The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-07-27
West Virginia and the Debt.
,e Wheeling Reaisier SAYS /:

The Wheeling Register says:
owe find il exceedingly difficult to get
The DiSpntch down to the merits OF the con.
troyersy between the two Sta;es-almo-t as
difficult as II has been TO induce the State OF
Virginia to come TO square and honorable
settlement OF accounts With her old partner.
III now The Dispatch will turn aside for
2 moment and dve,t itself Of ITS precon-
ceiyed oions OF what is the proper OASIS
upon which to determine West virginia ;
portion OF the debt, and explain TO US
81. Why Virginia has repeatedly run
away from any settlement OF the accounts
between the States and continues TO avoid
and refuse a settlement upon any basis save
upon which the Dispatch comedies is I'M
lust and unfair TO West Virginia, and eX-
plain
-. What more West Virginia can do
than she has done TO bring about fair ana
honorable adjust ent OF these accounts.
awe say II the Dispatch will stop and
explain Just what more it expects or de-
mands OF West Virginia than she has done
In this regard we may then be able 10 un:
derstaud and appreciate the reiterated bellef
OF the Dispatch that West Virginia is as
honest, and does not intend TO paw any
thing. viii the Dispatch come down to
business :"
We have heretofore fully explained the
position OF West Virginia as well as that OF
Virginia. Neither State is wholly in the
right. There is, however. at least show OF
fairness and honesty in The offer OF Virginia
TO pay two thirds of the ante belum debt OF
the two States, seeing that West virginia
has one third OF the territory OF the two
States; whilst there is (of course, as we in
Virginia look at II, not as our West Wiz.
giuia brethren have been taught 10 see ~
nothing but bald dishonesty and insincerity
In the preteuce that West Virginia is mo-
rally bound 10 pay only one million Of dol
lars out Of the thiIty.One owed by the two
Virginias before the secession OF West Vir-
ginia.
Virginia Is willing TO settle; but when
West Virginia makes it condition Of the
settlement that Virginia shall cOncede that
West Virginia owes only what the bogus
West Virginia Convention OF 1861 declared
to be her share, Virginia has no choice bat
to refuse to begin q settlement based upon
such foundation. Virginia is willing TO
leave all the questions at issue to be de-
cided by the judges Of the Supreme Court
of the United States; by the Governors Of
any three or five States; by three, five,
seven, or any other number Of merchants,
lawyers, doctors, judges, or preachers; by
Democrats or by Republicans; by southern
men or by northern; or by foreigners. In
word, Virginia asks nothing which she
does not believe every honest man in the
world outside Of Virginia and West Vir-
ginia will concede 10 be her due. Docs
that look TO the Register "like business f" Z
We are afraid not. We are apprehensiye
that the Registers idea Of cuisines" is
to slddle thirty millions Of the debt upon
Virginia as beginning OF settlement, y
and leave It to "inpartial" men to de-
eide whether Virginia shall be made TO
pay the other million or not. The
West Virginia plan Of settlement is
as liberal as the proposition made by a
New England Yankee to n boy who had
found and returned TO him three hundred
dollars he had lost in the streets of his
town. "You are an honest boy" said the
fortunate owner OF the money; "Pl
throw up beads and tails with you who
shall treat"