The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-25
Xmhmund pppatfh,
Observation-Disclosures 10 1855
y,roinia's Debt.

virginia's Debt.
The wheeling Register copies what we
valid the other day as TO the probable con-
duct OF West Virginia relative to our Vir-
vinia debt, and comments as follows:
mwe.t Virginia owes no debt That's
an exactly accurate statement. nrginn
owes the debt. And West virginia has
always been ready to help pay Vsrginiss
debt. hut has been refused that privilege
The Dispatch Is glib in asserting tnat " est
Virginia will never pay. VIII usay wnen,
II ever. Virginia win be ready 10 accept
payment"
We can't answer that question, friend
LoNo. SO far as appears from the action
Of our people at the ballot-box, they are
not more likely to pay their debt than West
Virginia is to pay any part OF 1t for them.
when will Virginia be ready TO accept
"payments" She WILDE ready to accept
such payment" rs West Virginia pro-
poscs,-well, LET us say at the Greek ka-
lends.
Virginia turned over TO West Virginia In
1871 one third OF the debt, that third
amounting to over fifteen millions OF dol
lars. The interest on this sum beng nlne
hunSed thousand dollars year, and not
dollar Of either principal or interest hav'
ing been paid, it would seem to follow thal
West Virginia now owes fifteen millions
Mus ten millions eight hundred thousand
dollars. or more than twenty-five millions
OF dollars. The people of Virginia have
declared through the ballot-box not simply
that they will not pay dollar Of the one
third assigned to West Virginia in 1871,
but that they will not pay all OF the two
thirds then assumed by Virginia. The
Virginia Legislature has acted upon this
hint, and last year passed bill proposing
10 reduce Virg1nia's share OF the public
debt from thirty-odd millions to less than
twenty millions.
How improbable, then, not TO say how
mdicrous, would II not be for us 10 engage
in heated discussion with the Register, or
anybody else, as 10 whether West Virginia
will ever pay her share Of Virginia's debt.
or as TO when Virginia will he ready to re-
ceive as I'LL that is due by West Virginia
the little pittapce which few West Sir-
ginians-not one Of these, however, cam
didate for public office-propose to contri-
butte towards the payment OF the ante-bel-
ium debt Of the two States. There is really
nothing TO dispute about. No Firginian
purposes TO pay any portion OF West Vir-
gina's share Of twenty-five millions. The
most liberal OF the West Virginians who
propose to have settlement with Virginia
do not propose TO pay ONT fifth part OF what
Is now due as interest upon their share OF
the debt. There is no ground upon which
the two States can meet. No Virginian
would for moment entertain the most
kberal Of West Yirginia's propositions;
and no West Virginian would for a mo-
ment entertain the most liberal Of Vir-
ginia's propositions.
The Tribune, with the usual acumcn OF
the New York dailies, has learned that to
settle the controversy about the division OF
the ante-war debt Of the State OF Virginia,
it is proposed that friendly suit shall be
begun in the United States Supreme Court
by Virginia against West Virginia. In
view OF what we have hereinbefore said.
the statement OF the Tribune is ridicu-
lous, though it originated in West Vir-
ginia. The Governor, Attorney-General,
and all others OF our State officers
belong to the party which In 1881
successfully persuaded the voters OF Vir-
.,ipia IN consent IN emf dow, hpr own
two.thirds share OF the debt by about
twelve millions OF dollars. Are those OFF,
GERS going to bring the suit spoken Of? Is
West Virginia going to begin it? No such
suit will ever be brought by either OF the
two States until after il Is authorized by
that States Legislature; and neither the
Legislature OF Virginia nor that Of West
Virginia will ever call upon the Supreme
Court OF the United States to decide
for it how much of the debt Of
the two States either State owes. Vir-
ginia knows that the Supreme Court
would not assign her less than she
took to herself in 1871 and 1882. West
Virginia knows that the Supreme Court
wonld assign to her more than she Is either
able or willing TO ray-say one fifth OF the
debt as Of 1861, OF five millions OF dollars,
with interest for twenty-five years.
Pshaw! The New York capitalists who
are deceived by such talk as the Ifi6une'S
will wait long time before the expected
suit Is commenced.