The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-01-18

yided in It's Combustion, Article VIII,
Section s, that, IAN equitable proportion
of the public dehtof the Commonwealth
of Virginia, prior to the tist day Of Jan.
uary, in the year one thousand eight hun.
dred and sixty-one, shall be assumed by
this State and the legislature shall ascer-
tain the same as soon as may be practic-
able, and provide for the liquidation there.
Of by a sinking fund sufficient to pay the
accruing interest, and redeem the princi-
pal within thirty-four years" IfatIempts
at settlement have been delayed from the
time this provision was inserted in our
Constitution until very recent date, the
cause Is q very obvious one, and Is stated
here "more ir-sorrow than In anger.n
Virginia cashier lot with the Southern
COnfederacy; and during the unhappy
strife which followed, and for several
years after II closed, the relations OF that
Commonwealth with the United States
and each Of them were severed, and her
functions Us a State, including ability to
contract, suspended. No adjustment,
therefore, could be made until her full and
complete restoration to the Union. Iffor
this reason the settlement between the
two States was postponed, and the credit
of Virginia suffered thereby, II Is her mis-
fortune-not our fault.
The Governor expresses the hope that
measures may be promptly inauguratej
by the new administration Of West Viz
glnla "for the speedy and final adjustment
OF the differences existing between the
State 1t controls and the old mother COM
mOnwealth from whose side she was torn
without even the semblance Of law or pre-
cedent," ! sincerely hope you may, in
your wisdom, devise some plan for "the
speedy and final adjustment" mentioned
by the Governor OF Virginia, even Il you
should not regard his affirmation In feler-
ence TO the origin of West Virginia as
conclusive, or the language which he Sc
lects to enforce It the most persuasive.
AS to the mode Of settlement the Cover.
nor says: "Let each State select one dis
interested arbitrator, and the two thus SO.
lected, third, to whom the whole sub
ject shall DO submitted, and their finding
to be final and binding upon the two
States. This Is fair and equitable mode
Of adjustment, and II rendered by you, l
cannot but believe that West Virginia
will promptly accept Il. If she refuse.
you will have the satisfaction Of knowinr
that you have exhausted ali honorable
means to obtain a settlement and then
you will DO amply justified Ia seeking
your remedy through the only instrument
tality remaining 10 yOu-the Surname
Court OF the United Statesp' This IA 10
say, II our State refuse TO accent the mode
OF settlement named by the Common.
wealth of Virginia, then that State will be
amply justified In seeking her remedy
in The highest judicial tribunal IN the
country. LIDO not think tho Legislature
should DO influenced either 10 adopt or TO
reject the plan of settlement by arbitra.
ton, because Of the somewhat positive
style In which 1t Is here urged. If Won
should decide in favor Of some other mode,
there is no good reason to apprehcnd that.
in consequence, a resort will be had 10 le.
gal proceedings nothing has transpired
yet In relation TO this question, nor Is any.
thing likely to occur soon. IL wise counsels
prevail that williustify Yirpinia and West
Virginia in sacrificing ffiendship and
money in costly law suit If our State
Is toundto owe any portion Of the public
debt after q fair adjustment. II viii be naid
10 the uttermost farthing. But the au.
thorltes Of Virginia may as well under.
stand that We will not be driven nv n
menace into any arbitrary nlan OF settle.
ment,
In my last annual message 10 the Leris.
lature SAID: Heretofore tLe unsettled
condition Of affairs in Virginia GROWING
out OF the war, has prevented any settle.
ment OF this question by the authorities Of
the two States; but MS The relations of Wiz.
ginia with the Federal Government are
likely soon to be tIilIy restored I am, nj
opinion that steps should bc taken looking
10 an early adjustment Of this debt upo5
fair and equitable terms" Soon after. as
l anticipated, the State was restored to
her place In the Union, and within n few
lays preceding the close OF the last session
Of the Legislature, three distinguished ell.
liens OF Virginia, approinted 6y the Gov.
ernor Of that State. came 10 Tie sent Of
government to confer with The authoritics
Ill EtkdIu W tuG bGtIlelleUL oil tle DuDl1E
debt. at once communicated the fact
Of their arrival and the purpose Of their
mission 10 tho two Houses. hioint cam.
mittee was appointed 10 confer with these
commissioners. and subsequently, on the
last day Of the session, a Joint resolution
was passed by the Legislature; arthoriz.
ing the Governor to appoiht7 three real.
dent citizens Of this Slate, one from each
Congressional district, TO treat with the
authorities OF the State Of Virginia on the
subject ola proper adjustment Of the pub.
lie debt Of, that State. The resolution
fixed tie compensation Of The commits
sloners, but IN the hurry of business Incl.
dent 10 the closing hours oil the session,
no provision was made, elthetin the reso.
Luton itself or In the general appropria
ton bill, to meet the expenses that must
necessarily beiincurred by tho commits.
slones. ,.,l...
,,,s 9n9er . s1cn circumstance, y found II