Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-17
We are overwhelmed with commune
cations on the locsl-option question.
For the Dispatch. ]


Dr. Dashsefl Begs fhe Question.
Indeed, be begs several Of them. L:
is not at all surprising that he should ;
for bis professional habits and modes Of
thought disqualify him for controversy.
Once or twice week he goes into the
pulpit. where no man may contradict
him without breach Of law and good
manners. lie never argues-at least |
have never heard him do it; he lays
down the law and exhorts and no Won
der it is that, like many other excellent
men of his order, he slides uncon-
sciously from the didactic into the dog
matte style--from exhortation into do.
nunciation. He is not to be blamed for
this he cannot help it. But it does
not follow that he should be unchecked.
Only, when he travels out Of his record
and runs about in the dark, don't let
him get nettled if sometimes, like a
beetle, he butts up against a wall OF
contradiction.
DR.. Dashiell defends himself in the
matter Of my reference to his payment
of his taxes in coupons, which he calls
"rather q small accusation" Cannot
the Doctor distinguish between an &C
cusation and an argumentum ad homi-
mem a.? made no accusation. | men.
toned one act of his, as he had men,
toned proposed act Of mine. Some
people blamed his act as fault some
1 l. . I'D,
always thought he did it ignorantly,
and | wanted to give him q case in
point, land it seems did, where re-
sentiment might be provoked by cen
sure which was thought unjust. Be.
sides, had heard, forget now, that he
had concluded that that mode Of pay
ing his taxes was not quite the thing
for a good citizen, and l wanted to give
him the opportunity in the reply, which
knew he could not help making, to
say as much for all Richmond esteems
him to be q good man, and his public
announcement of change in this matter
would be q good example. Hereafter
no one can say that DR.. Dashiell has
paid his taxes in coupons, put upon the
State at par and paid for by him and
his attorneys at so cents on the dollar.
| also wanted to make this point on DR..
Dashiell AS reflection had convinced
him that it was wrong to force coupons
on the Treasury, so reflection might
convince him that he was possibly in
error in his conclusion that no "true-
hearted layman " could differ with him
on q question which has for long time
divided many good and true-hearted"
men in many other places.
DIR. Dashiell's illustration about the
salary Of . State officer standing on the
same ground of law as the tax.receiva-
BILE coupons shows, l think, some little
confusion of ideas. An officers salary
is fixed either by the Constitution or
by act Of Assembly from year to year.
In either case it can be revised or con-
trolled by the people. No charge of
fraud or usurpation has ever been pre-
ferred in any such case. But the cou-
pons, which it is now agreed on all
hands were founded in fraud, claim
an exemption from all law for period
of thirty.four years from their first
issue. Herein, think, is quite a diff
ference; though DR.. Dashiell may not
see it.
81 did not for q moment intend"
says DR.. Dashiell, ITO allege that
man is not q true.hearted layman who
does not prefer local option to any
other plan for the suppression of the
liquor traffic." No one has charged
that. What he did say was that
sail all means without exception
"all true. hearted laymen " would vote
with him for prohibition. When DR..
Dsshiell comes to disavowal let him
stick to his text.
In his eighth paragraph DR.. Dashiell
says:
SO now, II Is not to choose between local
| option and some other plan. Ii In q com.
pulsory choice between local option and no
plan. II is that we must choose between
an approval or disapproval OF the effort
to suppress fearful evils: More than that, i
| 10 TO reject the only plan that is Offered.
| That Is the reason why the help OF true
hearted iaymen is invoked and expected.
Here again there appears to be con-
fusion OF ideas. He assumes that there
is but one plan because "local option >
offers but one; that to reject thai
is to reject everything. But non consta
there is but one plan because only ono
is offered in the present law. A coed
many people think that is no plan At
all, but wore than the present system;
and that there are plans which may
be made effective. A good many
people think that the mode of en-.
deavoring to fix prohibition on a
people by law mixes up social, political,
and religious questions in q way to
do harm TO all, and to inaict great in
jury on Christianity; that it has al.
ready seduced preachers into violations
Of the Sabbath, and places them side
by side with what they call worldly
people in q canvass Of the kind they
have hitherto considered it their duty
to avoid that it commits men voting
under undue excitement, and sometimes
under the influence of brides, to engage
ments which they will not scruple to
disregard and violate. Many think
that this policy is playing into the
hands Of General Malone, who is to-
day worse enemy to Virginia than all
the hquor-dealers in the State. Are
none of these men " true-hearted -?
DR.. Dashiell informs the public that
"our bishop, RI. Rev. F. NJ. white,
requests to DO committed to our side,"
snd-I suppose BY the same authority
is reported "as recognizing IL Is . con.
test between the friends ana enemies Of
temperance" and "a surprised that
any Christian man should hesitate where
to BE- found" Now l yield to no one in
respect for the singularly, direct, ele-
waited, manly, and Christian character
Of the Bishop. ] would be the last man
to speak Of him with shade Of dis
respect, or to contradict him when be
confines himself to his lsgitimats
sphere. But when be GOES out Of
that. and not ~ . man, but % .
bixh0n. under Ak a. Ia class ma and man