Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-01-21

tor l!erSner thceei'i u ir,nl-or 4 number of
II. III. MeilS 'l'iE - 49, ottand,nce among
witnesses rom uiI nd Robart BENTLEY. IT.. of
them MeSsrS r., ~ L. ".i ,ur.b interest
Leesburg. Inc clsi eAol MI u, c;tiyen Of
Mr.. barrett, Ill olu anu 1871 to-d.v from
tins pace "I3 ~ fu, frny, :, sn,rk from 4 pipe
which he was smoking, While lying uo"" ''''''
he died in short time.
,-..-.--,,, ,r,,o pu,,I;c
Virginia." est aTs;
r., r,I, c,r.rnor
That portion OF The nesSasc Vi ''e o'. Ill.,
of West Virginia which refers TO the pupiie
,lolt contracted by Virginia prior to 1861, will
,,l with ;ntarast and establishment and
" le'''' wa. ~ ,.I.. .l,>.o,,..,,, tb,so IN.
we lear IL Will ho' ste"''S '''N'
clinel to the belief that those no" III power III
that State ore Jisposel TO come to j prompt
,r:.L,,,,t e tbo mot,,r. IN dispute
| anu i''' S'''lO''>"'
Gov Stevenson is opposed to arbi:ratIon and
he very much objects to inc language uset - nj
4os. a IN nu ~, Gcpnral Assembly,, regarding
= ~ neither conclusive nor persuasive. Yet
hp mildly expresses the belief that whatever
d;fnrnnces and disarrecments may arise aresort
to thc courts will never become necessary.
Aftnr nuotinr 4 considerable portion of Cover
nov Walkers message on the financial condition
If This State. he saws: In the face of the
oA;c;,I declaration that Virginia is unable to
INV oven the interest on the debt, it becomes Il
rrsve question whether, in advance ola settle
ment, we shall sanction the proposition that
whatever amount the State of West Virginia
ought to assume should be paid i'll the treasury
Of the State of Virginia. Suppose We agree
to do So do We not incur double responsible
tv? If We bind ourselves to pay our proper
tiou of the debt to the State of Virginia. may
wr NOT he still held liable to the holders of Nir
,,inia bonds,
IN thr connection in which the above quoted
I'll 'nc ', rv ,Ie mea ~ Of Gov Stevenson iis
NOT wholly apparent. Yet dullard indeed must
Lr NE. WHO does not see the ntination that our
noycrtv NAV get the better Of our honesty, and
that fund paid into the treasury of this State
70 be nppliei to the genera; creditors Use. may
he apprnl,riated by us to pay our own snlall
Hills
Discussing the vexel question as to whom
General creditor--he reminds his General As
scmbly that they must deliberately, consider
and decide this so that when L settlement Is
made it shall be satisfactory and enduring
one
As to the mode Of settlement he ueicra TO
their Judgment, but expresses the opinion for
himself that the arbitration plan rs not Il sale
one for the interests Of West Virginia: for he
bclivcs that interested parties will cndeavor TO
'Elstcn upon his State IN undue proportion
Of the delft.
lie is clearly Of opinion that the only basis
upon which IN equitable adjustment can be
made is that provided in the ordinance passed
August %, 1861 by the Wheeling convention
which is in these words: The new State shall
take upon itself u just proportion OF the public
debt OF the Commonwealth OF lrglnla PRIOR TO
the first day of january, 1861 to be ascertained
by charging to it all State expenditures within
the limits thereof, and a just proportion OF the
ordinary expenses Of the State government
since any part of said debt was contracted: and
JaJuctn, thercfrom the moneys paid in the