The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-01-27

One CODY, yr-.t2c0i Five copies, yr3 800
One copy, 6 mos Loo Ten copies, VI S!A
From the Weston Democrat "-..
The Virginia DsbtGWhss west Va.
The equitable proportion of the pub
lie debt Of Virginia, which we assumed
to pay when the constitution Of this
State was framed, appears recently to
have attracted large portion of the
public attention OF our State, and our
Virginia friends on the other side Of the
mountains have taken this matter up
on the calendar Of legislation, as new
subject, without waiting for our COM
missioners, who have been appointed,
to meet theirs, upon their own propesi.
ton. This would seem to be going
back upon themselves, and implies q
distrust of the equitable purposes of
their own citizens. We care not
whether we pay what We may be found
to owe at the treasury of Virginia or at
our own treasury, except that our own
citizens, as creditors, shall be first paid,
and paid at our own treasury, and this
will meet our whole obligation.
Bondholders are beginning already
to prick up their ears, anticipating the
immense fol tunes they will realize by
forcing an undue proportion Of the debt
upon the young and vigorous State of
West Virginia, and they seem to mani
fest much concern about the hardness Of
West Virginia, and are terribly alarmed
lest our fair fame may be imperiled by
the delay incident to fair adjustment
between the two States.
Another party appears to apprehend
the worst consequences and fatal ca
lamity upon any adjustment, and they
desire a postponement, and shrink from
the actual pressing demand.
There are those who insist upon our
entire exemption from the payment OF
any portion Of the debt, and claim that
in equity we owe nothing.
And yet there are others who insist
that inasmuch as the Federal Govern
ment has despoiled the State Of Virginia
by force of arms, and scattered to the
winds the chief Of Virginia's resources
upon which the State credit was built
and northumberland the Federal Gov
eminent should pay the debt.
We some time since ventured to
state that if we paid all the money we
received constituting any part Of the
public debt Of Virginia, we would fill
up the full measure Of our obligations,
and that nothing further ought to be
required Of us. For disappearing
denunciation to criticism--we have
been roughly handled by some of our
contemporaries in this State, because.
we presume, denunciation was cheap
commodity, in which any one might in
dulge, and that criticism was thing
too dangerous and comprehensive for
their intelligence or review.
The Wheeling REGISTER, which must
henceforth be regarded as the Govern
ment organ, is an exception to the
rule we have laid down. 1t has dis
cussed the State Indebtedness fairly,
but it has fallen into the same fatal er-
rors that characterized the administra-
ton of Governor Foreman. He insist
ed that balance sheet should be struck
between us from the foundation of the
government, and we infer that the REG
IsTER is for the same thing, with some
notifications. Two years ago the
folly of this basis was illustrated by
us, and the facts made apparent
tibet by its adoption as basis we would
be made to pay about S30,000,000 of
the public debt. Our people seem to
forget that for thirty-five years after our
independence was declared, nine-tenths
of the taxes imposed by the State were
levied on slaves, as property in the
hands of their owners, Of which, dur
ing that period, we owned comparatively
none. As consequence OF this system
ofraising revenue, we did not contribute
a sum sufficient to liquidate the charges
created by US in the civil administra-
ton of the government. In fact, for
sixty-two years our average annual de-
ficiency was 800, 900.
The duty our forefathers were requir-
ed to perform as compensation for the
expenses Of government, consisted in
the perils of pioneer life. The shield
of personal heroism thrown around the
State by this section Of Virginia was at
the time acknowledged to be the coun-
terpart, and an adequate return for the
money to support the government. In
dian incursions into the eastern settle
ments, and continuous border war are,
were only prevented by this personal
and perilous compromising duty in the
government.
Governor Boremans policy was to
strike money balances without their &C.
krowledged counterpart-devotion and
patriotism in pioneer life. The REGIS
TER does rot 60 as far as Governor
Foreman in this direction, but that
paper goes just far enough to carry
us into principle involving all the
consequences Of Governor Boreman's
basis.
The bonded debt Of Virginia is to be
treated as a partnership debt. The
States Of Virginia and West Virginia
are tie partners. 1t is an equitable
portion Of this debt we assumed to pay.
The bondholders are to be looked upon
as the creditors who furnished the
money to the partners. If the partner
ship has been dissolved, and either
partner appropriates the partnership
funds, he is liable over to the other to
the extent Of such appropriation. II
the funds appropriated be in stocks
IT. hinh nannnf he renlaned the measure