The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-04-27

APRIL III, 1881.
Republican legislation in West Vir,
ginia provided a commission to go Ia
Richmond and sec what should be
assumed as West Virginia's portion
of that debt; and do know that
when the Democratic party got con,
troll Of West Virginia, in 1872, it
made a new constitution and wiped
out that paragraph, and the Democ.
racy Of West Virginia has never to
my knowledge undertaken to carry
out the pledges made by the Repub-
licans Of West Virginia to take an
honorable share Of Che debt.
Mr.. Camden-I will say in reply
to the Senator and to other Senators
on that side Of the Chamber who
have since repeated this charge, that
this was the last action taken in
West Virginia by u Republican leg
islature in reference to- this debt
question.
The Democrats elected a Democrat
ics governor and legislature in 1870,
and the subsequent action to which
A shall7refer rswas by q Democratic leg
'islpfpye. and under 4 resolution in,
stoQ Qdcoo. q o. 6ill1|. ! I'
then a member lof the legislature,
and whose Democracy, I take it; will
not be Questioned commission
ers appointed by a Democratic gov.
ernor. But | will state further that
there has never been any issue be.
tween Republicans and Democrats
in our State on this question, and as
far as | know no political difference
Of opinion in regard to it exists, and
there never has been any public
action or official expression by either
party in West Virginia, that did not
recognize her obligations to assume
her equitable portion of the debt &C.
cording to the constitution of 1868
when ascertained.
The Democratic Legislature Of
West Virginia, on the 18th of Febru-
ary, 1871, by q joint resolution au-
thorized and directed the Governor
to appoint three commissioners to
treat with the authorities of Virgin
ia on this subject of the adjustment
of the public debt, requiring them to
make report thereof to the Governor,
to bs by him communicated to the
Legislature at the commencement of
its next session, and made the neces-
sary provisions for the payment of
their expenses, which had been omit
ted in the resolution Of the previous
session. Under this resolution COM
missioners were appointed, and they
made very full and exhaustive re.
port, to which l shall take occasion
to refer.
But here it is proper to state in
this connection that the General As
sernbly of Virginia, by a resolution
adopted on the 11th Of February,
1871, no doubt anticipating the pro-
visions of the funding billwhich was
passed the following month, tender
ed to the State of West Virginia an
arbitration of all matters touching
the apportionment'of the debt, there.
by changing the manner of negotia-
tions then authorized through COM
missioners from each State. The
mode Of arbitration was designated
in the resolution. This was declined
by the State of West Virginia by a
resolution adopted on the Oath of
February-the same month = less
than two weeks after its passage by
Virginia, for the reason that COM
missioners had already been empow-
cred to act in the matter and for OBJ
jections to the methods Of arbitra-
tion, and the State of Virginia was
again requested by this resolution to
permit negotiations to proceed
through the commissioners already
authorized by the two States.
But Virginia, without awaiting
the result of the action Of the com.
missioners, passed the fundingbill Of
March 30th, 1871, and I desire to call
attention to the fact that this act was
passed by the first Legislature elect
ed under the Constitution of the re-
stored government Of Virginia, and
within less than q month after the
suit in the Supreme Court of the
United States between Virginia and
West Virginia, relating to the terri
tory in the counties Of Jefferson and
Berkeley, had been finally decided,
and before it was possible for the
commissioners TO act. By this bill
Virginia agreed to fund two-thirds of
her debt by issuing new bonds there
for, and to issue certificates for the
other third, payable in accordance
with such settlement as should here
after be had between the two States.
1t would follow from this that if no
settlement is ever made with West
Virginia, Virginia would be forever
released from one-third of her debt,
or so much of it as had been funded.