Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-05-07
YI2sINlA'S EQUITABLE CLAIM FOR
COMPENSATION.

Mr. Brady,the Virginia Congress
man from the Fourth District, on
Tuesday introduced Il bill in rela
ton to "a matter which we made
the subject Of an editorial notice
about month agO-namely, the
compensation TO which Virginia is
e1uilably entitled for the vast
domain wrested from her by the
revolutionary act OF forming "West
/ Virginia" into a separate State-a
"war measure" enacted in hot
blood, and without precedent or
constitutional warrant.
Mr.. }rady's bill provides for the
appointment Of a Board Of Com
missloners the scope Of whose
functions may be briefly stated as
follows:
They are to make a complete in.
vestigation and report:
l. Whether or not the present
State Of West Virginia was formed
within the jurisdiction Of the State
of Virginia without the consent Of
the Legislature Of the State Of Vir.
/ ginia.
.. The nature and amount Of the
public debt due by the State Of
Virginia at the time of the admis-
sion of the State of West Virginia
into the Union by Congress.
3. To what extent the United
States may be legally or equitably
liable for the debt due by the State
OF Virginia on account of the parti-
ton Of the State by Congress dur
ing the late war.
I. To what extent the United
States may be equltably liable to
the bondhOlderS of other States of
Union, and to the bOndhOldcrs of
Virginia bonds In foreign countries,
by reason Of the acts of the legis-
lative, executive and judicial Off.
GERS Of Virginia, whereby the de-
cissions of the Supreme Court of
the United States, as to her said
bonds or debt of Virginia, are
nrllifed.
,. What further legislation is
considered necessary IN order to
r'rder more effective that provision
OF the Constitution Of the United
States. "That no State shall pass
any law impairing the obligation of
contracts
This is a most important matter.
We have never doubted that the
time would come when reason
would reassert her sway over the
blind delirum of passion, and make
tardy reparation to Virginia for
the gross and grievous wrongs
which she suffered at the hands of
the Federal Government during
the excitement and madness of the
civil war
The Alexandria Gdecttc, com
mcntlng on this bill, introduced By
Mr.. Brady, after intimating that
his mottrcs in introducing it were
doubtless wrong, proceeds to say
that, nevertheless, there is no
denying the fact that the territory
out OF which West Virginia was
created was taken from Virginia
without her consent, and that conse-
quently she is, both in law and
equity, fully entitled to due compen-
sation therefor.
We live in a day of rapid transi-
tons and strange phenomena, po-
lilical as we'll as physical. There
is, in the language of the prOverb,
no telling what day may bring
forth. And more surprising things
have happened in this sublunary
sphere than the reasonable repara.
ton and restitution to Virginia, by
the General Government, Of the
immense and undeniable pecuniary
loss she sustained in the violent
and illegal severance Of her terri
tOrlal domain. and the erection of
separate State from the terri
tory thus taken from her by high
handed and revolutionary methods.
LBRchbHU I'UgiRidR.