The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-22
wes, VIRGINIA and Her Debt.

Our good friend BAKER oil the hceiihg
Roqisser takes us to task as follows:
The RICHMOND DISPATCH on THE DEBT
AnyrsTNgyT.-wc have frequently pro-
tested, and we continue 10 protest. against
the practice Of the Virginia press Judging
West Virginia by the attitude OF their own
PEOPLE on the debt question.
We decline TO be measured In Their haii-
bushcl.
The Dispatch seems 10 have no appTe-
citation OF the facts that West Virginia mas
assumed and declared IN her organic law
certain obligation for proportionate put
az the debt OF Virginia; that one OF tue
first acts o! her Legislature after the iorniF
ton OF the new State WAS 10 appoint
commission 10 confer with Virginia, ascer-
tain. and adjust this liability: that no OH
elal set or declaration OF West Virginia
can 10 construed iutO anything like repu-
,lja,,on al This Haliiity, and that there u
nothing in West Virginia's past or present
attitude. and will be nothing in the future,
chat will Justify putting her people on the
same p,ane Of honor or dishonor that W.
gipia now occupies toward the world n
regards her public obligations. q,
Al the reputation that can be charged
uron West Virginia in this connection Is
the righteous reputation OF any pafl or
LOT in the schemes Of reputation practlcen
by Virginia. and especially and cmphaiicai-
Nv OF that part OF the Reputation pro-
r;rammc which arbitrarily saddled ifteen
or twenty millions Of her debt upon this
State.
Just 90. That last sentence tells TIE
whole story; yet We reproduce the he9,S-
ie;'s article in order that We may not De
charged with having done injustice 10
West Vircinis a state which we nope
never to treat in tb,t manner.
Virginia arbitrarily saddled one thru
oi the debt OF the two States upon west
Virginia. The portion was, We concede'
too large. IL ought TO have been about
one fifth, or nine millions OF dollars IN
1871 This sum, with interest, would by
,hjs time have amounted to over fifteen
millions Of dollar. This is what west
virginia owes. She has no offset what
ever. Her claim that she owes only the
difference between what she paid into Nir-
gipia's treasury and what was spent within
Che bounds OF that State charging her with
her share OF the cost Of goyernmenU is not
worthy Of the least consideration. Apply
such rule to all the States. and it would
repudiatc bali The national debt. Apply it
"a Virginia now. and one half OF ller pre-
cent counties owe no part OF our state
debt.
But We will Let all that pass and come
down TO "had ran.' We ask The Rcgis-
,c,. whether il is willing TO advocate the
payinent Ly West NirginiI Of even one tenth
a. the debt OF the two States a. il existed at
the time Of their partition? We don't
want that sterco;ypcd answer, owe arc
willing to pay all that We justly owe.
That has been repeated in the hearing OF
ihe northern people for years. II means
"nothing r-lterally nothing, Is we I'M
6crstand it. Now, will our friend Of the
EeqiSier please tell Us how many millions
West Virginia owos-how manymillions he
~ willing TO advocate the payment oi!-
whether. in fact, he is willing TO come out
for paving even five millions Of the debt OF
the two States rs il existed in 1871? We
will surely let our readers know the fact if
we can ascertain that there is in West Nir-
ainia one man Of half Brother BAKERS
prominence who is ready TO advocate either
through tic press or on the hastings the
pavmont OF one fifth OF what any impartial
arbitrator in the world would declare to be
that States Just proportion Of the debt OF
tho two States.