The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-19

States Government should be paid out Of
The amount hereby appropriated" Before
any disbursement could be made under
thls appropriation, il became necessary 70
ascertain whether these claims would be
recognized by the Government of the
United States. With this view, in June
last, ! addressed IL communication 10 the
lion. a. ]. Foreman, who is known to be
familiar with this subject md requested
INN TO give me such information us was
N his power, bearing on the question.
lie replied ut length, giving n clear state.
ment OF the adjustment OF West NirginiA
military claims, and said ~ know of
no law OF Congress, general or special,
and iecI confident there is none, under
which any Department at Washington
would feel authorized 10 "rccOgnl2c" the
claims referred to- | subsequently re-.
QucslCd the Hon. II. G. Davis TO submit
these claims to the Treasury Department,
The Third Auditor Of the Treasury
promptly replied shat the claims of West
virginia Tor expenses incurred ON account
OF her militia, called ont anil employed in
aiding to suppress the late rebellion, were
settled by an act Of Congress, approved
June3, 1866, and the Board Of Commits.
sloncrs provided for by said act, have
made their report and have been dis.
charged. No new claims can be allowed
until provision for payment of same shall
have been made by Congress" Owing
|" The Iact that these military claims have
not been "rcc0gni2cd" by the government
OF the United States, none Of them have
been paid
THE VIRGINIA DEBT,
The separation Of West Virginia from
Virginia has raised grave and delicate
questions touching the adjustment and
payment OF the public dcbtOr Virginia cX.
istlng prior 10 the separation. Unon the
organization Of the State 0i West Vir.
glnia, the following provision was inserted
in the Constitution: AN equitable pro.
portion Of the public debt of the Common.
wealth OF Virginia prior 10 the first day Of
January, in the year one thousand eight
hundred and siXty.Onc, shall be assumed
by this State; und the Legislature shall
ascertain the same as soon MS may be
practicable, and provide for the liUuidn.
ton thereof by sinking fund sufficient to
pay the aCCruing interest and redeem the
principal within thlrty.fnur years"
Whether this be taken US compact be.
tween the two States or constitutional
duty the result is the same so far rs the
people of West Virginia are concerned; il
imposes upon them an obligation which
cannot be cvNdCd, and ut the same time
lays down 4 rule by which to measure the
scope, or extent Of this obligation No
action looking toN settlement Of the ulCS.
ton between the two States seems to have
been had until February IS, 1870, when
Virginia took the initiative by providing
Tor the appointment of commissioners to
treaty with the authorities OF this State
Commissioners appointed on behalf of
| lrylnia proceeded ut once to Wheeling,
and the Legislature OF this State prompt
| " appointed u committee to confer with
them, and subsequently, by Joint RcsOlu.
ton adopted March 3, 1870, authorized the
appointment OF three commissioners "tO
treat with the authorities Of the State OF
Virginia on the subject OF the public debt
of the State, due, or incurred prior to the
first day OF January, eighteen hundred
and siXty.Ore, and the fair division of The
property belonging 10 the State on that
day" Commissioners were subsequently
appointed, but for reasons which were
communicated to the last Legislature by
the Governor, and which were deemed
by him sufficient, they did not execute
the powers conferred upon them by Joint
Resolution adopted February u, 1870.
Thercupon the Legislature again author
lHcd the appointment OF Il commission to
treat with the authorities Of Virginia, and
also TO procure the statistical information,
without which it WIS impossible Ii asCcr.
tam what is the equitable proportion Of
the public debt OF Virginia prior to Jan
uary, l, 1861 In the mean time, howcv.
or, Virginia thought proper to change
her policy rs 10 the mode Of settlement
between the two States, and by II Joint
Resolution adopted February II, 1871,
rendered to this State IAN arbitration of
all matters touching Il full and lair appor.
tlOnmcnt between said States OF the said
public debt by arbitrators not citizens Of
said States, and not subject to the ratiii.
cation Of the legislative departments OF
said States. When this action Of the
General Assembly OF Virginia was com
municalcd to the Legislature last winter,
respectfully declined TO accept the ten.
der OF arbitration, on the ground that any
adjustment of this debt ought to be sub.
jcct TO It's ratification, and also, that
citizen commissioners would, Of ncCcssi.
~, be more familiar with the circum.
stances attending the creation of said
debt and the many intricate questions con.
ccrncd herewith" and, at the same time
the Commonwealth OF Virginia was invi.
ted ITO appoint three disintcrCstcd citizens
us commissioners 10 treat with like com.
misSinncrs heretofore authorized on the
part Of this State" And the commission.
crs on behalf Of this State, in addition to
their other powers, were authorized to
adjust, award, and determine upon fair,
just and equitable principles, what pro.
portion "i said public debt OF Virginia
should i'll their ODiniOn be maid nv West