The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-22

wHEELING, ", VA, FEBRUARY "a' 1880
governor Lee On alnIo y, blr.

h0NAIhNN A4s" We Ne'~'N
Governor Lee has sent to the Legisla-
ture a message on the debt question
which Is, to say the least a remarkable
nnblic document. The point Of the mes
sage is u rscommendRtioO that Commits
sioners be appointed to impress upon
holders Of Virginia bonds that the best
thing they can do is to submit willingly to
funding Of their holdings under the Rid
dleberger act,
When we say that the document Is re-
markable we do not refer 10 the interest
ing iactthal the sione which the Bourbons
rejected has become the corner Of their
financial tystcm-tha they have accepted
the Rparjustrr scheme which THEY de-
nounctd as dishonest and s6oIe they
never would approve. This is interesting
as showing that great party can lay aside
"a great principle" and take upwithsome'
thing more convenient Tor the oCtasion'
Some Of the suggestions in the message,
considering whore they appear and from
whom, are astounding and the INrELLldEN'
CIR takes the liberty to brig them out In
italics
IL NAV be said that nothing in relation
10 the debt OF Virginia has been done in
corp,r, ttat size rr,fs published ah that
has tppfi ebid AT Jtno IN regard to It;
that in poliic ,onventoDg, upon the
musings, though Executive mtsssges,
and through iugatiops in the courts, the
creditors have brtn fully Informed Of the
inst measure OF their lightS and the pahll'
ity Of the Slste to them. All this may be
trne "a TO any syndicate or organization
which controls or dir ctR tho foreign
stoCkholdsIs. For II IL understood that
thee is nov an organization which Rbs0-
lutely controls, directs and governs tho
interests OF their priEcipals or tho HClual
owners Of the bonds, and may well De
that the syndicate or agent Is thoroughly
inform. ID IS n all Of tEese mhtter0, while
the principal remains entirely in the dark
AZ, therefore. thiR settlement has been
finally enacted, therefs every reason to be-
I,evp that we can impress others with tho
conditions which led to It's adoption, and
ICIsnt least aus to the traditional love OF
fair play OF our people that every effort
should be made to atquaint orr creditors
with the terms Of settlement offered be-
fore concluding they are unwilling to &C.
Cppt 1t, But ii is vain to reCapit ulate tae
difficulties Al the situation unless 1t bs
with the pulpoEe Of suggesting Q remedy.
After a most cart lul consideration oil the
situation, with full aenRe oithe official
obligation, with q consciousness OF the
difficulties which surround us, with u
knowledge that tho peril to the settlement
which We have detreed il serious. l
earnestly recommend 10 the General AS
ssmbly Of Virginia the appointment OF
commission whose duties shall be plainly
defined, whoge powers shall be carefully
pIeECfiLed, guarded, and limited, that no
misConCeplion be INDUCED In on The part
Of any one. sUCh commission should
only DO empowered to explain the settle
ment OF 1881 and 1882 to the creditors
and point out that which addresses
itself 10 their interests as well 81 10 the
interests Il the State. 1t should be
clothed with no other power and have no
other duties to perform but 70 urge them 10
dccedc 10 The settlement Virginia has dcCreed,
to represent how futile had been their eli.
forts in tho past to resist the determine.
ton OF our people, and that the future
held out to them only the prospect Of in
terminable litigation, injurious alike to
them and to US thut The achievement Of mere
itllsory iriumphs in The courts iS JruugM
tuiih no mbstdntdl ddrnntGy,S 10 The Migdns
on either side. II rouid Dc The duty Of NE
commission 10 point oil to them ihe Cdsi untrtCd
and uneTpsnaal pOlrEr which resides IN q
united and rSSOiule people, and caution M'l'
dgdini he danger Of drOuSinl a public Scnti-
ment iphich might be ,torgCVN of all sense Of
justice, and taking counsel only from passion
de,iroV HE inieretiS irtich tre are nOw striving
10 project.
ISIS believed that II those holding the
outstanding Indebtedness Of the State
could meet, through their committee, face
to face, such q commission here in Wiz.
ginia onelBewhere, and hear and see for
themselves, be confronted by the stub.
born facts as they exist at present, and
be Impressed trih MeuncCrtGintg which diVels
in The future and uriaS from The UnSettiet
problem Which constantly CrdSperdlCs and hdr.
ASKS The public mind BIZ .freSh dsCisiOnS Of Me
courts, they would be willing to fund such
outstanding indebtedness into the bonds
OF this settlement. Such action upon
their part solves the problem and termi'
mates the agitation. Virginia will act In
good iaith-will pay her debt thus asCer.
tanned and aCQuieECed in by both contract.
ing parlies---beCause her revenues will
prove abundant to do 30 without inCreas'
ing the burdens upon her people.
Since Virginia has decreed" settle.
lnent, bond.holders may as well fall in
line. Triumphs in the Supreme Court Of
the United States being declared illusory;
there Is no need Of looking in that di.
reCtion for any substantial thing. Be.
sides, there is "the vast untried, unex.
pended power OF a united and resolute
people," and public sentiment which
might be iorgetiulof all sense Of justice"
aud take counsel only Of passion"
Governor Lee when lie wrote doubtless
had in mind that shrewd lawyer who
said: "Gentlemen, don't take this red
handed murderer out Of court and hang
him-lynCh Law Is always to be con-
demned-bh II you do hang him, for the
fair fame Of our county make a clean job
OF III"
II these arguments..a are good for Virginia
as against her bond holders, would they
not apply as we'll in behalf Of West Wiz.
ginia Il this State were called upon 10 pay
over money 10 tho old State, Under a
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