The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-12-08
The West Virginia Debt.

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the debt OF West Virginia, Or an equitable
showing as to what it ought to be.
One very important cons Iteration is
omitted from this estimate, and that is the
and their destination. for which the debt OF
Virginia was virtually contracted. Not a
dollar was appropriated to the construction
OF the old Louisa road, afterwards the Gen.
trail Railroad, and now the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railway, but what was designed for
the benefit of what is now West Virginia
as much as Virginia. When the name OF
the road was changed from the Lonlsa to
the Central Railroad. its destinat ion was
the Ohio River; and the first appropriation
OF 81 ,O00.0 600 was made upon motion OF the
representative of Wood county. Judge j.
j. Jackson. now OF the United States Court
for West Virginia. In order to carry the res
olution it vas provided that $500, 900 should
be applied TO the construction OF the road
from its eastern terminus westward. and
100000 from the western terminus east
ward. This disposition OF the fund was
observed and not dollar was appropri-
ated that was not determined by the votes
OF the members of the Legislature repre-
senling the territory now comprising the
State of West Virginia.
The James River and Kanawha Canal was
as much West Virginia scheme as it was
in the interest OF Virginia. Its objective
purpose was the accommodation of what
was the western portion of The State, and
the 10000. 900 sunk in that Improvement
was the result of legislation supported by
the West Virginia delegates. The people
OF West Virginia were as mach committed
to these appropriations. through their rep
resentatives. as the people OF Virginia.
much responsible for the debt created by
them and in likewise for the payment there
OF. All the appropriations for internal i'm
provement purposes, which constitute the
debt of the State. were determined by the
votes of the delegates from the western
portion OF the State. before Virgin ia was
divided, and it is folly for the State of West
Virginia to seek to escape from her equal re-
| sponsiblity for its payment
If we mistake not Gov. Johnson, a resi-
dent OF Taylor county, West Virginia, was
the first executive to present comprehen-
slve ~ stem Of internal Improvements, and
to encourage the appropriation of moneys
from the public treasury, on the two and
| three-tifths principle, for the construction
| of railroads. No ADLER advocates of this line
OF policy were found in the Old Dominion
| than Gov. johnson and Hon. G.. w. Sum-
mers, OF kanawha county, one of the most
vigorous and polished intellects of his day.
These leaders Of public thought did more
than any two men of their time to create
the public debt of Virginia, looking to the
advantage Of their own section in the adop-
tion OF system of improvements which
cOmprehended the whole State; and to their
counsel and arguments and influence. and
to the votes OF the members of the Legisla-
ture from that portion of the State, may be
traced the appropriations that were made
Newspaper estimates. or mere arithmet-
NN~t oA VIII uOb CitdD1C Tue IT.
sponsibilty, nor will the Courts admit of
any such tiimsy and purely selfish pleas
We think Judge Field, in a recent decision
affecting the coupon bonds OF Virginia, sub
stantially stated as much, and when the
case is fairly before the courts we have no
fears of the result of their deliberations and
judgment. The territory now constituting
West Virginia. was far the most valuable
portion OF The old State, and the major
improvements for which the bulk of the
debt was created were DIES Al,GiI lis.
velopment. The Chesapeake and Ohio
Railroad runs through that State from its
eastern TO IT'S western boundary, and has
developed a section of country, which in
ten years, will expose as much wealth as is
confined in the territory east OF the Blue
Ridge. But for the appropriat ions made
before the State was divided, and by the
votes OF the delegates from what is now
West Virginia, the road in all probability,
would not now be in eXisten In all re-
respects, West Virginia is as much respon-
sible for the creation of the original debt of
Virginia as is the present State of Virginia,
and she cannot in equity escape from it,
nor should she in honor attempt it. That
West Virginia will be made to pay her fair
share of it--pretty much, too, as the bill of
1871 divided tive have no doubt. If we
are not mistaken, influences are now at
work which will, in ten years. demonstrate
the truth of this. whether the people of
West Virginia now comprehend them or
not. Certain it is that Virginia will never
pay more than she assumed in tina. bill, nor
will the courts ever determine that she
should. For one of the parties to a contract
to break away from partnership. and take
with it large portion OF the substantial
prospective assets from which the debt Gre
ated was to have been paid. and be per-
United to successfully deny all responsible
ity or liability for fair proportion of the
Obligations, has no color of equity or law in
it. Such will be the judgment Of any i'm
partial tribunal, invested with authority to
determine the matter, and West Virginia
light as well look at the matter in that
light, and prepare to meet it or delibe, ately
repudiate it.