The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-11-04
Encouraged by the Republican
Press Of the State.

In The Cincinnati Enquirer Of
October 26th, we ind the follow.
ing. We publish it in the hope of
opening the eyes Of our people,
Are you willing that Jim Mason, a
traitorous Democrat, the Attorney
for this thieving Syndicate, and
the Republican party, shall faslen
adebt of millions upon sis state2
The article is a follows
The most interesting semi polis.
cal subject to the citizens of West
Virginia is The one vital and i'm.
pOrlant fact Of the revival of the
Virginia ante.bellum debt quest
ion. For several years an influ.
ence has been at work in the State
manipulating plan to bring about
the payment Of this alleged debt.
Abrief explanation here will be
safely ineligible to the general
reader Atthe time Of the divis.
ion Of the State, or rather the seq.
tegation Of West Virginia from
Virginia, tina old State owed very
heavy debt. Virginia claimed
that the proportion owed by West
Virginia was abOut SIS, 100000, for
which she demanded payment
The Legislature of West Virginia,
in 1871, sent q commission, consist
ing Of General John ]. Jackson,
Hons. A. W. Campbell and Jonath.
an NJ. Bennett, To settle with the
mother State, claiming, however,
that West Virginia's proportion
was less than 100000. Upon
this basis the old State refused To
settle, aud the commission return.
ed and made its report. The next
year the creditorsof Virginia com.
promised with the old State and
surrendered the old bonds, accept
ing new bonds for two.thirds of the
debt owed and a certificate for the
other third, the condition Of the
certificate being that Virginia was
not 10 pay the remaining third IN.
I'll she obtained a satisfactory set
Element with West Virginia.
The result of this management
was that tho creditors Of Virginia
released her from the payment Of
one third Of the debt, amounting to
Sl5,W0,0O0, forever, unless she
should afterward assume il BIZ ac-
cepting settlement from West
Virginia, and as ii has never been
claimed that West Virginia could
owe anything near that amount Of
the debt, Virginia of course, has
never since asked q settlement
with West Virginia, and these Ger,
titicates issued by Virginia, Deepen.
dent upon and payable after a sat
istaCtOry settlement with West
Virginia, are still outstanding and
known as the "West Virginia Ger.
tiicate," but, in fact, are the cerlif.
icatesof Virginia. Since that time
the debt question between the two
States and the holders Of the Certif
icstes has lain partially dormant.
The holders Of the certificates, how.
ever, have not given up the hope
Of getting something from West
Virginia, as the following shows
In 1853, at Richmond, Virginia,
during the session of the Lpgisla.
ture, lobby headed BY James N.
Mason, Of West Virginia, an agent
Of the certificate holders, with 9th.
ers tried to get a bill through the
Legislature to authorize q suit to
be brought IN The Supreme Court
Of the United States TO compel
West Virginia II pay the sl5,QOO,.
000of certificates then in the hands
Of a number Of Spectators, as no
suit could be brought against West
Virginia except in the name Of
Virginia, The old State, however,
being rid Of that portion Of the
debt Until a settlement was made
with West Virginia, declined to
pass the bill, fearing she might
bring the debt back upon herself
About a year ago Nj. Mason, who
had been a member Of the Legisla.
ture in 1851, and also a member Of
Tax Commission Of 1884, started a
paper called the "West Virginia
Democrat" at Charles,own, Jetier.
tou County, West Virginia, He
and his paper have been kickers
from way back, opposing about ey.
cry thing in the way II improve.
ments and favoring everything
that would put q surplus amount |