The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-04-13
APLAN STATEMENT
Made by Comptroller Matthews
to Governor Fleming
IN THE DIRECT TAX MATTER.
The Fortunate Omission Whereby
Windy Wilson Is Unable to Grab
10000 for NothIng--windy
Wilson in Washington.

sD,4aI Di,paleh TO DC IHtsutQcHor.
WAsHEvGrox D. O., April 12.-First
C,nptroller oil the Treasury Matthews
was seen by your correspondent yester-
Jsy in relation to his refusal to pay to
We,. Virginia her share OF the direct
tax asrefunded. Judge Matthews said
TINT he had nothing to say beyond what
bas already appeared in the INTEtLI.
ovScgR on the subject, except that Ex-
Gov Wilson had arrived in the city and
wSs making very active efforts to show
that the resolution as passed by the
state Legislature did actually contain
the section supposed to be missing,
wbich gives the Governor authority to
1areiye the money on behalf OF the
Stste, Naturally, Wilson is very much
;ntercsted ia proving that such is the
csse: but Judge Matthews added that
in the two certified copies OF the reso-
luton received from the Governors
office the same omission occurred, and
nothing else had been produced TO show
thtt the missing portion had ever been
inLudsd. Under these circumstances
tba conclusion was irristible that no
aneh resolution had bsen passed by the
Legislature, aud therefore the United
Sla.eg Treasury, much as II regretted to
d0so. must absolutely decline TO make
novmgnt to West Virginia until ths
proper authority shall b1 forthcoming.
This is the sta;us OF the case at present
The following Ia Comptroller Matthews'
letter to Governor Fleming:
lion. A. D. FlealirO, GOrerHOr Of Wesi Virginia.
ChdrGIiOn, ". Va,
sls:-While Just on the point OF pass
i,v The account OF West Virginia grow.
ine ont of the act OF Congress Of March
. iSgl, for tho refund Of the direct tax,
I discoyered material defect in the
ioint resolution OF the Senate and House
n Delegates Of your State on the subject,
which will prevent the immediate pay
ment of the amount due your State, IN.
leSs It gball turn out that there has been
some error in copying the resolution.
The resolution, 80 far as 1t Affects the
question, is as follows:
"Be il Resolrtd by Nie Legislature Of
Vcsi Tiyirlia, That this Legislature doth
hereby accept the cum appropriated by
aNid act of Congress to and for the use Of
tho State Of West Virginia; aud doth
alan accent for said State the trust i'm.
posed by said act OF Congress, entitled
as aforesaid, which acceptanees are
hereby made by and on behalf Of gsid
State OF West Virginia, Ia full satisiac.
ton against the United States on account
Of levy and collection Of the said tax III
said act Of Congress mentioned"
You will observe that this resolution
does not authorize you to receive tho
money, The third section Of the act
provided: "rhat there ishereby appro'
,priated, out of any money the Treas.
mry not otherwise appropriated, such
sums as maybe necessary to reimburse
each State, Territory and the District oi
Columbia for all money found Que 10
them under the provisions Of this act;
and the Treasurer Of the United states
ia hereby directed to pay the same to
the Governors OF the States and Terri
tories and 10 the Commissioners OF the
District OF Columbia, but no money
shall be paid to any State or Territory
mill the Legislature thereof shall have
accepted, By resolution, the sum herein
appropriated, and the trusts imposed, IN
fiji satigfaction OF all claims against the
United Statea on account OF tho levy
and collection OF aaid tax, and shall have
authorized the Governor to receive salu
money for the use and purposes aiore'
said"
You will also observe that the resolu'
(ioa omits the words, "And shall have
autl. .orized the Governor to receive said
money for tho use and purposes aiore'
Baid,m This authorization Is material,
and without 1t the Treasurer OF the
United States Is not authorized to make
the payment.
| regret this exceedingly, as the Treas
ur' Department deaires very much 10
nav this money to the States at the ear;
lest possible day, but IL cannot be palo
until the States bring themselves Within
the material provisions OF tho stStnte,
at least. have the honor to be,
Yours very respectfully,
A.C. MATTHEWS,
Comptroller.
tits not known what course Ex-Gov'
ernor Wilson inLends to pursue N ORDER
TO show that mistake has been maze
in copying the joint resolution. Uetu'
fed Copies ate, as is well known, the OF
dinary means Of proving documents 0,
this character. or these two have been
furnished the Comptroller, and both, as
stated above, omit the material clause.
As Judge Matthews said, 1t is scarcely
conceivable that men holding responAl'
bic positions under u State should make
such stupid blunder; but that is the
way the matter stands now, and unni
the difficulty ia cleared up nothing
further will be done by the Treasury
DpnArfmenk