Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-12-20
Virginia Legislature.

+ SENATE w ednesday. Dec l4th The spe-
cial order of the day was taken up-the ques-
ton being on the adoption of the following res
olution, offered by Mr.. Pendleton ~ = q.
''Resolued 1.-THE House of Delegates concur
ring), That the present Commonwealth of Vir-
GINA is neither legally nor equitably bound to
pay the whole Of the debt contracted by the
Commonwealth prior to the year 1861 =" 49,
Mr.. Waddell offered the following as SUBJ
stitute: Dns
q "Resolred lthe House of Delegates concur
ring). That it is the duty of the General AS
sembly, without unnecessary delay, to provide
for the payment of the public debt contracted
prior to the year 1861, looking to the State OF
West Virginia to pay into the treasury OF the
Commonwealth the portion thereof which, up
on fair settlement, may be found due from
that State" es..,-rt E,r, sr-ai-4 seT
Mr. Pendeton, of Botetourt. made an able
speech in favor of his resolution, and MIR Rid
dick, of Nansemond, ably advocated Mr. Wad-
de's substitute. slsia1' s2aa 1l.53
Mr.. Snowden then offered the following sub.
stitute: 80 a-..,fs 81. -
Whereas, during the late war a portion of
the domain of the Commonwealth of Virginia
was, without the consent Of this State, separa-
ted therefrom, and erected into the State
known as West Virginia, which said State OF
West Virginia has been recognized by the Con-
gress of the Unite! StAtA- and while that nor
ton of Virginia territory was under the jurls
diction of this State and formed a part thereof,
the debt of the State prior to the year 1861 was
contracted alike for the benefit of all parts OF
the then State Of Virginia, and by the said
dismemberment of the State she was deprived
of large portion of her territory and taxable
nroperty. aud by the fortunes Of war her peo
have been despoiled and impoverished, there
by rendering additional taxation adequate to
the payment of the interest on the whole debt,
burdensome and oppressive, and veil calcula-
ted to depress the present value OF the remain
ing property of the neople OF the State and re-
tard the influx Of immigration and capital (;
now thereof,
ssResolved by the Senate, 1.-THE House of Del
egates concurring), That while, in the opinion
Of this General Assembly, this Commonwealth
of Virginia ought not to be considered legally
or eauitably bound for the full amount of the
public debt contracted by Virginia prior to her
ACKNOWLEDGMENT nevertheless, if upon refusal
on the part of West Virginia to pay her ja>t
proportion of the said debt, and upon a decis-
ION of proper judicial tribunal against The
State, the State OF Virginia, tenacious OF her
honor and phghted faith, will assume and pro-
vide for the payment of all her oblgatlon-
HOUSE OF DELEGATES MIR. Budd offered
resolution requiring the Board of Public
w OfkS u ISpOTt W tuc AIOucC Wudb ouiOuhh Va
the stock held by the State in the various i'm
provement com panies Of the State, and wheth-
err the said stock is eommon or preferred.
Adopted 8G .es Sass sea a.i g
SENATE Thursday, Dec 15th.-The adopr
ton of the substitute offered by Mr.. Snowden
to the substitute proposed by Mr.. Waddell to
the joint resolution in reference to the public
debt. being the unfinished business of yester-
day. Mr.. Snowden was entitled to the floor, but
yielded it to Dir. Waddell. s;4
| Want of space prevents the publication of
| Mr.. Waddels remarks as reported in the Rich
mond papers.
Speeches were made upon this subject by
Messrs Waddell, Penn, and Snowden, after
which, on motion of Mr. Taylor, of Loud"
the whole subject was laid upon the --~u,
/ HOUSE OF DELEGATES y" table.
S0 ns.;, az" -.oKes reported resolution re-
q"o''' g me Superintendent of Public Instruc-
tron to communicate with the county superin-
| tendents to enquire whether any glebe lands,
| funds or other donations are held by the cities.
counties or towns of the State for school pur-
poses and that he also report what funds are
now held by the Board OF Education for the
benefit of the cities, counties and towns of the
State, for educational purposes and also the
character of said funds, and the terms and con-
ditions upon which they are held.