Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1893-12-13
The lIIened vs. TlrgInia De0t
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA,
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER. CHARLESTON
November IS, 1898.

statement in reference thereto recently APP
peared in vour columns. The statements
are generally TO the effect that powerful
financial organization has undertaken to
settle the "West Virginia State Debt. -
These statements work vast injury to our
State. The inference is that We owe debt
which we will not, or cannot, pay. That
such an organization has been effected Is
borne out by the statements above mention
ed as well As by repeated demands for inior'
nation made upon this Office.
This organization is composed Of the own
ers Of a part of the old Virginia debt, and
it, effor, is to saddle upon West Virginia
the incubus of State debt.
Every interest Of our Statehood demands
that we should repel even the suspicion of
4 State debt with its ruinous and blighIing
taxation and the iuseParable burdeusome
Accomplishments Of State debt The State
of West Virginia neither in law nor equity
owes any debt.
A brief Statement, of the question will
enable this TO be seen.
In April, 1861, the State of Virginia Sc
coded. In June, 1861, the convention TOR
the reorganization Of Virginia met in
Wheeling. and 10 August adopted An or
diuance Co provide for the formation OF
new stale OUT OF a portion of the territory
of this state" The ninth section Of this
ordinance provided that
.'The new STATE shall take upou itself a
lust proportion of the public deOt oi the
communicable OF Virginia prior 10 the rrst
dag Of January, 1861, % be aseerialned by
charriug 10 II all Stale expenditures within
The limits thereof aud just proportion oil
the ordinary expenses of the State govern
ment since any part OF the debt WAS con-
tracted; and deduciing theretrOm the mon-
irs paid into the treasury OF the Common
wealth from the counties included within
the said new Stale during The same period.
This ordinance was fundamental and
organic stil ulation prescribed by Virginia
for our separation from her and upon COM
plisnce Herewith the people within the
counties now known as West Virginia were
authorized 10 form a Constitution. The
people. acting under the provisions of the
Ordinance above mentioned, accordingly
did form a constitution, and, carrying cut
the conditions Of the Ordinance, provided
ia section eigh, Of the Constitution that
"An equitable portion of the public debt
OF the Commonwealth Of Virginia prior to
the first day OF January. 1861, shall be as
sumed by this State; aud that the Legi~la-
lure shall ascertain the same as soon as may
be practicable. aud provide for the liquida.
lion thereof by a sinking fund sufficient TO
nav the accruing interest and redeem the
principal within thirty four years.
I repeat that the clause first above refer
red % is an absolutely organic stipulation,
the very basis Of our authority for the States
formation. and adhcres into.every germane
enactment Of The State whether CoustiIu-
tional or Legislative. Il was approved by
the people of this State, the Congress of the
United States, the President acting under
the law Of Congress relating TO the States
admission into the Union, and was affirmed
by tbe supreme Court of the United States
Such being the ease. the inquiry under
the ordinance and constitutional enactments
ther,und is What was the bonded debt
Of Virginia prior to January, 1861, how
much was contributed by the counties now
composing West Virginia. and how much
was expended within TIE limits OF the ter
ri,ory Of West Virginia?
The funded deb. OF Virginia on January
the 1T. was S8I,77S,S67 81
The amount contributed by West
Virginia after deducting herprO-
portion of the expense OF the
State Government waS............-.S5 S92UJ1V W
The EXPENDITURES within West Viz
ginia from l>23 when was date
of first issue Of bonds I'm Viz
ciuiaI 90 January Isl 1891 was. $3.50 9-s.-S
Leaving surplus Of contribu-
button over expenditures OFFS 523OI0u
Thu, Il is seen that according 20 the Or
dinauce prescribing the conditions Of set
tlemeu, between Virginia and West Vir-
GINA. West Virginia Is not indebted
20 Virginia but on The contrary, West Vir-
rinis', contribution is mere than one half
million dollars in excess Of The expenditures
wi,hiu her limits This statement Of the
case is absolutely defensible at law, aud at
the same time perfectly just.
such being the case. without any regard
10 the fact Of the ordinance settling the
principles of payment, and without regard
10 the fact that abou; thirty millions of this
debt hs, been expended ia Virginia making
her one Of the seats OF vast commerce
whilst Western Virginia sat in the shade of
her eternal forests and in the silence of her
oudeye,oped mountains, Virginia, in 1871,
assigned % West Virginia oue-third Of her
de5,.
This action was ia the teeth Of the Ordi-
nance which provided that the proportion
OF the deb, 10 be assumed by West Virginia
ulder the certain conditions therein above
set OBJ, should be that part prior To January
the fist, 1851. The Legislature of Virginia
after compromising the deb, several times,
propordoued it As Of july. 1871, making
the whole debt aud interest S45,7lSu223,
and SCI, aside 20 West Virginia Sl5, 2S9,
$40 "A which with interest would make the