The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-04-15
SENATOR GAMDEN's SPELGH
On the Virginia and West Virginia
Debt Question.
Delivered in thu United States Senate
on Monday, the 18th.

From tho Congressional Record Of the l2rh,
MIR, PREsIDENT-In the discussions o.
the last few days Senators have taken oc
cssion to refer to the relation which West
Virginia sustains to the debt OF Virginia
It has been charged that West Virginia
has shown no disposition to ascertain OIL
provide for the payment Of her proper
lion OF The debt, and were it not that SEN
stors on the other side OF the Chamber
who evidently do not understand what has
taken place in regard to the question, have
made statements rejecting upon West
Virginia which are not sustained by the
records and the facts, should not have
taken any part in the discussion at this
time.
In what may say ! have no purpose to
Cri,icise the action Of Virgtnis In relation
10 her public debt, ThOse who understand
the great losses and financial reyerses that
have come to that State by the late war, the
disposition shown by her people to arrange
satisfactorily with her creditors and 10
restore her public credit, must symPathize
with her in her efforts to get her debt In
such shape that she could meet the interest
on her obligations, In her prosperity and
power, Ss a VirginiRn was proud Of my
nativity, and In her reVerses aud trials
honor and sympalhize with her, But for
stronger reasons l am jealous that no in
justice shall be done to West Virginia.
West Virginia's relation 10 tho public
debt of Virginia Ia misunderstood, and has
been greatly misrepreeented In financial
CiICles throughoutlh Tho country, Inquiries
are repeatedly made from all quarters In
reference to what are often called and
quoted as "West Virginia certificates"
and with many persons the opinion pre-.
vaisth0t certificates ofiudebtedneGs igsued
by the State Of West Virginia, or by hor
consent, have been selling on the markets
at from eight TO twelve cents on the dol
lar.
On the other hand, 1t has been charged
that West Virginia has shown no disposI'
lion to enterinto any adjustment or to make
any provision to ascertain what portion Of
no debt she Hhould bear. The Senator
from Virginia Malone in this connection
says-l quote from the Congregational Record
OF March 81;
MIR. President, II there is any man In
the party which my colleague rep eEents
who agrees with another member Of that
party In Virginia as to what the debt OF
that State Is, we have yet to tiud the con.
1t Is with one leader one fig.
ure, with another leader another figure;
by one report oil their officers one sum,
and then by another report Of other off,
GERS different sum. Grant that sum TO
be the true one; but let the Senator state
that our Constitution recognized no specific
sum. 1t says there shall first be a set.
Element with West Virginia, which has not
yet been had, and commands payment OF
what Virginia shall owe. That is the
language, that Ia the construction Of the
Constitution Of Virginia; that, after q set
Element with West Virginia, covering one
third OF old Yirginia's territory, shall have
been arrived at by an adjustment Of their
relative proportions OF the public debt,
Virginia will provide for her share. Now
would Ike the Senator from West Vir
ginia in this cry against readjustera as re.
pudiators 10 tell the country what answer
they have made to their obligation for one.
third OF the debt contracted by the old
Commonwealth Of Virginia. wilt they tell
the country where they have ever made a
proposition to pay one silver oil their share
OF the public debt OF that State, to main.
tain the honor and the dignity OF their
own Commonwealth Let them answer.
Mr.. President, as 1t will be my object TO
vindlCate West Virginia by stating the
facts in relation to this question as they
have occurred, and to avoid discussing
the merits Of the question or tho equities
between the two States, cannot do bet.
ter than by presenting the record aud
history Of all that has transpired between
each OF the States on this subject.
The ordinance oil the Wheeling Conven.
ton OF August 20, 1861, which was the
lrst Convention held In Virginia TO pro.
vide for the formation OF q new State, pro.
vided that
The new State shall take upon itself just
proportion Of the public debt Of the Common.
wealth OF Virginia prior to the lst DAY oil
January, 1861, to be asCertained by charging
To II ali State expenditures within the limits
lutlt uHh Ihoh llblSlNASh VI WV O'NsA-
ary exps nses Of the State Government since
any mart Of said debt was cont acted, and de.
Quoting therefrOm the moneys paid into thu
ire sufy OF the Commonwealth from the
counties included within the said new State
during the 'nnie period.
1t will he seen by this ordinance that
West Virginia undertook In the very be-
Ginning 10 Tx and determine basis upon
which her proportion Of tho public debt
Of Virginia was to be ascerlalned.
But what 10 known as the Alexandra
Constitution OF Virginia OF 1858 did mol
give Ito consent to the basis OF ad jnstment
proposed by West Virginia, but indicated
d different basis, which, i carried out
would result very differently from assign
ing one third OF the debt 10 West Vir
gHia.
quote from the Constitution, section
81 oil article 4, in full:
The Gene al Assembly shall provide by Law
for al lnsting with the State Of West Ylrgnil
tbs proportion Of the public debt VI virgnls
proper TO be- borne by the States Of Virenli
and West Virginia respectively. and may
authorize, Ia COnlunrtOn with the State O.
West Virginia, the sale Of all lanhs an
property Of every description, including ~
the stocks and Othfr interest owned and helt
by the State OF Virginia In bahks, works o
internal improvement and other comDaniOs
At the time Of the formation Of the State o
West VII! inia and no ordinance passed b.,
the Convention which assembled at Wheeling
on the 18th Of June, 1851. adjusting the pub
lie debt, shall be binding upon this State.
The Constitution Of West Virginia
adopted in 1868, contains the provision
that
An equitable portion oil TIE public debt o
ths Commonwealth Of Virgihi,, prior TO tn
last day # January, 1861, shall be assumed
by this State. and the legislature shall aScer
tain the same "A soon rs II tray be practicable
and provide for the liquidation thereof.
The restored government Of Virginia