Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-11
WEDNESDAY. AUGUST IL, 1886
The Constitution-Debts.

The Alexandris Gazette having re-
ferrsd to the clause Of the Federal Con-
stitution which prohibits . State from
passing any law impairipg the obl'sa-
ton Of contracts, and the Dispatch
having stated that that clause was in
tended to apply only to private debts
seeing that State need not pass any
law in order to get rid other own debts,
but might simply refuse to pay them,
the Petersburg Inder-Appeal comments
- follows
"Tbat depends upon circumstances.
II The contract we're Of self.executing
nature, rs in the case of the coupon
debt of Virginia, then there would be
very great necessity for the passage of
laws, and very skilfully devised laws,
too, before the debt could be repudi-
ated."
The Mder-Arpeal very properly uses
the word "coupon to signify what
sort Of debt it could refer to as one
which could not DO repudiated unless
By law. 1t thus pointed out that it
understood us to have been speaking,
Is We were. Of State debts. properly
90 csllee-not merely Of the interest
upon them. Surely il was not ne
cessary for us to say that We
had no reference to self.exocuting
contracts. II . contract is really self
executing, 1t cannot be rspudiased by
law or otherwise. Nobody claims that
the State of Virginia can be made to
pay the principal Of her debt. This
fact is Of itself clear proof that the SUI
prems Court of the United States usurps
jurisdiction and abuses its power when
ever it entertains suits against State
to compel her to pay the interest upon
. debt the principal Of whicheverybody
admits that no tribunal, State or Fede-
rsl, can compel her to pay. The State
officers now charge up against the prin-
cipal oil the coupons forced into the
Treasury. They 90 charge it because
Virginia has control of her debt her
sslf.
Whilst on this subject We will quote
from our Petersburg contemporary .
paragraph which speaks some whole
some truths 10 our people. 1t says:
"Another alarming symptom is the
frequent resort within our borders. OBJ
al sorts Of pleas, in all sorts Of mat
tiers, to the Federal jurisdiction, and
the ready alacrity which that iurisdic-
ton shows to eDgross everything that
offers Practically our own judges,
courts, laws, &C., are becoming super
fuous. Is it not fagrantly true that
the interference of the Federal judiciary
In our affairs has largely increased. aud
is still increasing? Ought 1t not, or
the contrary, to be stayed and dimin'
ished? We decidedly believe so. Time
was when the Federal judge as little
intermeddled in any Of. our affairs
as the Federal tax. gatherer did
Both were equally unknown to tn
mssees Of the people, and when Fede
raj court was held in Virginia it WAS I
mystery and wonder to the genera
public what 1t had to do. Even tn
lawyer who practiccd in it regarded i
as mostly q fsrcical superiority to pro
vide fat sinecures for q number Of re
spectacle old gentlemen. Now hoV
changed! 1t is the State court an
Judge who are becoming obsolete, sn'
the Federal Judiciary, like the Fedora
revenue, grasps as oil by the shoulde
and searches our pockets"
"Grssps us ALL" Nay, grasps til
Commonwealth itself, and treats
With an indignity that cannot be to
severely MISUNDERSTANDING it to b
sued In the Federal courts, and render
ing judgment against it as il it were
person.