Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-02-11
Mr. Rarbour's Speech.

IL the o. 8. Senate yesta.dsy during tie
debate to return to West Virginia her POI
ton of the direct tax. Mr. Barbour Sad
Ms. President, I e!ways r!ae to edcEeas
the Senate With difidsncs, and notning Du1
my position here as ons OF ms Senators
from Virginia YnuId induce mo to come for
ward to pro!ong this discussion: 90 not
nronose to co int, the lay OF this case,
which has bseu fully presented and eigbo.
rassly argued by TIA Two gentlemen Who
have preceded me. p,apose to cell your
attention tc tic question which is before the
Ssnste to Its practical effect. to t2e C.. 'cts
which the Senators who brought Tbs matter
TO the attention Of the Senae intended.
Lei me say, 40 far eg t1s report OF tee
committee on claims IL concerned. tns' there
IA no effort, es I understand 1t, on t1s pal
of myself or my colleague, to rshscs upon
tast COMMITTEES. l unde:, t,od that in tn
motion to refer the question t. the comm
Tee On the Judiciary the Obi ct wss to pre-
sar the fec,s to the Serate. Itso hspGsned
when that matter was considered in tbs
CONF ttse on claims that Virginia was not
heard 81 al. Il 30 happened that her CT
tendance was not invited The N ttsr vas
parse; en- eT pdrte sa:smsnis. aud the re-
port was 30 made 10 the Senate UafoEtn.
nateiy, haye been iDdispoaed for the last
two or three waeks, gfeat deal OF the tine
confined to my houss, end have not been
able 10 give much attention 10 the proceed
inge of the Senste. Oar object has bsen
gained nov that the report has been brought
to the @. tsntion Of the Sanste, and 30 far sc
am connected I am indifferent whehsr
the sur Get goes 10 the com nittee OF tae ID
dietary or not. 0elege that would bs tie
IN
When the jal, resolution got down to the
House OF Representatives. WHIST wss done
with itP Ole of the Raprssef t.tiVes from
Wet Virginia get up emo moved lis passage
The yieilsnt chairman of the committee OF
appropris tons 10 the ttler House at once
stopped it. Hs moYsd It's reference tC what
comm lea To tho Committee on claims?
To the committee on Wsr claims No, air.
TIE experienced SD able parlismeL t,rlan
| to whom refer moved that the resolution
be referred to the committee On the adj
olary.
Mr.. PRECEDENT, what Is The quest en- pre-.
sen.ed In the resolution ? Tne Senatois
have talked great denl aoous the Law #
the caae. My friend ftom West Virginia
(Mr. Fau'kner) aas planted himself upon
the law be has given references to tle de-
| cisops OF tho courte, erd he has talked be.
fore the Senate CT the Uaised States es If rs
had slow jayy t. hammer.
Sir, thia is not quas!ion OF lsw. The
Acknowledgement says II ia & mixed ques-
ton OF law sDd fact. presume therei s law
enough around this chamber, II you cen get
at the faots. to apply the Law. Il does not
RI quire ihsse learned gentlemen in the law
from the 80 Virgiuiss or any whsre else 10
iostsuct the ssnats ss TO the application OF
the law. II the Ssnstor from West Virginia
stood upon the law Why Goes he come here
and ASK the Senate to adopt this olnt reso.
luton -? Ifyonr legal right are euficieot,
why did you not get yonr money? That ia
the question. Bat the Senator asks the
Senate to reverse tha seton OF the executive
department Of the Government. to set sEide
the opinion OF ths Attorney. General, md
when he can not draw bis m7usy.
he comes here With bis resolu-
| ton and asks Congress TO give him
the money which the executive department.
had declin upen mixed questions Of Law
and fact What Is it the senator wants
| The resolution authorizes what can net be
dogs without it. 1t authorizes the State o!
VISIT V!rsinis 10 come hsre and put lts
hande ia t1e UGi:ed StGt'a Treasury for
S1b3 000 That 10 what you want, eaG Why?
Suppose Virginia, the parent Sts:e, were
to come forward and ask that SONS money
which has been paid ehon!d go into her
pocket, would not she have beon met With
the act OF Congress which authorizes the
Secretary of thu Treasury TO retail any fand
where 1t appears that any State owes the
government OF the United stasep? OF
oouree the State Of Virginia would have
been stopped, the State of Virginia oond
not have drawn the money and how is it
with the State OF Wesi Virginia. whioh 10
here only because she was part of Virgin
Ia? She comes forward here and is known
only iu the Senate because shs spraDS from
Virginia, the parent stock. 1t so bapre, g
that there was an old debt prior to 1861.
which has been Incurred by Virginia when
West Virginia and the present Vl:gisia
were one and the same State.
Bonds OF that cd State had been issued
to borrow money to Garry on the Internal
improvement system of The State mainly, q
system 10 wh.ca West Virginia was largely
Interested Now, II you eonoede that Vif-
ginia could not come here under s'milar
orcu instances and ask for this money, how
West Virginia, at the time tue bonds we're
Virginia, altar hs wing Withdrawn her re-
sources from the old S.a.e. ehan these very
bonds were created upon::.the strength of
those es, now with the taxable sub.
eots all Withdrawn, go far IS West Virginia
yas oonosrnsd; does the young aod vigo
rous Safe want t. 90 off with all the money
In hsr. pocket and contribute aathlng to
meet the past obisst ons OF Vlsgiois, @a!oh
she had Jointly intarfed " ia Vlrginis?
Il seems to me, Mr.. President, that this
case Is not 30 plain es my friend from West
Virginia would make it. Looking at it IS
9 business transaction. looking al it from
whatever light you may, It seems to me
that WEST Virginia 10 honorsbly bound to
share the burden with the parent Safe.
But you nave a,t TO bsar in mind another
fact, that before West vi eiaia vas erected
into separate and Independent SITE. she
had to make tsrms In tbs ordinance o.