The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-23

pay when the Constitution of this State
was framed, appears recently to have at
trac;ed large portion Of the public at.
tention Of our State, and our yirgini.
friends on the other eide of the mcuutain,
have taken this matter up on the calendar
Of legislation, as new subject. wiLou,
waiting for our Commissioners, who hSrc
been appointed, TO NEE, theirs. upon their
own proposition. This would seem to be
going back upon themselves. and implies
dis'rust of the equitable pursores Of
tkeir own citizens. We care nc, whether
We pay what We may be found TO owe a,
the treasury Of Virginia or at our own
treasury, rx,ep, that onr own citizens.
AZ creditors, shall be 6rh maid. and psid
At our own treasury, sna this will NEE.
eur who!s obligation.
Bondholden are beginning already to
prick up their ears, anticipating the i'm
men;e fortunes they will realize by forcing
an undue proportion offhc debt upon the
young and vigorous State Of West Vir.
ginia, and they seem to manifest much
concern abou. the Hardness Of Yves, vir
einia, and are terribly alarmed lest our
fair fame may be imperi'led by the delay
incidrn, to fair adjustment between the
two States.
Another party appears to npprehead the
wcts. consequences and fatal calamity
upon any adjustment. and they desire
pO,tponement. 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 insi,.
iha. irasmnch as the Federal Govern.
mert has despoilcd the State Of Virgins
By force OF arms. anc scattered to the
winds the chief of Virsiuia's resource. :
upon which tie State credi, was built and
maintnined-,ha. the Federal Govern.
msnt should pay the debt.
We somc time since rcutured to state
that II we paid all the money we received
constituting any part Of the public debt Of
Virginia. We would tii up the full mea-
ssre Of our obligations. and tina. nothing
farther ought to be required Of Us. For
thls-preferring dcnunciation to criticism
we have been roughly handled BY some
ofour contemporaries in this State. be-
cause. we presume. d.nunciation was
chap commodity, in which anyone might
indulge. and that criticism war thing
TOO dsne'roas and comprehensive for
their intelligence or review.
The Wheeling Rgis."r. which maj.
hsnetfor,h be regarded as The Govern
ment organ. is an exception to the rule
we have laid down. Il has discussed the
State indebtedness fairly, bu, it has fall
en- into the same fatal errors that charac-
teri1sd the administration nf Governor
foreman. He insisted that balance
sheet should b. struck between US frog
the foundation of the government. and VIC
infer that the Reg. Ser i, for the sme
thing, with some modifra,ions. Two
years s1o the folly Of this basis was illus.
trs,'d by us. and the facts made apparent
that by its adoption as basis we would
be mad. to psy abou. S3e 900. 900 of the
public debt. Our people seem 20 forget
;ha. for IS years after our independence
was declared. nine.ten,hs Of the taxes
imposed by tn. State we're levied on
alaves. az property in the hands Of their
owners. Of which, during that period, we
owned comparatively uone. A.aevnse.
quenee Of this system Of raising revenue,
We did not contribute sum sufficient 10
liquida,e the charges created by US in the
civil administration Of the government
In fact, for 62 year, our average annual
deficiency was $4,000
The duty our forefa.hers were required
toperform Ss compensation for the cxpep-
tes Of government, consisted in tho perilS
Of pioneer life The shield Of personal
hcroism thrown around the State by
This section OF Virginia was 1t the time
lefnowlcd to be the counterpart, and AZ
sdcquatc return for the money to support
the government Indian incur,ious into
The eastern settlements, snt eoa,inuoa.
border warfare, were only prevented BY
shi' personal and pcrilOus compromising
duty IN the government.
Governor B"remSu's policy was TO
fifikc money balances without their &C.
hnoWIedged eountcrpar;,-deyoiiun and
patriotism in pioneer life. The Pgis,,r