Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1872-03-02
From he Wheeling Register.
CHARLESTON.
Nhe Debate on the Public Debt Va
rious Propositions Offered---The Re-
port of the Committee Adopted
Without Amendment.

The Debate on the Public Debt Va
rious Propositions Ofiered---The Re
! port of the Committee Adopted
/ Without Amendment.
CHARLESTON, Feb, 2l, 1872.
FprroRs OF THE REGISTER:
About five days have been consumed by the
I Convention in the discussion Of the report Of
/ the committee on Taxation, Finance &c. Yes
t,rdav the discussion ended and the report as
amended is in the hands OF the printer prepare
/ tory to final action The report called forth
/ but little expression Of feeling until the fifth
section was reached aud bombshell could not
/ have ,ated greater CONSERVATION. / insert
/ the section for the benefit Of those who have
not had the opportunity Of seeing it:
| 81" No debt shall be contracted by this State,
except TO meet casual deficits in the revenue,
to redeem previous liability Of the State, to
suppress Instruction, repel invasion, or defenl
the State in time Of war; but the payment of
any liability other than that for the ordinary
expenses Of the State, shall be eqpally distribu
/ ted over period of at least twenty year,"
Mr.. Ilagans was the first to offer an amend
ment. which, at the suggestion of Mr. Wiley
/ he withdrew, in order that that gentleman
might offer one covering the same ground and
accomplishing thesame purpose. Mr.. Wiliey's
amendment was to be added at the end of the
section. and reads as follows, Including an
/ equitable proportion of the public debt Of the
/ Commonwealth Of Virginia prior to the first
| dav Of January, 1861, which, when ascertained
/ by the Legislature, shall be assumed By this
| State"
Mr.. Wiley backed lis amendment by strong
and forcibie language, appealing to the Con-
vention TO preserve the honesty and Integrity
of the State by adopting 1t.
! Mr. Wheat offered another amendment the
form of which he said he preferred to that of
the gentleman from Monongalia. He proposed
striking out the word but" aud interpoat-
/ ing the following, &" an equitable proportion
of the public debt of the Commonwealth Of
/ Virginia prior to the first day of January, 1861,
shall be assumed by this State, and the Le-
/ gislature shall ascertain the same as soon as
may he practicable and provide for the liqui
dalton thereof" The mere reading of the
amendment will suggest to any ones mind
whas were the arguments used to sustain The
amendment.
These amendments did not suit the views Of
| Messrs. Raymond and Woods The former re-
piled to them in quite an elaborate argument,
/ attacking principally the idea of an equitable
| settlement contained in Mr.. Wheat'S amend
ment.
Mr.. Wheat had the privilege of the floor on
Tuesday morning at the opening Of the session,
| but owing 10 a severe hoarseness was unable to
speak. Mr. Wiley occupied the time allotted
/ to Dir. Wheat, and commenced by stating that
when a question was well stated the argument
was more than half made. In 1861 the juris-
diction of Virginia extended over the whole
/ State we were equally liAbls-not equtably,
/ but equally-for the whole debt. That when
\ the proposition was made for the formation of
/ West Virginia, compact was entered into be-
tween the two States and ratified by Congress.
/ 1t was a compact, aud not disruption or revo-
| luton, and international law had nothing to do
| with il. If we were to set aside this compact,
/ who would decide our liability? Virginia
/ agreed, West Virginia agreed, aud Congress
/ agreed upon an umpire when we entered into
| the compact, and that's our Legislature. Gen
tlemen try to alarm US by our liability. Yir-
cinia has no voice in the matter; she has al
ready decided We have everything in our
own hands now, and will We relinquish our Sc
curity? Supposesuit is brought-Nirginia rs.
/ West Nirginia-and decree rendered against US,
we having violated our compact and being
made responsible for the debt IN SGlido, what
will be the result 2 While there is no power
to enforce the Decree we will have to take
refuge behind it and hang our heads with
/ shame. recognizing ourselves as deserving con-
tempt, unless we recognize the debt and pay it,
He closed by saying that he had confidence in
the people that they would reordain what they
had done before, If the matter was left 10 them
and desired that the Convention would not
throw away its guarantees or Its umpire, which
was the Legislature.
At this point Mr.. Faulkner gave notice that
at the proper time he would offer an amend
ment which could compromise matters, and to
which he thought there could be no objection
l am disappointed at not being able to give
you his amendment, but from his remarks per-
haps you may CLEAN the substance of it.
He said 1t seems to me that more time las
been consumed and a greater range of argu-
ment INDUCED in than the character Of the
proposition would warrant We are told that
this is a grave question, that our integrity,
even our very existence is at stake can see
10 importance in such arguments, nor can
see anything that would impair the destineS
Of this State | have heard no gentleman con-
trovsrt the proposition that the people are re-
sponsible for some portion of the debt
Whether the liability results FROM interna;ion-
al Law or express agreement is not material /,
all agree tina. there IS liability and that no &C
ton Of the Convention can impair the force and
effect Of previous obligations. Ny amendment
is one which avoids incorporating in the Con-
stitution the article in the present Constitution,
but indicates the mode Of settlement by vest
ing the power in the Legislature to provide
when the emergency shall arise. We have
come here with no authority to assume or re-
pudiate any of West Nirginia's existing obi
cations. We have no power to make any pro-
vision for the payment Of any debts All that
VIC can do is to provide that the Legislature
shall have power TO make provision for con-
.iugent liability when that does occur. Vir-
ginia has acted injuriously to affect the credit
Of West Virginia, and las been lacking in that
courtesy that one Of the States of this Union
ought 70 show 10 another
She undertakes, under pain Of reputation,
to compel her bondholdcrS to come into her