The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1895-02-27

fculties surrounding the debt ques
ton But in the joint resolu,io
passed ON the 9th of February last
they did assume the modest right o
adbering to the policy already in-
augurated by the State of Virginia,
and by her so freely rendered hero.
tofore for their acceptance, and
therefore they respectfully declined
to adopt new aud different propo-
sition from her until they could
test the merits of thu one already
adopted.
apparently the present Execu.
tive OF Virginia, from an enforced
i familiarity with Inc workings OF
personal government, which he
so much depores, has acquired
ideas as TO the right OF the initia-
tive between equal contracting par
ties that are scarcely consistent
with the delicacy of the issue pend :
ing between this State aud his own.
For instance, in his letter of Sep.
TENDER the 7th he tells us that the
legislature of Virginia, upon bis
suggestion, has rendered an arbi
tration to this State, and he trusts
''that West Virginia will reconsider
her action aud accept the more
speedy and satisfactory mode OF
settlement proposed by Virginia -
And again, in his late message, he
says that "the better course TO be
pursued is for the two StateA to sub
nit the whole question % afbitra
tion," and West Virginia is arraing.
ed, as heretofore shown, for not con
curing in his opinions. APPARENTLY
it did not occur to the Governor
that since Virginia had proposed
both modes of settlement to this
State, the latter might make her
choice between them without sub
jectiDg her motives to imputatiuu
And yet all that she had assumed
TO do is simply to choose between
two policies initiated by Virginia
Unless, therefore, it can be shown
that it is the prerogative OF that
State to prescribe the terms upon
which the debt shall be adjusted,
the question should hereafter he dis
cussed in spirit better calculated
to allay all sectional irritation
But we pass from this Incidental
reference to Governor Walker 5
Structures upon the attitude of this
State towards tle debt question TO
the action of the Virginia legisla
ture upon the same question as EN-
bodied in the act approved on the
Both of March last, and known as
the Funding bill This act is in
keeping with the initiatory Iegisla
ton in regard to the debt to which
W. have just referred. Il assumes
to apportion the debt of that State
arbitrarily, notwithstanding her au-
thorities bad six weeks before the
passage of the act received notice a
the joint resolution of the West Vir-
GINA Legislature providing for the
appointment of Commissioners. 1t
assumes, also, to apportion the debt
not as it stood on the first day q
January, 1861, but as it would stand
on the first day of July, 1871, alter
the interest had been twice com
pounded, once in 1866, and again at
the date last named; and to appor.
ton it, too, upon the basis of terri
: tory and population, and without
4 any reference to the duties that
] should always govern an assign
ment of debt between sections that
, were so notorious in our own case
| La other words it assumes to appor
II ton to West Virginia one third OF
, the debt as it now stands, simply ON
the ground that she has one third
! of the territory and population for
5 merl y belonging 10 Virginia, and
without reference at all TO the ques-
ton of resources and values This
is apparently the practical result
which Governor Walker hoped to
reach when he urged upon us the
"more speedy and satisfactory mode
t settlement proposed by Virginia,
ihasmuch as he tells us in his late
message that this is the "plan for Il
reorganization of the State debt. -
which he"had recommended twelve
months before.
But without reference to the au
thorship of this or any other "pIan
? for adjusting the debt question, we
propose TO consider as briefly as
possible the real case now pending
between Virginia and West Virgin
ia as we understand it.
The tables or statements which
we annex as part of our report show
among other things, the following
facts:
That the funded debt of Virginia
on the first day of January, 1861.
was S3l,778,S67 80, after all reduc
tions.
That all, or nearly all, of this
debt was incurred for and aud
actually expended in works of pub
lie improvements, such as canals,
railroads, turnpikes, plank roads
and bridges
That of this vast sum, upwards of
$50, 600 goo was expended for i'm
provements in the present SAFE of
Virginia and only about two and a
half millions in the present State Of
West Virginia.
That the present State OF Virgin
ia contains 1882 square miles and
West Virgiuia only 10000 square
miles, or less than one third.
That the counties composing what
is now Virginia contained by the
census of 1860 population OF
l,220, 1929, and those composing West