The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-20


Ths Richmond View OF West VIrgInIa's
Liability In the settlement Of the State
Debt
The Richmond Dispatch Of the 10th com.
mCnu with some acerbity Of temper on the
resolution introduced into the Senate OF
West Virginia by Hon. R. F. Dennis, Of
Geeubrier, touching the relations OF West
Virginia to tile Virginia debt. Mr.. Den.
Mss resolution declared that this State
had always been ready to adjust that debt
upon the basis Of the ordinance passed by
the Constitutional Convention OF Virginia
that sat at Wheeling in 1861. The Ian.
gUage Of that ordinance is as follows:
THE new State shall take upon itself
nstpmpOrtiON i tho public debt OF the
Commonwealth ot Virginia prior to the-1st'
day OF January, 1861, 70 DO eascertained by
charging to It all State expenditures with.
IN the limits thereof, and u Just proportion
OIL the ordinary expenses OF the State RnF.
eminent since any part OF said debt was
contracted, aud dedlcting theretrom the
moneys paid into the treasury tic Cont
monNealth from the counties included
within the said new State during the same
The Dipafch, commenting on thisAx:
'Ea't bursts out with apparent indigna-
lion, and remarks that .t. ~
When such man us Mr.. Dennis pro.
p1sfs such a resolution W his, it may
@S'ely Oe assumed that most OF The mem.
DeFs Of the West Virginia Legislature
'S Wouia oe unwilling to agree to pay any Of
uae debt The ordinance quoted is d plain
statement OF the intention OF West Vir-
s,I.a 70 repudiate her public debt. The
oAss ol settlement suggested b. so unjust
I0anounI to M absurdlty, II does not
Tyvsetve serious consideration by Virginia,
nOaSht to be secuted by the Virginia
.%SsIalurG' II West Virginia wishes to
,epGdlate her honest debts, lot h6r IL 10, !,
W wy !et aer not attempt to attach the stigma
U'ullssNce which is upon her to her old
I. Let US look at the proposition:
,,i nas james river canal, for instance, cost
NY ~! @n millions Of dollars. That expenli-
o,L @te was male Tor the purpose, amongst
%E,sn' ,Es o' 6eHsHttng West Virginia. THAT
"ss "S. canal was never completed does not
SGeSt aI she obligation Of the debt in the
SIsase,S degree. II It did, Virginia could
'JaS, T honestly rcpndiate ten millions Of her
",o., "sUs, seeing that the canal has resulted in
So,I ,Js Na@agG to her best interests, That
snJ Mi p;.I iLN !" ge commenced somewhere
a, S4S ,,a; H;rhm0nd SaS decided to be the prop.
irppt' point West Virginia owes her for that
Improvement as truly as Il Il Ind been he,
1ins"sSar 1"S roIat Pleasant. Yet undSr the or,
ISb, Ie ;N.,alor aforesaid not one dollar Of thf
Gy west wSTrfsN Wis, l9r the PanGi would be paid
Ine Dtpaith in these remarks takos tI,t
y..O!la! T''l! and population view taken b,
,,,l1 ,%S'nls ia when she SAsjgncd, ex parte, one
T T,',u OF her debtto West Virginia in 1870
',",s, ."ose who have read the argumsat pre
ns,. e%'s@ = on this point by the West YirginiI
'S., Uro' y Commissioners In 1871, will recolleo
on. ,n. s'ey made Use Of the following Ian
SS' with reference to It: "Wotld an,
t4' A." "a man lay down a rule for the division
VIA. State, which would ignore It's grea NJ !
iDsi,.IS ,t,, public D'i'i'lnroyements, public yor;'
,1.. Isa'lons Of all lHntls, great colnnertiS
,nS "SA1''s''' ! such as rivers and harbors
.I .na :, iae great advantage o. tortilty Of soil
II T.,1,S which and many other egsnisnr.tisi 10 .
IoDDS s' property and power, might b
Ss,is sS "a a, one division, and be wholly ii
we other?"
n. a 1l.'S ApSSIic debt is mainly charge rye upo.
"e"''@ and resources Of q peopls. !