Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-03-30
THE DEBT QUESTION.

| To The editor of the Alexandria Gazette:
Accept tho thanks of many others, besides
myself, for your manly and Independent,
yet honest stand on the debt question il
other democratic papers followed your ex-
ample our people would the sooner see the
false lead of their would be leaders, and our
State would the sooner recover the high cs-
| TEEN Of even her enemies, while wealth and
selfrespect would return TO her children.
wish to offer, in all kindness, n few re-
marks to p. II. T., whose sophistry may
mslead a careless reader. Certainly, no
one thinks, our State at fault for having
been devastated four years BY war, or Of be-
ing robbed of fifty millions Of property, or
having been cheated out of nearly a third
Of her domain. Each Of these mislortunes
Virginians had to accept, So wo did recon.
struction, without the least chance Of re-
dress. Nor is it q part Of wisdom, at this
late day, TO endeavor TO raise Issues based
upon what could not be avoided. Our du-
ty now is to meet the present and honestly
provide for the future.
No informed Virsniau but acknowledges
our State got the money and bound herself
to return dollar for dollar, with interest
added. No informed Virginian but knows
why capitalists will not invest in our State.
P. H. ?. should be aware that the first duty
of the patriot is to sound the alarm when
danger threatens his country.
"L. NJ b." is go capable Of replying for
himself that only desire to ask the mature
consideration Of your readers to the actual
condition in which politicians have placed
the once honored Old Dominion, especially
the politicians in the present Legislature,
who by their deliberate attempt TO do even
greater mischief than their predecessors,
caused our Governor to send them mes
sage of solemn warming. What moro does
2. H. 2. require before the honest and true
sons of our dear odd Mother? p Call yeo,
demand halt. Of those little lobbyists, each
of whom seemed, by his voice and vote,
more determined to lobby himself into fur
ther political power than to provide any
honest means of meeting the State debt.
They went so far, that when q gentleman,
fully authorized, whose devoted State love,
and whose integrity Of character IS equal to
the highest and purest, as to refuse even an
audience when he approached these "little
tin gods on Wheels" asking that some ar
rangement might be made for that portion
of the debt due by West Virginia, and which
sooner or later must be settled. True, the
last Legislature did accomplish much good
in olecting judges and other responsible Of
licers. but when they came to discuss ques-
tons of equal Importance, they forgot them
selves, until many of them imagined they
were law makers, and that we were their
servants instead of they being our agents
trust P. Fl. P, together with other good
people Of Virginia. will be moro fortunat,
in the selection of our future legislative
agents, and find men capable of rising above
personal ambition or fear of spot house"
influence, for we must come back to princi.
pie and forsake policy. Policy has nearly
ruined the democratic party. Let us once
more be party of principle. JIM
Fairfax county, Va.