendment
would defeat the object Of the bill, and
that If it was adopted local option could
not be carried in any county in the
Commonwealth. He thought the queS-
ton should be determined by the ma.
lority Of those voting at said election.
Mr.. Bib thought that if this amend
ment was to apply to the cities IL
should also apply to the counties. He
wanted clean-cut bill, aud one that
would operate in the cities and counties
alike.
Mr.. Staples favored the amendment.
He said step towards prohibition
would be change in the policy of this
government, and no such step should
be taken unless sanctioned by a major
ity Of the qualified voters.
Mr.. Mccormick said that the right of
men to make livelihood by the distil-
lation and sale Of liquor was as old as
the government, and he did not think
this right should be taken from the peo-
pie without a free expression Of their
will on the subject.
In response to question from Mr..
Petit Mr.. Mccormick said that this
was a constitutional right, and only the
right to tax is left with the General
Assembly. He said that local option
in a community only succeeds in pro-
portion to the approval Of the people.
Local option existed in Berryville for
two years, and that during that time even
strangers when they came to the town
could get as much whiskey as they
wanted. and the meanest kind. lie ar
gued that where the people approve of
local option they would see that the
laws on the subject were enforced. and
where the people are not in sympathy
with it it is certain to prove signal
failure. lie thought his amendment
would meet these requirements, and
hoped i would be adopted.
Mr. Williams demanded the pending
question; and it being ordered the sub
stitute was defeated. The ayes and
noes were ordered, and the amendment
Was adopted by the following vote
AYEs.-Messrs Berry. Blbb Blackstone
Bliss, Causey, Colfrane. Diggs. E1yson, Fla
nary. Gaines, Grim. Heaton, keelei, koin.
or. Ovenstein. Mccormick. Mcdonald,
McJcdiIh. Staples. Thurman, TwymaD,
MlCElaUi. Hnd W lNEUei0-Z1.
NoLs -Nessrs. Gillespie. norton, Pettit,
Read. Thea. StubbS, Trout. Warwick. and
MilliGns-9.
Mr. Keezell moved to reconsider the
vote by which this amendment was
adopted. lie agreed with what had
been said by Mr.. Rhea on the subject.
He was not willing that the people who
stay away from these elections should
be counted in the matter at all. 1t
should be decided by majority Of those
voting.
Mr.. Williams also opposed this amend
ment. X poor man who wanted local
option would walk twelve miles or any
distance through the snow to vote on
this proposition, and the man of means
would remain comfortably seated in his
luxurious parlor, and would influence
the matter as much as the former. lie
would walk up to the ballOt-box and
deposit his ballot in opposition TO the
whiskey traffic, while those who opposed
local option would remain at home and
not have the nerve to 20 and vote
against it. Let the people speak
through their ballots cast at the polls.
MIR. KoiDer called the pending ques-
ton, and it being ordered the Senate re-
fused to reconsider.
Mr.. Rhea then offered a substitute
providing that the counties shall vote
as a unit, or that on petition they may
vote by msgisterial districts, and a ma
jority vote shall decide the question.
The bill includes cities but does not ap-
ply to 6istilleries.
Mr.. Causey then offered a substitute
heretofore published) which provides
that no license for the sale or manu-
facture Of ardent spirits shall be issued
after the Both Of April, 1887.
On motion of Mr.. Diggs the entire
subject was passed by and the substi-
tutes ordered to be printed.
DEBT COMMISSION.
Mr.. Mccormick offered the following,
which was referred to the special joint
committee on the public debt:
Whereas the funding acts Of 1871
and 1879 respectively were largely
suggested and promoted, not by the
boad.fde holders Of the States securi-
ties, but by persons who assumed to
be their voluntary agents and whereas
the said acts not only compounded in
terest, but also omitted to credit certain
payments made by the State on her
debt between 1861 and the date of said
acts respectively; and whereas subse-
quent investigation warrants the belief
that the said funding acts were based
upon computations which place the debt
largely in excess of the amount which
this c Commonwealth then honestly owed; 4;
and whereas after years Of agitation
the people Of Virginia have accepted
the act Of February Ia, 1882. popu-
laIly known as the Riddleberger bill,
as the ultimate settlement Of the debt
Of this State; and whereas it is their
unalterable purpose to make that set
tlement final, and any expectation that
any settlement Of the debt of this State
upon any other basis is absolutely
illusory and hopeless, and will not be
tolerated by the people Of the State
and whereas it is believed that the in
terest of the public creditor as well
as the welfare and safety of
the State require that this settle