The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-03-30

tons between two Statesf II wess
Virginia is indebted to Virginia, III
purely judicial question, and the
constitution has provided an appropri-
ate tribunal in the Supreme Court Of
the United States, in which this sub
ject eau DO investigated and deter
mined, but Congress has'no more con-
troll over the matter than the British
Parliament.
West Virginia has mover been IN
default in the matter Of tho alleged
Indebtedness between the two States.
She has always responded cOurtOously
and respectfully to every proposition
submitted to her BY Virginia upon the
subject. She has never shrunk from,
eyaded or delayed, any proper inyesti.
cation into the matter Of alleged in
debiedness. 1t was while negotiations
were pending, that the State Of Virgin
ia, by her funding nc! of March 1871,
took the subject into her own hands,
anc virtually reppdiatcd and puts an
end to all further negotiation,
We have already published in our
columns the remarks made by Mr..
Faulkner in tho Constitutional Conyen-
ton Of this State on these points, but
as this subject has again boen revived,
We deem. it not iuoppOrtunO to make the
following brief extract from those re-
marks:
He bad no disposition to speak of
Virginia except in terms Of profound
respect and yet no one eau look at her
acton for tile past twOlyo months aud
and not feel that she has adopted u
course highly injurious to the credit of
West Virginia, and utterly wanting in
that courtesy which 10 duo from one to
another State VI this Union. AT tho
very moment that proceedings were
pending between tho two States for the
adjustment Of the principles upon which
their respective portion Of that liability
should rest, and when every disposition
had been manifested by West Virginia
to meet with fairness and good faith tho
responsibilities Of her position the
State Of Virginia took the subject under
her entire control, assumed to be the
sole judge, and to determine what her
proportion and what our proportion Of
that debt should DO, and to compel her
bond.holdeFs, under the penalty Of q
reputation Of their debts to accept the
distribution which she had chosen
arbitrarily to the two States, Under
this arrangement she iHsucd new bonds
for two thirds Of her debt, and gave q
deferred certificate representing tho
third for, which she chose to regard West
Virginia rs liable, and for the payment
Of which deferred certificate, she dis
claims all responsibility until. assttle.
mOnt shall take place between herself
and West Virginia. These certificates
have since been thrown upon the mar
kot, are quoted at the stock boards as
West Virginia certificates, and have
sunk to o low state Of depreciation, al
ready resulting in . loss Of near one
third Of their debts to tho bondholders
Mr.. Faulkner said that he might be
in error, but his strong impression was
that since this extraordinary act Of
Virginia, and its acceptance by the
bondholders, that We shall never again
hear Of her reyiying any future propo.
silion to US either to appoint commits
sionOrs. 10 arbitrato tho question Of
liability, or to meet her before tho Su-
premc Court Of the United stater.
She has, by her funding acts, with
the constrained consent Of her bond
holders, nov relieved herself Of some
sixteen millions Of her debt, which can
never hereafter be revived against her
until after she has hid settlement
with West Virginia. What motive
she can now have. TO urge any settle
mcnt with West Virginia, he could not
well see; for whenever any such settle
tncul shall take place, just SO far as the
result Of that settlement shall exhibit On
Indebtedness by West Virginia l.ss
than sixteen millions Of dollars just to
that extent, does itrcyivo, with all its
uccruing interest, debt against tho
State ofvirginia.
Ho was therefore forced 10 the con.
clusion that Virginia must SEQ that she
has lnado o much moro favorable uettle.
lucnt with her bondholdcrs than she
can ever cxpectto make with West Vir.
ginia, that as tue only effect Of any
settlement with state will be to revive
aud throw upon her already cruuhed
pccuniary energies, a heavy additional
debt, he could not see any further mo-
tive upon the part Of Virginia in urging
settlement with West Virginia.
Yet in this Wow ho might be mis-.
taken and he had every desire TO pro.
servo West Virginia in tho path Of in
togrity aud honor and for that reason,
he would now insert provision in tho
constitution that would relieve her from
every impu.atiOn Of bad faith, and in
dictate her readiness at any time to
meet any just responsibility that might
4 l,aa