Year: 1877

The New York Journal Of Commerce, in
commenting upon the action OF the late
Virginia Conservative Convention in re-
gard to the State debt. says that while the
work OF the Convention was highly COM
mcndabe it WAS not all that might have
been expected from the ideal Virginia OF
the worlds past respect and confidence.


1t might have expected declaration by
that Convention OF 4 determination upon
the part OF the people Of the foremost State
of the American Union to pay every dollar
OF its Indebtedness. That is, that the past
glorious history Of the State-the loftinesS
and purity OF character which marked her
people OF the past-might have reasonably
led the outside world to expect such action
from body which it would be Just to re-
gard ais fair representative OF the charac-
ter OF the people Of the present.


Looking at the matter from the stand
point occupied by the Journal Of Commerce,
that paper was right in its conclusion. No
one could expect anything from the worlds
ideal Virginia than q fixed determination
that whatever might be the cost or sacrifice,
no shadow OF a stain should be suffered to
rest upon her good name by the faintcSt
inkling OF n failure upon her part to recog-
nize and to meet squarely and fully all her
Just and honest obligations.


But we are afraid that the Virginia OF to-
day-sorcly tried as she has been--is not
quite up to the standard of the worlds


ideal Virginia, which produced the heroes
and patriots Of the rcvolution-that Fir-
ginia which gave away an empire to the
General Government to afford it strength
and help in it, first feeble efforts at organi-
zation-that Virginia who was the mother
Of the splendid and unequaled line OF
statesmen who illustrated the post revolu-
tionary period, and who, within the men,
oIy of the youngest Of us, threw herself be-
tween. the upliftcd sword OF the Federal
power and her brave but weak southern sis
tiers. BY that Virginia sharp bargains
with creditors and reputation in any shape
or form would have been spurned with an
indignation which would have crushed to
atoms any one who might have dared to
suggest it.


The Gubcrnstorial Convention, however,
had to deal with matters as they exist in the
present. They had to recognize the fact
that pestlent and ambitious demagogues, by
clap-trap talk and Jack -Cade bombast, had
excited the people with false representa-
tions, and were misleading them woefully
with the false lights which agrarianiSm
hangs out to delude and deceive. They
had, as it were, to flank the reputation
movement, which seemed to threaten at one
time utter destruction to the Conservative
party and to the future welfare OF the
State, and therefore, under all the circum-
stances, this Convention did the very best
that it could do, and for that it deserves the
thanks OF the people.


The Journal of Commerce goes on to say
that the very best investment which Virgil
MIA could make Of that much money would
be to pay her debt to the very Inst fraction.
And in this the Journal Of Commerce is
unquestionably right. The patriotic and
scl-denying sacrifices which would be ne
cessary to accomplish this would come back
to Virginia in rich abundance, which
would fill her valleys with pros
perity and make her hills and noun
tsins clap their hands with Joy. But ber
people do not see just now the light
OF this great truth. It may break upon their
minds after while. Governments have to
deal with things as they are, and they must
necessarily reflect the sentiments which, for
the time, control the minds OF the peoplef for
whom and by whom these governments are
moulded and directed.


Hence Virginia, like good old ship some
what battered by storm and wave, will have
to sail little while longer in the mists OF
the rocky shore upon which she was almost
stranded. -Loudoun Enterprise.