The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-01-06
The Public Debt OF Virginia.

The proper apportionment OF the
public debt OF Virginia will probably
be con6ded to commissioners, by whose
decision the people OF West Virginia
and of the old State will be expected to
abide. We have therefore refrained
hitherto from discussing editorially the
basis of that apportionment or indica-
ting what share of the public debt Of
Virginia We believe to he justly charge
able to this State. We have thought
it important that the action Of the COM
missioners should not be forestalled,
and that no public opinion in either
State should exert any influence upon
their minds or preuent cheerful acqui-
escence in the conclusion at which they
NAV arrive. The Richmond newspa-
pers are, however, having their say
upon the case and presenting their
side of the case, and it is no more
than right ii, along with their view OF
the matter, We spread before our readers
our own opinion as 10 the method of ar
irving at proper apportionment of tie
public debt.
The people of West Virginia are not
disposed to avoid any Of their just ohIi-
cations. They are able to pay and in
tend to pay every dollar they owe.
Their honor is as pure aud as sensitive
upon that point as is that OF the peo-
pie east of the Blue Ridge, aud they do
not relish the insinuations OF dishonesty,
(more frequently implied than express
ed,) which some speakers in the Vlr-
ginia Legislature and some writers for
the Rlci mond press are in the habit Of
making against them. For various reas::
ons which are not necessary TO enumer-
ate here, no apportionment has vet
been made, but when it is made the
people Of. West Virginia will pay their
share as promptly and as honorably as
Virginia will pay hers. Until We refuse
to pay our just debts, it might be well to
cease tie expression Of unionnaed sus-
picions, and refrain from threatening
q suit at law.
The public debt must be paid from
the revenue of the State, and that rev.
enue arises from the property held by
individual citizens. The taxable pro-
perty within the State must pay the
debt, and the relative value Of the tax
able property in the two States at the
timeof separation seems to us the only
true basis for division Of the debt.
According to Auditor BENEFITS report
to the General Assembly of Virginia
in 1861. the assessed value Of all the
property taxable for State purposes in
the counties now composing the State
of West Virginia was little less than
one fifth of that in the entire Common
wealth OF Virginia. Then, if Virginia
at that time did not own one dollars
worth Of property and was financially
worse than nothing BY just the
amount Of her public debt, West Viz
GINA would be bound now to pay near
Iy one-fifth OF that debt This consti-
tutes, so far as West Virginia as one Of
the partners by whom the debt was con-
tracted is concerned, the chief item on
the debit side Of our account
But Virginia held large amount of
. property, in the ownership of which the
people Of West Virginia had an interest
nearly equal to one-fifth OF the whole.
When the dissolution of partnership
took place, nearly all Of this property
was retained by Virginia. The State
Capitol and grounds, the Penitentiary,
the Arsenal. the University, the Mill
'tasy Institate, the ;Asylums, the Rail
road and Baak stocks, and other items
which constituted the public property
of the State. and in which West Vir-
GINA had nearly one. fhh interest, were
retained and used as the property Of
Virginia alone. The Commonwealth
of Virginia therefore owes TO the people