The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-07-03
[Continueti from first page.l


If it be said in answer to such sugges-
ti0n that it,Would he fairer for West Vir-
ginia to assume the proportional obligation
thus indicated. the prompt rejoinder is
that in equity her people are not held to
such obligation. The public improve
ments for which the debt was in large part
incurred had not been SO far completed
as to benefit West Virginia when the civil
war began, their advantages being mainly
confined to the Underwater and Piedmont
sections of the state. There is indeed
neither moral nor legal responsibility rest
ing upon West Virginia for any part of
of the debt of the old state.
In determining the relative obligations
of the national government ard Of the
government OF West Virginia, concerning
the debt, it IS of the first Importance to
remember that the new state was not pri-
marily organized and admitted to the
union for the benefit OF her own people.
but in far larger degree for the benefit OF
the people of the whole union. The or
ganic law would not have been
strained, legal fictions would not have been
invented contradictory theories would not
have been INDUCED, if great national IN
terest had not demanded the creation OF
West Virginia. If it had not been APP
parent that the organization Of West Viz
gjnia was an advantage to the loyal cause J;
if the border state policy OF MI. Lincoln,
so rigidly adhered to throughout the con-
test, had not required this link for the
completion of it's chain, the wishes of the
people most directly involved would never
have had the slightest attention from the
congress of the United States. Strong
and equitable as was the case of West Vir-
ginia, irritating and undesirable as her re-
lations to the older statef might be, ad
vantageous to the people as the new gov
eminent might prove, these considerations
would not Of themselves have offered SUI
ficient inducement to engage the attention
of congress for an hour at that critical
period. They would have been brushed
aside and disregarded with that cool in
difference by which all great legislative
bodies proves how easy it is to endure the
misery of other people. West Virginia
indeed got only what was equitably due,
and what she was entitled to claim by the
natural right of self-g0vernment. The
war brought good fortune to her as con-
spicuously as it brought i'll fortune to the
older state from which she was wrenched.
West Virginia is to be congratulated, and
her creditable career and untiring enter
prise since she assumed the responsibilities
of self government show how well she de-
served the boon. But the wounds inflicted
on the mother state by her separation will
never be healed until Virginia is relieved
from the odium of having been specially
selected from the eleven seeding states
for the punishment that struck at once
against her prosperity and against her
pride Of empire.
Nor should it be forgotten that the state
of Virginia before the war might well be
regarded as the creditor, and not the
debtor, of the national government One
of her earliest acts of patriotism as an in
dependent state was the cession to the gem
eral government of her superb domain on
the north side of the Ohio river, from the
sale of which more than one hundred mil
lions of dollars have been paid into the ma
tional treasury. A suggestive contrast is
presented to-day between the condition OF
Virginia and the condition of Texas and
Florida. 1t was the aggressive disunlon-
ism of the two latter states which aided
powerfully in dragging Virginia into re-
bellion. But for the urgency of the seven
original confederate states, in which Texas
and Florida were numbered, Virginia 10y
alists would have been able to hold their
state firm in her national allegiance. Since
the war Texas has Travelled the highway to
wealth and power. founded on the owner
ship of her public lands, Of which the ma
tional government could have deprived her
with as little difficulty as was found in d.
viGing Virginia. Florida has likewise en-
joyed general prosperity, and secured rapid
development from the resources OF land
which the national government had gen.
erously given her before the war, and of
which she was not deprived for her acts Of
rebellion. True hearted Americans re-
j0ice in the prosperity of these states,
which adorn the southern border of the
republic but they cannot help seeing, and
seeing with regret, how differently the
ancient commonwealth Of Virginia has
Jared at the hands of the national govern
1ment.
Ii the hurt to Virginia were of a general
character, which could not be specified or
defined, her case might be passed over with
the plea of ddnalatnl dbsque aljl4'ia. But,
unfortunately, or it may be fortunately the
detriment to her public credit can be
stated with substantial precision, and can
be traced directly to her despoilment.
That took from her the power to pay her
debt. If the harm resulting therefrom
were confined to the state and to the
holders of her securities, the national gov
eminent might the more easily disregard
the equities of the case. But Virginia's
embarrassment is of widespread concern.
and injuriously affects the credit of other
states. Nor can it be said that the pre-
cedent Of aiding Virginia could be quoted
for aid to every state that might get into
financial trouble. 1t could be quoted only
for the case-which will perhaps never
again occur-where the national govern
ment shall strip the state OF alarge and val
liable part of her territory, and thus take
from her the ability to meet her obliga-
tions. The precedent might then be
quoted, and should be unhesitatingly fol-
lowed.
In the formal and necessarily austere adj
ministration Of public affairs there is little
room for the interposition of sentiment.
Yet sentiment has it's place. We stimu-
late the ardor of patriotism by the mere
display of flag which has no material
force, but which is emblematic of all ma
terial force. and typifies the glory of the
nation. We stir the ambition of the liv-
ing by rearing costly monuments to the
heroic dead. 1t may surely be pardoned if
Americans shall feel a deep personal in
terest in the good name and good fortune
of state so closely identified with the
early renown of the republic, a state with
whose soil is mingled the dust of those to
whom all states and all generations are
debtors-the father of his country. the
author of the declaration of independence.
the chief protector of the national consti-