The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-07-04
= DO WE OWE ANYTHING?

A Statement Of the West Virginia
Debt Question Viewed From q
Democratic Standpoint. *
The following statement OF the Yves;
Virginia debt question, prepared by
Col. r. P. Chew. of Jefferson county. IS
published by request Col. Chew, in
his statement, sets UP the following
contcntions: y
There. has been so much m!srepresen-
! tatinn about the public debt question,
feel It would remove much misappra-
fension to give 4 concise statement Of
the facts and the law bearing on this
subject. FL
3 When the state OF West Virginia was
| divided, her convention assembled nj
| Wheeling. passed an ordinance reading,
The. new state shall take upon Itself q
just proportion OF the public debt or thu
commonwealth Of Virginia, prior to thu
first day of January, 1851 to be ascer-
tanned by charging to 1t all the eXpend-
lures within the limits thereof and a
| just proportion Of the ordinary ex-
penses of the, state government, sincc
any part of said debt was contracted;
and deducting therefrom the moneys
paid into the treasury of the common
wealth from the countiss Included
within the said new state during the
same. period" The declaration in the
constitution of West Virginia OF 1863
was as follows: Section SAN equlta-
bla proportion OF tho public debt of Vir-
ginia, prior to January 1st, 1861. shall
| be assumed by this state. and the legis-
lature shall ascertain the same rs soon
as practicable" And the present con-
stitutiqn contains the following provis-
lon: Section a. Ar,icla 10.-"No debt
shall be contracted by this state except
TO. meet casual deficits in the revenue.
to redeem a previous liability of the
state. etc." and Section s. Article 10,
provides, 9TH. power of taxation of the
legislature shaft extend to provisions
for the payment of the state debt and
| interest thereon. etc" Here are plain
provisions In the fundamental law of
our state for. the mode OF ascertalning
West Nirginia's part of the old debt
and an explicit direction to ascertain
the same rs soon as practicable. I'm
fortunately Virginia in making set
Element with the bond holders In 1871,
overlooking. the Wheeling ordinances,
assigned to West Virginia onc-thlrd Of
the. debt, issuing what are known as
| Virginia Deferred Certificates for this
! onc-third, pcdSlng on thar face pay
ment in accordance With such settle
| ment as shall hereafter be had between
| the suites OF Virginia and West Vfr-
| ginia," and held the bands for which
| they were Issued IN trust for the own
| crs. No one at the time Of the adoption
of the two constitutions questioned q
liability on the part Of West Virginia
for u share of this debt. She would not
| have been admitted into the Union gave
for her recognition OF an obligation to
assume . just proportion Of 1t. The
early governors of the state each re-
commended and urged the Legislature
| to appoint II committee to meet Fir-
ginla and ascertain the proportion OF
the old dpbt TO be borne by The new
state. In 1871 i commission called the
West Virginia Debt Commission was
appointed by the IcsfsIatu and pro-
posed to Virginia to ascertain the
amount due 10 West Virginia, Those
representing Virginia anu West VIr-
slnla disagreed as to the method Of de-
terminlng the amount of West Vir-
E!nla'a liability, but thu West Virginia
commission proceeded 10 state the ac-
count according tn the Wheeling ordi-
nance and found this state Indebted to
Virginia In the sum Of 1891 900. At tho
sama time thia commission ascertaIncd
the amount expended within the limits
Of the state OF West Virginia on rail-
roads, turnplkes. bridges, ETC., and
PLACED It ut the sum of S3,ai3,9o9 20, In
addition n large amount was spent on
the asylum ut Weston, Under the FOL,
lowing provision Of IN Act OF February
Srd. 1863. "Rc It enacted by the general
assembly OF Virginia that all ,ha prop.
erty owned by this commonwealth
within the boundaries OF West Virginia
shall pass to West Virginia. but the
stats OF West Virginia shall account Tor
the same In the settlement to be here.
after made with this commonwealth"
valuable stocks ana bombs were trnns-
ferrcd to West Virginia. The cons,l,u.
ton Of Yves. Virginia Of 1863, provides,
Section 7, Article 5:
The Legislatures may At any time Ill
rect II salu OF thu stocks owned by the
state In the banks and other corpora
ttona but tho proceeds or such gnlp shat!
be applied to the liquidation OF the pub.
lie debt
The legislature Of West Virginia has
directed TINT tho principle OF tbs pro-
cceds OF said property sold ahul b.