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Show IS IT THE ENTERING WEDGE? On a recent trip to Salt Lake we had an opportunity to converse with a prominent statesman from the south, whose remarks were deeply interesting to us, and the Signs of the times indicate that they may yet prove prophetic. We had taken a seat in the train at Ogden when a gentleman entered the car and sat down beside us. He was past middle age, of a dark, almost swarthy complexion, tall, rather spare figure, ?? gray hair and beard, large dark penetrating eyes, and regular though prominent features. He was exceedingly unassuming in dress and manner, but a glance at his face told of mental power, natural ability and experience, for in excess of what most men possess. He entered into conversation by asking some intelligent questions about Utah her material and political condition, &c., and seemed particularly interested in the probable results of the Edmunds bill. We were in ignorance of our companion's identity, but perceived him to be a man of experience in governmental and political affairs. He at length made himself known as ex-Governor Holliday of Virginia, whose term of office expired last January, and who made for himself a national reputation by vetoing a bill which passed the Virginian legislature, looking to the readjustment-virtually repudiation-of the state debt. At the time of that action, Gov. Holliday's course was highly commended by the majority of the press throughout the country, as being strictly in harmony with the principles of national honor, credit and integrity taught by those grand old statesmen whom Virginia, "The mother of presidents," produced in the last century, to assist in establishing this republic. Since the expiration of Gov. Holliday's term, a coalition of the Republicans with the Readjusters has taken the government of the state out of the hands of the Democrats, who were debt-payers, the measure which he vetoed has become a law, and the course of the Republican press and of the present administration has been such as to commit the whole Republican party to it. President Arthur has removed many government officials, who held positions in Virginia, and were debt payers, and replaced them with repudiationists. Thus, in the view of Gov. Holliday, the grand old state of Virginia has been dishonored, her people taught to be dishonest and to repudiate their just debts, her credit injured and her moral tone sadly depreciated, to all of which the Republican party is committed, and for all of which that party is more or less responsible. Gov. Holliday urges that a party that will so govern a state, will so gov. a nation; that if it continues in power we may look to see repudiatory measure adopted in Congress, that will injure public credit, and produce another panic and tornado of commercial destruction. To use his own language: "The people of the United States are treading on a volcano, the crust of which is very thin, and they know not at what moment it may burst forth." He explained his views and his reasons for them much more fully than we are able to do in this article, and the manner in which he spoke of and handled his subject was really impressive, and he supported his fears by arguments that were certainly strange and difficult to refute. There is little doubt in the rapids of farsighted men that the course the Republican party has lately taken in relation to more than one subject, cannot but result in its dissolution or something worse, and the probability is that a brief term of years will witness some striking and sweeping political events in the nation. A spirit of extravagance, of going into debt, of engaging in enormous enterprises and of doing business on a paper basis, is certainly increasing very fast. A re-action is inevitable, and when that re-action comes we shall see whether debts will be paid, public credit preserved, and a disastrous panic avoided or whether the fears of Gov. Holliday will be realized. We shall also see if the action of the Republican party in committing itself, to the policy of the repudiationists of Virginia will prove the entering wedge which that statesman predicted. |