The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-26
CHARLESTON.
The Public Debt QuestiOn-AnOiher
Account OF the Debate In the Con-
yentiOn-Has West Virginia Repu.
dia,edc-An Open Question.

YenliOn-HaS W est virginia hepu.
dia'ed:-An Open Question.
CHARLESTON, February 20.
Since my last, the Convention has
been engaged in the discussion Of the
Debt question, as noted in former
letter.
Mr.. Matthews, who has hitherto
been one OF the most quiet members OF
the BODY, smoke at considerable length
with great earnestneSs, in favor OF ex
press recognition OF our liability.
Mr.. Fitzhugh maintained that the
position assumed by Mr.. Haymond
and others was reputation, call it
by what name you would. Mr.
Woods was even more candid,
and rushed boldly to the arms OF his
charmer. This the gentleman thought
was wrong, disgrace to our Sta'e
The debt was an Obligation incurred as
The price Of our existence as separate
State, and he wanted us to act the man.
" part and pay what we owed.
Mr.. Wilson disclaimed any intention
to repudiate, but he thought it unw'se,
iniudcious and impolitic to incorporate
the provision OF the present Constltu-
ton. 1t was not the original contract.
In the ordinance giving the assent OF
the reorganized government OF Viz
ginia to tue formation OF the new
State WAS 10 be found the true contract,
and that was that West Virginia should
be charged with the disbursements
made within her territory, and her just
proportion Of the expenses Of the State
Government, and credited with the money
paid by her into the Treasury. The
provision in the present Constitution by
it's vagueness clouded the question as 10
the basis on which the settlement
should be made, and if made on the
one now claimed by Virginia, OF pop
uIation or territory, our port on OF the
debt would not be less than SIS ,OOO,OOO.
We had shown ourselves anxious TO
settle the matter. The gentleman
then traced the course OF legislative
acton o, the subject, and referring to
the report .. the D,bt Commissioners,
and paying high tribute to
their honesty, ability and high
personal character, he denounced the
action of Virginia in its treatment o.
our Commissioners as an undoubted
effort TO avoid anv settlement Of the
question. 1t is almost impossible to
rive anything like a correct synopsis Of
the speech Of this gentleman. 1t was
his best effort during the session, and
was listened TO with marked attention.
But when he gets warmed up, the entire
contents OF dictionary don't last HIM
more than fifteen minutes. A short
hand reporter got after him one day to
take" him, but it was no use Wilson
shot the words ont like bullets from
mitrailIeuse, and the reporter, after
writing enough to fill a couple OF col
umns, stopped, leaned back in his chair
with undssused admiration, and ex-
claimed, "WIll he nerer stop to catch
his breath 4" With all this rapidity OF
delivery, he uses the purest English,
ard always speaks with effect.
Mr.. Martin followed in favor Of the
report and made clear, log'cal arsu-
meul in support OF his position. If.
he was any liability existing on us,
he wanted TO pay it, and il. as the gen
rIeman claimed, it did exist as the
price of our "brthright," and by force
of international law, nothing that they
might do could strengthen the claim.
If no liability existed, the people did
not expect the Convention TO create
liabili and then give their bond for
The payment OF it. His argument was
lengthy and able, and received marked
2tlention.
Mr.. Lurty, who is one OF the most
amiabe gentlemen upon the floor, and
who knows more nice words than any
man | ever knew, delivered one of the
most e'egan, and chaste speeches Of the
session in favor OF the report OF the
committee, taking the ground that we
should not promise to pay something
we know nothing about, and that 10 in
corr crate the amendments advocated,
IN Advance of the amount being ascer.
taine,i, was to walk blindfolded in:o a
Dit from which it might he difficult 10
c%,ricate ourselves.
Mr.. Wheat rejoined in one of his
clear, forcible speeches, favoring an ex
press recognition of the debt, and this
brought the discussion over to Monday.
On Tuesday Mr.. Wiley opened the
discussion in an elaborate argument
in favor Of the section of the original
Constitution, in which he minated that
Congress might take the matter in
hand if we refused to recognize our
portion Of the debt, and that recognition
having been q condition precedent 10
our admission into the Union, Congress
might blot out the State and remand us
beck to the Old Dominion.
Mr. Faulkner offered an amendment
RECON ling the debt in terms lie
wanted us 10 admit our liability. NW-
grnia had compelled her creditors to
lake new bonds for two thirds the
amount of their old ones, and certifi.
Gates promising to pay the other one
third when West Virginia should settle.
Virginia had now but little Interest in
anv further settlement, and we would
probably never hear from her on this
subject again. She had forced her
bondholders, on pain of Reputation, TO
take such certificates and bound them
never TO return them for settlement