Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-11-01
3 Judge Stuart ON the Debt Question.

To the editor Of the Alexandria Gazette:
had supposed Col. Maryes reply to Mr..
Cooper's letter 10 be one which could only
be properly answered by the person to
whom it was addressed, but as the answer
comes from another source, and is generally
Backed up by the GAZETTE, it is permissible
for Inc to reply in response to assaults upon
the General Assembly of Virginia for your
editorials aud Mr. Johnson's letters, while
directed ut The officers of the State govern
ment, are really directed at the Legislatures
Of 1SS3-S4, and Of lSS5-'SG, inasmuch as
the former were and are simply oDcying laws
| passed by tho latter. As member of those
bodies, rs one who voted for the measures
now denounced, pl ease let me remind you
that sometimes il happens when you are
| least aware Of it, "a chiefs amang We TAX
ing notes. and in this instance faith he'll
prent EN-. need only recall to your
attention the facts, now passed into history,
that the debt settlement of 1S7O-'7l was re-
pudiated By tho people at The first session of
the next Legislature after its passage; that
the wlsest measure ever penned for its set.
Element, the Barbour bill, was vetoed by the
governor that the Mccullough bill was
repudated by the vote Of the State, and its
advocates in the Legislature, and its sup.
portcrs who were candidates for Governor
and The other State Offices overwhelmingly
| defeated that Malone took charge Of and
for e. time repub!icsnized Virginia; that
every material interest of Virginia, it's rail
roads, its courts its municipal governments,
its Congressional representation, its asy-
| SrhG0Is oil
that makes State-were threat
ened--to bring you to the year 1883.
There assembled then in Lynchburg grand
gathering ct representative Virgininns to
formulate platform upon which our de.
mocracy might stand. As member of the
committee which framed that platform, |
cannot use my own language TO commend
1t, but ere quote it lot me quote that said
OF 1t by one whose utterances are entitled to
weight. as follows: "Tho platform speaks
Tor itself, and is so concise and perspicucus
| tina. all who run may read it, and those who
do so, if they be reasonable and unpreju-
diced men, can but admire aud appreciate
its wisdom, and see the benefits that must
accrue to the State from the operation ofits
principles" Need I say to you, Mr.. Editor,
that l quote your editorial of July 90, 1888?
And now, what was the debt plank in the
platform thus eulcgized by you? Here it is:
I'VE oppose any increase of taxation Whist
soVer, directly or indirectly" 2ud "Tbe
democratic party accepts as final the recent
settlement Of the public debt pronounced
constitutional by the courts of last resort,
State and federal, and will oppose all agia.
ton OF the question, or any disturbance of
that settlement, by appeal or otherwise"
Its risdom was demonstrated by great vic.
tory at the next election. And the ''bene
hts which accrued to the State from the on.
Grafton Of its principles" were the reunion
ofe divided party, and The perpetuation of
! democratic rule. Your editorial was pro.
phelic. Shall we now declare that this
plank WAS intended merely to secure victorT
and then be receded from? But Mr.. john,
sons letter must also be read in the light OF
thu last platform, which is ~ follows:
The democratic party heretofore pledged
its final acceptance of the settlement of The
public debt known as the RiddIebereer bill,
which had then been declared constitution al
by the courts, State and federal, and its Oh.
position TO all further agitation OF the uuos-
ton, or any disturbance Of that settlement
by repeal or otherwise.
This pledge was observed with scrupulous
fidelity Oh the part of its representatives bv
the enactment Of all needful and prouer
measures of legislation, and the State of
Virginia would have been for ever freed
from tho harrassng demands of public cred.
itors but for the sudden and iueauitabe re.
veisal fits own decision by republican
court, rendering still further legislation ne
Glossary for the protection Of the State.n
surely nothing can he palmer than this
declaration Of convention composed of
over Que thousand Virginia democrats. Mr..
! Johnson was not only member of the con.
fenilon which adopted this platform: he
IVES member CT the committee which
framed it, No minority report was made
| the platform Was adopted az o whole, and /
heard no voice raised against it. When
Gov Loo carne to accept his nomination, lie
claimed that "ihe State should be the cus
toGian Of her own revenues. The party
had put itself on record as not wishing to
iatertcre with the presea: settlement of that
question: NJ. Johnson was mis- warm sup
poiter. Gould he advocate his nomination
without endorsing those views he must per.
| force carry ont when elected?
| Upon this platform Lee and every dem
| ocraiic member of the House Of Delegates
and one half Of the Senate were elected T.
was tAe pledge Of tie party to the people
1t was the pledge of each member TO his
constituents. Honor required that he should
redeem that pledge. The Legislature pass
cd the indemnity bill to protect treasurers
carrying cut the debt settlement. Mr.
johnson derides the execution of that meas
ure, and declares it to be unconstitutional.
AND yet the piatiIrm declares. ITO such
further Legislation, and as part thereof to
the protection aud naturalization of the
revenue officers CT the State for all official
acts done in obedience to its laws, the dem
ocratlc party pledges ITSELF" He filed no
minority report; he did not dissent 10 the
convention be aided in nominating q gov.
ernor who stood squarely upon that plat
| torm: Why did he not then denouuce the pro-
posed measure as unconstitutional? appeal
10 every reasonable man to know is it just,
or proper to denounce legislators for doing
that which they were sent to the legislature
instructed to do, or the agents of the State
ior executing that law? And it NAV be no
t!ced that when this platform wss adopted
III 1888, nearly every important debt deci.
sion bad been rendered by the five Judges
o! the I 5. Supreme Court against the dis