The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-21
Richmond aispatrIl.
THURSDAY. ....rEBauAnY 81, 1884.


The Democrats In the Virginia Senate
who favor the consideration CT the bill Il
provide for submitting TO arbitrators al
questions between the States Of yirgini;
aud West Virginia connected with thu
public debt OF the two States do not wisl
TO destroy the Democratic party in Yves
Virginia. nor 10 iuiure the Democratic
party in Virginia. They are honest, high
minded men. and have been led by theil
desire 10 do justice 10 the creditors OF thu
two States 10 countenance measure which
can have none but evil results. The bill
they advocate provides that II West Vir
ginia refuses to submit TO arbitration sls
shall be sued in the United States supreme
Court.
Now. first as TO arbitration, let US say
that there win not be in the next Legisla
ture OF West Virginia half dozen men oil
either party who will dare TO propose such
scheme. II Virginia expects arbitrators
10 decide that West Virgins owes even
one tenth Of the debt OF the two States as
il stood in 1861. Virginia will be dis.
appointed. But II we concede that arbi-
traitors might possibly so decide. we al
Gree admit that no West Virginia Legisla-
tare will agree TO arbitration; for, as we
have often said before, no public man In
West Virginia would dare TO go before his
constituents and propose TO pay even one
tenth Of the amount Of the debt that Viz
gInia assigned TO West Virginia thirteen
years ago.
Arbitration, therefore, is out OF the ques-
ton. The leaders of the Democratic party
in West Virginia would no more dare to
advocate the payment OF even three mil
lions OF the sum apportsoned TO that State
In 1871 than the leaders Of the Democratic
party Ia Virginia would now dare to go
before the voters here and advocate the pay
ment Of the sum apportione0 to this State
in 1871.
What then? Simply this, that the bill
in effect does nothing but provide for a
suit in the Supreme Court of the United
States. and TO make Virginia party to 1t.
For what purpose: What possible benefit
could Virginia derive from decision Of
that tribunal! Can anybody. imagine that
that tribunal would decide that West Viz
ginia owes more than the fifteen millions
turned over TO her in 1872 Surely not.
The decision would, on the contrary, most
probably. not to say certainly, be that Viz
gina owed part OF that sum OF fifteen
millions. But who would be benefited by
that decisIont II the court were TO decided
dozen times that West Virginia owed even
five millions, her creditors would never
get that sum. The Supreme Court cannot
make a state pay its debts. 1t cannot az
ford any relief TO the creditors OF repu-
dating State unless that State has made
the coupons OF her bonds, or other evil
dences Of debt, receivable for taxes. And
as 10 Virginia, our legislators know only
too well that she has decided for herself
that she win not pay even the two thirds
of the debt she took to herself in 1871
when she assigned one third to West Vir-
ginia. In the name OF common sense,
then, who is to profit by the passage of the
Uiil UUutl ulctuS-lOh tAttpb SpNNNietOsS III
West Virginia certificates!
There need be no mistake nor trouble
aboifb this matter. IL has stood as it Is for
thirteen gears. The West Virginia Legis-
lature will meet in less than year from
now. Let that Legislature ask Virginiato
arbitrate the matter, or even express VIII
Iingness 10 have II arbitrated, and we will
agree never afterwards to say word
against arbitration. We are confident that
we represent truly the intentions OF the
West Virginia Legislature, and the con-
dition Of public sentiment in that State.
The last Wheeling Register has on this
subject two-column letter from Washing
ton. The writer quotes all the articles we
have written in regard to the matter, and
denounces the scheme in unmistakable Ian
guage. The Register is the leading organ
OF the Democratic party in West Virginia.
We commend the article to the attention
Of the Virginia Legislature.