The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-28

iythe North american Rsuisw for Febru-
ary, Just out, Senator John W. Johnston,
Of Virginia, has an article entitled, ERE
pudiatiOn in Virginia" in which he criti-
cises very severely the financial policy
pursued by the Readjusters Of that State.
With the general scope OF his article we do
not propose to meddle, as that is matter
more interesting to the people OF the old
State than to our West Virginia readers.
But there is statement made by the
Senator on page 1853 to which we desire to
cal the attention OF the Richmond Da-
paSh, and all other Virginia papers that
have taken such frequent occasion to
deride and dcnounce the West Virginia
position in regard to the Virginia debt.
The Senator says;
"WhcM the creditors agreed to look to
Virginia for two.thirds Of the debt, and to
take West Virginia certificates for theother
third, Virginia made an excellent bargain,
for she held all the assets Of the old State,
the capital, the chief cities, the peniten-
tiAry, the asylums, the institutions OF learn
ipg, nearly all the railroads, the navigable
rivers, and the great harbor Of Norfolk, the
value OF which, us source Of future wealth
and development, cannot be estimated.
Therefore she At least ought to have been
satisfied, especially as the creditors were"
While this extract from Senator John
ston's article goes far to sustain the West
Virginia position, it is calculated to mis-.
lead the public in regard to the so-called
West Virginia certificates. In the first
place there are no West Virginia certif-
Gates. There are Sl5,0OO,OO of deferred vir-
glniA enthusiastically arbitrary and ex.
partC. in their character, and never &C.
knowIedged or assented to by West Vir-
glnia in any form or shape. These certiti.
Gates are payable by Virginia, not by West
Virginia, after settlement with West Yir,
ginia. Whether said settlement finds
one million or fifteen millions due from
West Virginia makes no difference. All
the same Virginia is then bound to satisfy
these certificates. The certificates say so
on their face, Nobody in Virginia denies
this or can deny it Virginia is in FOR the
certificates as soon as she has had settle
MCnt with West Virginia.
This explains why she seeks no settle
mCnt with West Virginia. She has lodged
and will forever dodge a settlement. She
knew that her arbitrary and ex parte divis.
ion Of the debt did not give this
State credit for any OF the assets to which
Senator Johnson refers, and Of which he
boasts, West Virginia claimed credit for
5 Ihese assets as far back as 1871, but all the
EiehmoRd papers derided the claim. Now
aNrginia Senator Chuckles over the sharp
practice, the downright dishonesty, Of tho
old State. And yet, while doing so, he
ptctends to he upholding the honor
o. Virginia against the Readjusters. 1t
Nas0ll right for the Virginia Bourbons, to
whom Johnston belongs, to cheat West
virginia, but all wrong for tho Readjusters
tocheat the creditors by scaling down the
amount the BOurbons pretended to be will,
lngto pay, and the interest on which they
did not pay.
=. Leaving out the profanity Of the late
Mm' Allen, We may well characterize Viz
Sln'a honor as very "barren ideality." Il
sa shamand a snare.