The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-16
other question before they shall bave had
the pleasure Of burying the Republican
nartyf


| TIVE WEST VIRGINIA DKBr.-The proper basi,
| for a settlement has often been poinfed out ano
provided for by our state Constitutions ann iegt
ttion upon the subject 0Teeaorter W. so''
| Independent.
give MS the figures, friend Harlow. As
we understand "tle proper basis" to
which Won allude, the result OF settle.
ment ui,ou that basis would be 10 find that
| virginia owes all and West Virginia none
OF the debt which was owing by the two
States in 1861. or 80 nearly none that vlr'
ginia might as well pay all OF the debt
Richmond Dispatch.
The Greenbrier Independent candidiy
and 10 all good faith complies with our re-
quest in an article that tells the whole
story so plainly that we need not add
word to IL. We have all the figures we
wanted, friend HARLOW. You have done
Virginia good service In telling her thai
whilst she assigned fifteen millions OF
dollars Of the debt Of the two States to her,
some Of the people Of West Virginia do
not acknowledge that West Virginia owes
more than 100000, and others OF them
contend that Virginia owes West Virginia
s5OO,000!
The Virginia Legislature can judge from
the independents article what dance they
would lead the old State II they reopen the
debt question. Any bill that can be passed
on the subject would reopen it.
But we did not and do not intend to dis
cuss the matter at present. Wequote from
the Independent:
Our esteemed friend OF the Dispateh imagInes
with the 6Sures. we viii. however, state for his
Information fifxt Under an act of the legislature
OF West virginia, passed many years ago, Gsy-
with the authorities OF Virginia for the purpose
Of ascertainiug Whist amount. " any, was due
from this State TO Virginia on account Of the
debt due on The LIST Of January, 1861. This
commission consisted OF the Hon. jonathan
NJ. Bennett, for many years Auditor OF yir-
Campbell, editor or the Wheeling Tntelligencer.
and General J. j. Jackson, now deceased. These
gentlemen failed 70 receive official recognition
from the authorities OF Virginia, and were COM
PEELED 10 make an ee-pdTtc statement. Our recol-
lection OF the result OF their Investigation Is that
these gentlemen fonnd West Virginia 10 be indebt-
ed TO the mother state In the sum OF about $780,
OGc. Afterwards another official estimate on the
part OF West Virginia authorities ascerlained that
the old state was indebted TO the new state in the
sum of about s500.u00.
These are The only figures that we can give the
Dispatch but here Is the basis for a settlement;
as laid down ~ the terms Of separation referred
10 in our article last week. aud which West yir-
glnia has fruitiessy attempted to abide by. IL Is
taken frem che 9th section Of the ordinance TO
provide for the formation Of new. state out Of
portion Of the territory of Virginia, passed Au-
gust 90, 1851, aud provides that the new state
shall take upon itself just proportion Of the pub
lie debt OF tka Commonwealth of Virginia prior to
the LIST day Of January, 1861. 20 be ascertaned by
charging 10 10 all State expenditures within the
limits thereof and Just pro OF The ordinary
expenses of tie state government since any part
of said debt WAS contracted, aud deducting there
from the money! paid into the Treasury OF the
Commonwealth from the counties included with
in the said new state during the same period"
This basis Of settlement was sanctioned by Con-
gress and the President, and was passed upon and
recognized as valid by the supreme COuit OF the
United States in a case which was brought before
II. We refer TO the suit in regard TO the status of
Jefferson and Berkeley counties.
But, judging from our past experience, we can
not see that anythugis 10 be gained by agitafing
this question. The settlement must be between
Virginia and West Virginia, and II Virginia is
now In no condition, politically or otherwise, 70
60 into settlement, we presume none will be
made In this or the next generation.