The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-01-18

by the Legislative departments of the
two States. In August last three dis
tipguished and dlsinterested citizens
General J. j. jackson, Hon. j. NJ
Bennett and A. w. Campbell, ESQ,
were appointed commissioners on be
half of this State, and as soon as l was
notified Of their acceptance OF the ap
pointment rendered them, / communl.
Gated the fact OF their appointment and
acceptance to His Excellency g. {.
Walker, Governor Of Virginia In
reply, he said that while the Joint
Resolution OF the General Assembly OIL
Virginia rendering an arbitration does
not 10 direct terms repeal the Act OF
February Is, 1870, yet it "was intended
to supersede it. and therefore do not
feel authorized to appoint commission
ers." The correspondence between
Governor Walker and myself will be
laid before You. These plain statements
| will show that West Virginia has sim.
ply adhered to the plan Of adjustment
first proposed by Virginia, and that she
has promptly and courteously responded
to all overtures made on the part OF
Virginia. They will also constitute
the vindication OF the State from the
charge implied in the following Ian
guage used by Governor Walker in his
recent message: NOW if the authorl'
ties of West Virginia entertained an
earnest desire to make speedy and
final settlement Of this matter, why
did they not accept our tender OF ar
bitration r ....
Yindication of West Virginia.
In grave questions OF this kind, criml,
nations and recriminations do not tend
to produce satisfactory solution. AS
Governor Walker declined to appoint
Commissioners on behalf Of Virginia
no course was left to the Commissioners
of this State, except by independent &C
ton 10 procure the data from which to
ascertain what. is the Equitable pro-
portion" of the public debt OF Virginia,
which West Virginia ought to assume
The able report of the Commissioners
happily spares the necessity on my part
OF a discussion Of the Issues involved IN
this matter. 1t will be laid on your
tables in a few days; it is entitled to
and will no doubt receive, a candid and
earnest examination. 1.-THE funded
debt OF Virginia on the first day Of
January, 1861, was $3l,77S,S67. 81
after ali deductions" All of said debt
was expended within the present State
of Virginia, with the exception Of
1866, 330.S9. The report will show
that this debt represented money Dor
rowed and expended in improving the
State by canals, railroads, turnpi,kes
plank-roads and bridges" "All these
expenditures conferred a local and
special benefit where expended, moi
only by the outlay of the money in
creating market, and stimulating en-
terprise and trade, but in otherwise
developing the resources OF particular
localities to an extent equal to the gen.
eral benefit to the State at large. II
may be assumed then that the public
works for which the debt was created
are worth what they cost. Virginia by
selling, donating, and disposing of these
works as her own property, without
consulting West Virginia, must be taken
to have accepted them on that basis
When the tables accompanying the re
port) are consulted they will show an
expenditure ofover thirty millions in
Virginia, and about two and a hal
millions in West Virgins" The Com
missioners then come to the conclusion
that "the benefits conferred, and not the
territory and population, should be the
principal, if not the only basis of an
adjustment OF the debt" To give al
length the arguments adduced to sus
tain this position. would make this
paper too long; to do less than this
would be an act OF injustice to the Com
missioners, and greatly weaken the
force OF their arguments. The interest
of the people in this question will cause
the report to be widely read, and there
is less necessity therefore for a full dis
cussion on.my part. If an Equitable
proportion" OF the public debt Of Vir,
GINA is the limit Of the liability
Of West Virginia, it is difficult
to see how she can be
under obligations to pay for improve
ments that do not confer any benefit
upon her. Taking the foregoing basis
for q guidance, the Commissioners
report that West Virginia's proportion
of the debt is something less than one
million of dollars. This balance is
reached by charging West Virginia
with the amount OF expenditure for
all purposes within her limits, and
crediting her with her interests in the
public buildings, and other assets
named; also with her share in the
Literary Fund and Surplus Fund.
These calculations have reference to
the date of January l, 1861; 1t will
demand your serious consideration
whether you will now proceed to
assume what you may conceive to be
the equitable proportion" OF the public
debt Of Virginia prior to January l,
1861, or whether you Will, In the h8nt
of past events. await further action on
the part of Virginia.
Hospital for the Insane.
The new Board Of Directors of the
Hospital for the Insane, appointed
under an act passed last winter, entered
into office in April last. and at their
first meeting elected DR.. T. B. Camder
Superintendent, to fill the vacancy occa-
stoned by the resignation Of Dr.. Hills.
DR.. Camden, with his assistants, who
were elected at the same time, took
charge OF the Hospital on the lst day
of July; and Notwithstanding there
was an entire change in the officers
with the exception OF the assistant
physician, there was not the slightest
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