Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-01-30
VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA.

week:
VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA..
Mr.. Woodson, from the Select Committee
on the Restoration of the State of Virginia,
and the Committee on Finance, to whom WAS
referred the consideration Of the exp dicncy
OF appointing commissioners to proceed. to
Wheeling for the purpose Of making an ad-
justment with the States of Virginia and
West Nirgi MIA, made the following report:
''Aour Committee are satisfied that the
people OF Virginia deeply regret that from any
cause the Commonwealth OF Virginia should
have been dismembered and the Stats of
West Nirgi ginia created within her former lin
its-an event, in the opinion of your commits
tee, injurious to the people of both States,
creating the necessity OF supporting two gov
ernments, instead OF one, greatly increasing
the burdens oftaXatiOn, and calculated to pro-
ducc alienation between the people Of the two
States by raising pucs:i MS Of ccoat-ovc:cy
between them upon different questions,
of which the chief are the proper al,
Justment OF the public debt OF the State of
Virginia, and fair division of the public
property. If, in the past, any real conflict Of
interest existed between the eastern and west
crn portion of the State, the same has been
obli!erated by TIE events CT the war; and there
Is no good reason why the people Of both
States should not be reunited, and live to~eth-
er again under the flag Of the Old Dominion
as children Of the same il!ustrious ancestry
and heirs Of common State renVwu. Cher>
lshlng 4 sincere affection for our brethren of
West Virginia, and the trucst anxiety for es-
tnblIshIng and pcrpetuating the reunion Of
the States, We do sOemnly and confidently
appeal to the like disposition among our breth-
reu OF West Nlrg ina that they will concur
with US in declaring, as we do hereby declare,
every desire, as soon practicable, to adopt
proper measures of cooperation to re-unite
and maintain unimpaired the original integri-
ty Of old Virginia; and with this view your
committee recommend the adoption Of the
following joint resolutions:
lst. ReSoi.ed BY tie General assembly Of
IHyii,tu, That the people OF Virginia deep
ly lament the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of the old State,
and are sincerely des,rous to establish and
perpetuate The reunion of the States Of Vir-
glnla and West Virginia, to concur with them
in the adoption Of suitable measures of co-op-
Grafton in the restoration of the ancient Conn
mOnwealth of Virginia with all her people
and up to her former boundaries.
''2d. That commissioners, resident citizens
of this State shall be appointed by the Joint
vote of the two Houses of the General a ssenl-
bly, to proceed forthwith to the seat of govern
ment of West Virginia, for the purpose of
communicating to the Governor and General
Assembly of that State copy of the forego-
ing resolutions and the report of the committee
accompanying the same, with authority to
treat on the subject OF the restoration of the
State OF Virginia to its former jurisdiction
and boundaries, provided that the result of
such negotiation, if favorable to such restora-
ton on any terms shall be subject to the ap-
proval of the Legislature of Conventions of
the respective States as hereafter may be mu-
tualiy agreed upon.
"3d. The commissioners appointed under
the foregoing resolution are also empowered
and directed to treat with the authorities of
West Virginia upon proper adjustment of
the public debt of the State of Virginia, due
or incurred previous to the dismemberment
Of the State, and of Il fair division of the pub
lie property, subject, howe, er, to the appro-
val or dioapprovaI of the General Assembly.
9TH. The said comm csioners are hereby
authorized to treat upon either or bo:h of the
subjects mentioned in the two preceding res
buttons as circumstance, may demand, with
instructions to suspend or forLear any action,
!. on the subject of adjusting the debt of the