The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-02-28
Letters from Charleston.
Railroad Chartered and a survey 70
beMade-TheCo Convention Bfli-The
Financial Reports-The Virginia
state Debt-The Kanawhs Valley.

lgdr Register.
The House, yesterday. passed to en-
grossment bill chartering railroad
to run from Charleston via Clarksburg
Fairmont and Morgantown to the Penn
sylvania line, and appropriating $4,000
to make survey. This appropriation
was bitterly and ably denounced in the
House, and as ably and firmly support
ed. The friends of the bill urged it as
great and important State improve
ment, and one that would induce
capital from abroad, immigration, and
the development of large portion OF
our State. The opponents OF the az
preparation opposed it as opening the
door to a vicious and corrupting sort Of
legislation. If it is understood that
appropriations Of this kind are to be
made at all, it is difficult to say where
they should, or rather, could be stopped.
This, like many other important ques-
tons, seems to have two sides to it,
and, in this case, each side found sincere
advocates, and when the question was
put, the House divided very evenly upon
it. Two of the Ohio county members,
Messrs, Barr and Cracraft, voted aye,
and Mr.. Faris nay. The bill will prob
ably pass the Senate.
The Convention bill will pass the
Senate to-day. The probabilities are,
! it will receive twelve votes, but if it
does not, after Hon. Okey Johnsons
resignation, which is now in my hands,
is announced, but eleven votes will be
necessary. A few Radicals dispute
this position; but soon after Mr..
johnson took sick, | went to the pains
of getting the legal opinions of several
eminent and clear-headed lawyers on
the subject, and they informed me that
both precedent and Court decisions
established the proposition that a
majority of the Legislative body actu-
ally in existence for the time being,
have the constitutional right to pass a
law. Senator johnson was at once
informed OF the situation, and he
promptly and generously made the
sacrifice 10y forwarding his resignation.
Almost unheard efforts are still being
made by the Radicals to defeat the sub
mission Of the Convention question.
Threats and other means not so com.
plimentary are said to he freely in
dulged in.
You have, ere this, seen the financial
reports OF both the majority and minor
itv OF the Finance committees. There
is some information which is not con-
veyed to the public in either report, but
which presume will come out in the
debate. For instance the Governor
Auditor and Treasurer have each been
separately called upon for statement
of the actual condition of the Treasury.
They each make statement, and no
two agree. You will observe that
the minority report OF the Fin
ance committee puts the amount
now in the State Treasury and subject
to appropriation at over $2jl 900, while
a communication from the Auditor to
the Senate this morning puts the
amount at but about S9l 900. These
are specimens Of the loose and terribly
muddlei condition in which the Radical
party is leaving the State finances.
The House, yesterday, most uncere-
moniously crushed Speaker Cracraft's
bill for the reduction Of the price OF
licenses to liquor sellers, from 500 to
so. But few voted Tor the bill, not
withstanding he made an earnest speech
in favor of the reduction.
The question of the Virginia State
debt has engaged the earnest and care
ful attention Of the Finance committees
of the two Houses. And the two
Houses have given the matter such at
tenton as they could The request on
the part of Virginia, that West Vir-
ginia appoint Commissioners who shall
not be residents of the State. was prop
erly, as | think, and respectfully de-
clned Anda proposition that Virginia
and West Virginia shall each appoint
three Commissioners, residents of the
two States respectively, who shall pro
ceed to ascertain and decide upon an
"eauitable" division of the debt between
the two States, was unanimously adopt
ed by both branches OF the Legislature.
This Commission is to report to the
next Legislature, and then and not till
then can the Legislature take any
further action. The immediate ques-
ton to be considered by this Legisla.
ture is, How shall we get rid of the
debt created in thiS State by the present
and late Radical officials? How can
the deficit in the Treasury be made
good, without increasing the peoples
taxes? OF course there is but one plan,
that is Rctrench This plan has been
adopted, and the Finance committees
are cutting down the appropriations in
every legitimate manner possible.
This section OF the country is rapidly
filling up with people Capitalists are
cowing in from Eastern States, and
especially from the iron regions OF
Pennsylvania, and are making pur
chases for purposes OF manufacturing
and developing. The Kanawha Val
ley is very sure to soon become
famous manufacturing district. Few
sections of the country anywhere have
such natural advantages; as this section,
and the completion OF railroads through
it are only needed to make it the point
of all others for young, energetic and
industrious men Of capacity and little
capital, to soon become members OF
the "moneyed aristocracy" of the
country. The coal deposits here are
wonderful in extent, superior in quality,
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