Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-06
YIRGINIA'S LOAD OF DEBT
GOV. LEE ISSUES THE PROCLA.
NATION SUGGESTED.


The People Urged to Refrain from Ten
dering Coupons la Payment of Ia xea
settlement Nevert to be Made on any
Other Basis Than That of the Riddle
berger Act.
RICHMOND, VA, April 5.-Gov. Lee
this evening issued a proclamation in ac-
cordance with the request contained I'm
the Joint resolutions adopted at the last
session OF the General Assembly, which
resolutions declare that "the people OF
virginia are determined that no settle
ment OF the State debt shall ever be madG
upon any basis less favorable to the COM
monwealth than that provided for by the
act approved Feb. II, 1852, the Riddle
berger bln) and acts amendatOry
thereof, and they will carry out in
good faith the terms of that settlement
so FAR as the same have been or
may be accepted by the creditors OF the
state. The highest consideration of pa
trotism, public policy and sefinterest
demand that the Taxpayers OF the State
| shall not cooperate with the public credi-
tors who are harassing the peOple OF the
commonwealth 10y yeXatiOus litigation;
| by seeking to force coupons into the
Treasury in payment OF taxes, and ths
General Assembly appeals TO the tax-pay-
necessities of the commonwealth or take
advantage Of the State and those OF her
citizens who cannot avail themselves OF
this means of paying taxes by seeking tn
discharge their duties to the State iR
deprecated paper"
THE GOVERNORS APPEAL.
The Governor In communicative
these resolutions TO the creditors OF the
State and the public generally appeals to
the people of Virginia to stand steady ia
defense of the position the State has taken
50 as to promote order. peace and pTos-
perity within her limits. The trouble
some coupons, saws the Governor, is
the offspring by direct descent Of the
funding act Of 1871. The circumstances
under which that bill was passed are well
known in Virginia, and are of a charac.
ter 10 excite general condemnation al
was shown by the repeal Of the law at the
very next session of the Legislature. Tha
Governor then details some Of the injus~
tices done the State hy that act and
continues: snow an Overwhelming ma.
Iority Of the people have ordered a settle>
ment in accordance with the act Of 1851
'S2, and no abuse of the State, no den1n-
citation Of her officers or agents Will have
the slightest etie, in changing our polls
cy, our purpose and our measure.
URGED 10 BE PATRIOTIC.
"If the people of Virginia will be true
to themselves and the pledges OF
| their Representatives they can set
tie the debt question and termi.
nate forever the present perplexine
and unhappy condition of the State. The
remedy is, indeed, In their own hands.
Let the people refrain from using coupons
in the payment OF taxes. For every sac
riflce thus made, If, indeed. It can be-
termed a sacrifice, the citizens will be
stored tranquility, as the result
OF the removal of the debt question:
from the arena Of party politics, aud by
progress and development impaired 10 all
Of our great industries. The impediments
in the way OF final adjustment OF the debt
question are due TO those who persist in
paying their taxes with coupons.
EVILS IN STORE.
"Ifwe suppose that all pay with coupons
IL is certain that for several years to come
coupons will absorb the entire revenues
Of the State. The treasury will becOma
bankrupt, the courts will closa the pub
lie schools and all charitable institutions
of Virginia be- suspended, and the opera.
tions Of the government cease for want OF
means Of subsistence" The Governor fur-
ther elRbOrates bis reasons why payment
In coupons should be stopped, and
urges in strong language the payment
of taxes IN money, not only aa
a suggestion Of patriotism, but as the die
tate OF the sOundest public policy,
and concludes: "For these reasons Tins
woke the people 10 meet in their accus-
toned manner in all the counties, cities.
and towns ~ the State at their earliest
convenient time to give emphatic express
sion to their sentiments and purposes that
the outspoken declaration Of public senti-
ment may visit with rebuke those who ap-
peal TO the law 10 enforce the reception Of
the coupons, whose birth and original
Imposition upon Virginia was the resula
of fraud, bribery, and corruption"