Business; Capitalists and financiers -- United States; Speculation; Wall Street (New York, N.Y.)
The only way to do, in my judgment, is to make the Southern
States which are now under the serious cloud of repudiation,
understand that their credit is impaired and facilities for
obtaining money materially lessened because of it. Then,
realizing _that_ as their position, and finding that they are
shut out of the financial markets of the world owing thereto,
they will soon make a compromise with their lenient creditors,
and remove the blot from their escutcheons. The Federal
Government is comprised of the various States of the Union, and
to-day enjoys as high a credit as any nation in the world. If
the various States comprising the United States are permitted,
however, to repudiate with impunity and screen themselves behind
their sovereign rights so that creditors have no recourse, the
odium will soon fall upon the General Government, and its credit
will finally become tarnished if not crippled in consequence.
The State of Georgia, as can be proven, received full value. The
internal improvements in Georgia bear testimony of this. The
taxable property of the State has been immensely enhanced by
these improvements, and the debt repudiated is a mere bagatelle
as compared with the ability of the State of Georgia to provide
for it. She has become rich in late years, and if the stain of
repudiation should be wiped out, would stand an excellent chance
of becoming a favorite resort for emigration and for the flow of
capital. Emigrants from other countries to this, in locating,
first look to the credit enjoyed by the State their attention is
called to, and if found high, their conclusion is that there is
safety for property, and if so, corresponding safety for life;
but they will not go to a repudiating State, and in this way the
South is held in check in the development of her resources,
owing to the want of new blood. The bondholders of the State of
Georgia have frequently offered to leave all points at issue in
reference to Georgia’s repudiation to the Courts of that State,
to the United States District Judge, or to arbitration, the
parties to be selected by both sides, all of which has been
denied, the reply being the “bonds are repudiated, and we simply
will not take any steps to provide for their recognition or
payment, and what are you going to do about it?” Under the
circumstances, creditors are powerless, of course, to do
anything, as the State cannot be sued. If you desire it, I will
send you a sample bond of some of the issues repudiated, so that
you may see how beautifully the signatures are written, and how
firmly fixed the seal of the Commonwealth is placed upon them,
besides the magnificent steel engraved workmanship of the
Continental Bank Note Company of this city. If there was not a
prospect of the State of Georgia being forced by public opinion
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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