The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1892-12-08
Rufus A. Ayers and the Debt
Question.

Rufus A. Ayers and the Debt
Question.
The greatest blessing that the year of
our Lord, eighteen hundred and ninety
two has broughtto Virginia and Virgin
ians is the settlement Of the State debt
question. This mucll-vcxed question had
been CALLING sore upon our body polite
for years, and it's agitation came near re-
sulting in the complete wreck OF the
Democratic party throughout the State. Its
final settlement on an honorable and equl-
table basis has, therefore, been the occa-
sion for general rejoicing and ccnsratula-
ton throughout the Common wealth.
| In this hour, wle9 the final ADJUST
ment of this question is being Hailed with
so much delight and gratitude all oyer the
Old Dominion, Yirginians should not lose
| sight of the men through whose conduct
the State has been able to arrive at this
settlement.
| Virginia has many able sons who contri-
buted towards the settlement Of the much
voiced debt question. 1t is not the desire OF
the Posr to dctract one iota from the SER
vices of any one i'll saying that to Rufus A.
Ayers more than to any other living man
| in Virginia, is the State indebted for this
! happy apsHmation in that her bondholders
have been compelled to accept the just
and honorable settlement for which she
has ever stood ready to account to her
creditors.
Such settlement the holders of Vir-
| ginia's bonds for many years refused to
accept, but persisted i'll an effort to saddle
upon the Old Commonwealth an enormous
debt far in excess of what in all fair
ness they justly haG right to demand.
This effort brought on q prolonged and
bitter legal conflict in the Federal courts
between Virginia and the holders of her
bonds, which attracted the attention of
the entire nation, and became one of the
most famous legal contests in the history
Of our independence. The conduct of that
fight on behafof Virginia deyOlved upon
Acknowledgment Ayers. How he bore
himself in this contest now makes page
in Yrsina's history that no firSinan
will wish unwrittcn. With great ability
he fought every inch of the ground against
the most distinguished legal talent in the
United States, but it is for the courageous
stand he took in resisting the mandates
of Federal Judge, who sought to force
him into taking Il course whicll he con-
ccivcd to be Inconsistent with his duty as
AZ, officer of tic Commonwealth of ir-
aiuia, that he is admired most by The Viz
giuia people. With statcsmanlike courage
that would have been q credit to our
Revolutionary fathers, he. elected rather to
languish in prison than be cocrced into
action contrary to his plain duty.
By an act Of the General Assembly
PASSED in 1881 the Commonwealth at
torncys of the respective counties i'll Nir-
einia and the Acknowledgement we're
ordered to bring suits against all parties
Who on presentation of coupons, clipped
from Virginia's bonds, in payment of
taxes, did not prove the genuincncss of
the bond from which the coupon was
clipped or pay their taxes in lawful money
Of the United States. This act, it was
thought, would finally do away with all
attempts OH the part of Taxpayers to pay
theirtaxes in coupons, and was measure
to which the State was compelled to re-
sort Ror eelf-preservation.
General Ayers was Attorney of
Virginia at the time. aud liz the discharge
of his duty as such officer, proceeded toI
carry out the provisions of the statute.
Judge Hugh i. Bond, of the United
States Circuit Court, issued an order
restraining the Acknowledgement and the
Commonwealth s attorneys from obeying
this law passed by the General Assembly
of the State of which they were The
swora officers. This restraining order
Attorney -aenesal Ayers deliberately re-
fused to comply withaad preceded to dis |
charge the duties Of his Office. regardless
OF Judge Rond's interference, rcgardingitl
as nothing more nor less than an usurpa-
tion of power on the part Of Federal
Judge to presume to instruct Virginias
officer as to sdischargipg the duties Of his
oHae. orthis refusal 70 conlplywith the
orders OF shaaaNrlt GeReral Ayers was conf
nitted 10 jaii, and there sa,gsined until Z
tle Supreme eonrt Of the United states
interfered and he vas released.
gae helansss Os sbg staaa taken bsyII9