Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1872-03-02

any liability that it thought the State OF West
Virginia might be under to any man or any
State that they had by the strongest language
acknowledged this and every other liability OF
West Virginia. The State Of West Virginia
upon first requesting admission was denied,
not because il had not performed any act in
lis organization. but upon the distinct ground
that it had not complied with the Constitution
Of the United States that 1t had not the as
sent Of Virginia, and that Thaddeus Stevens
had declared West Virginia was a myth.
Mr.. Wiley had stated that it never was re-
iected in consequence Of the non-assent of Vir-
ginia, bat that when the Constitution of West
Virginia was presented to Congress it was OBJ
iected to, until a certain clause in regard to
slavery should be modified.
Mr.. Trayers resumed. Mr.. Wiley had
stated that so scrupnlous was Congress in re-
gard to the debt Of Virginia that it demanded
il shonld be provided for in the Constitution OF
West Virginia, and he tAlr. Travers) thought
that from that fact Congress had no very
pleasant feelings towards West Virginia. Mr.
Wiley was pleased TO inform rs, also, that al
ready the question is agitated whether this
State will be permitted longer to live. Per-
nit me to say that whenever Congress shall
conceive that it has power to blot out Of exist
ence State Of this Union be assured they will
not be wanting in pretext.
According to the views of my learned friend
(Mr. Faulkner. he desires to refer TO the
Legislature the whole Of this question. Has
not Virginia Indicated her desire to settle the
question, not through the Legislature Of West
Virginia, but by a tribunal Of arbltrators COM
posed of distinguished citizens of the United
States? The moro discussion there has been
upon this subject the more favorable4 have
been to the report of the committee.
We must put Virginia in the same lire that
we put any one else to whom West Virginia
may be indebted. What virtue is there in
these varied provisions Isn't it better that
this doubt be allayed by terms in which there
can be no doubt There is no reason why
there should be any discord between these two
States.
During Mr. Travers' speech he was often in
terrupted by Mr. Wiley, who desired to cor
rect him in different statements.
The question being called, Mr.. Wheat
withdrew his amendment. Mr. Wiley with
drew his, and Mr.. Pendeton offered his addi-
tional section, whereupon Mr.. Wilson offered
the following
"A just proportion of the public debt of
the Commonwealth of Virginia prior to the
first day of January, 1861, to be ascertained
by the charging to it all State expenditures
within the limits thereof and just proportion
of the ordinary expenses of the State govern
ment since part Of said debt was contracted,
and deducting therefrom the moneys paid into
the treasury of the Commonwealth from the
counties included within the State Of West
Virginia during the same period.
Mr.. Faulkner desired to know from The gens
teman if be had calculated what his amend
ment would produce and how far back his
calculation ran To which Mr.. Wilson replied
that his calculation ran back as far as the for
nation Of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The amendment was rejected.
One would think that the English language
had failed to submit to the wicked contortions
of those who desired to save the integrity and
honor of the State, but no!
Mr.. jackson, of Wood, presented the follow
ing Strike ont the words " to redeem pre-
vious liability and insert " to provide for the
liquidation of any liability that may after a
settlement be ascertaiued by the Legislature to
be due from this State to the Commonwealth
of Virginia" which was also rejected.
The vote was then taken on Mr.. Pendleton's
amendment, which met the fate of the others,
and the section stands as reported by the COM
mittee.