Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-22

as your correspondent confesSes he is
about beiies-tettrcS. While | was very
sorry to hear of the death OF Mr.. Conk-
ling. and while admired him for certain
traits OF character, yet common hon
esty compes me to say that his
speech, as reported, in the Virginia
cases. and for which he get, /
think, n 81, 000fee, was, "a constitutional
argument, about as feeble as feeble could
be. Even Mr.. fuckers speech was but
rehash Of what over and over again
had been printed in your paper. The
speech OF Mr.. Tucker had come weight
doubtless with the court, but the honest
truth is that if the judges had been tho
roughly impregnated with the spirit,
plain language. and intent Of the Con-
stitution OF the United States, there
would not have been the slightest reason
why any other counsel than tho Attor-
ney-General of the State should have
appeared in the ease.
Mr.. Conway ought to know that but
for the amendments TO the Constitution
of the United States ratified since the
war, the West Virginia negro Of whom
he spoke would not have had tho legal
right to have claimed that "some negro
should have been on the jury" or, to
state the case more legally, twas against
the Constitution of the United States
that West Virginia should have passed
laws preventing or forbidding negroes
to sit as jurymen (becauso of the fact
that they we're neeroesl. The Consttu-
ton Of West Virginia, rs | suppose,
having given the negro tho right to vote,
he was by thst Constitution and the Con-
stitution Of the United States entitled to
sit as juryman. Such right, however,
did not exist under the Constitution of
the United States until after the late IN
pleasantness between the States.
Mr.. Conway will seek in vain fer sny
power granted the Government of the
United States as to who shall vote in
the different States. Even since the war
the lovers Of a great "central power" to
override and destroy the States have not
yet mad tile brazen impudence TO pro-
pose an amendment of the Constitution,
"givng the power to Congress todeclate
who shall be lawful voters OF the dieer-
ent States" Doubtless the English
friends of Mr. Conway naturally suppose
that it is the United States Gov
ernment which declares who shall
be voters in the different States. Row
the fact is just the contrary, As It is the
States which pass laws as to who and
who shall not vote. So long as the Sen
ate of the United States exists so long
will our Government be a "confedera-
ton OF States" land not a nation with
big NJ. The Constitution of the
United States as written sis the SUI
preme law Of the land, and the SUI
preme Court OF the United States is the
power to expound what that Consti-
/ tuition means. So when that great
court is compelled to declare to the
world that in money matters borrowed
money, If you choose-ViTginia as a
State cannot he made to pay its debts
by any court Of the United States, II
would look like English holders of her
bonds were throwing away their money
in paying big fees to lawyers to force
the State to do what it has declared size
never will DO. TIE result can only be
in fattening Their counsel, while they
are daily getting poorer. TO be still
palmer, the Supreme Court OF the United
/ States has recently decided that ths
State of Virginia could make a money
contract to-day and repudiats it to-
morrow, snd there vas no remedy IA
any conrt Of the United States.
Possibly there are some few people in
Virginia who will thank Mr. Conway for
the Upright light" which he struck TO
please and dazzle his British friends. but
unless 1 am greatly mistaken the time
cannot be very long before such friends
of his will, by actual experience, find out
| that in fighting the State Of Virgins =
they have fought it for years they have
been but playing into the hands OF sharp
spectators and lawyers. If that fight IS
persisted in the less chance Will such
bondholders have Of ever getting tie
principal Of the bonds, much less the In
terest They can go on in such sport
with full assurance that there are some
few people in Virginia who would bs
glad for them 70 keep it up as long as
they live and thrive. In conclusion, II
Mr.. Conway will get and read "Jeaer-
sons draft Of Kentucky resolutions OF
1898" and Mr.. Madison's report on tine
Virginia resolutions-Yi Virginia House OF
Delegates OF l793-l80o "-he viii, think,
learn more of the Constitution Of the
United States as recently expounded by
the Supreme Court than he seemed from
his letter to know. If the taxpayers oil
Virginia know what is for their own good
(from even a money standpoint they
will continue to pay their taxes due the
State in money with money This every
lover OF common fairness should do as a
duty he owes to his fellow-men. Just
let taxpayers settle their taxes a little
longer with money, and it cannot be very
long before tho English holders OF Nir-
gina bonds will find ont that it was then
"noses" which had been drought to
the grindstone," and not the nose OF the
State Of Virginia. OF course a jury
knows that when this fact is realized
by the English bondholders tAey
viii wonder at their past "sOitness, and
it may also then strike tsen thst when
lawyers are getting continued big pay
that it is hard for such lawyers to see
things in such light as would stop theil
pay. Thus far as between the English
holders of Virginia bonds and then
lawyers, 1 think the game has been
"heads l win, tails you lose" That il
shall continue to be so rests entirely
with the taxpayers of Virginia, and
who, l think. ought to love their OWL
interest and State more than they love
the English holders Of Virginia bonds
and their lawyers. "JUsT So"
Dexter Dead.
[By telegraph to the Dispatch.l
New YORK, April 21.-Dexter, Ro