Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-12-08

Il
Jailed the Restored Government OF
Virginia, and it was through this
means that West Virginia came into
being, 1t is known that no State eau
divide itself without the consent OF IL
self. So the Restored Government ,
gave its consent, convention was
called and a new State formed. We |
suppose there is not man living who
will deny that but for the war such
a thing would never have been at
tempted. much less CARR d out In
times of peace it would not have been
even suggested. Passing then without
comment on the mode of forming W.
Va. we come to the matter in question
the DEBT.
Their Ordinance-we mean that OF
the Virginia government at Wheel
ing-forming this new State, whether
rightfuI or wrongful, has always Ill
Congress and in w. Va. been regarded
with supreme veneratiOn, and it de-
cIaTed as follows
THE NEW STATE SHALL TAKE UP
ON ITSELF JUST PROPORTION OF
THE PUBLIC DEBT OF THE COMMON
WEALTH OF VIRGINIA PRIOR TO THE
1ST DAY OF JANUARY, 1861"
The convention which made the
foregoing declaration authorized the
election of delegates to another con-
yention which was to assemble In
Wheeling on the Goth of Nov, 1861, to
to pre- pare a constitution for W. Va,
and they did assemble and did pre-
pare a constitution in which the fol-
lowing appears:
IAN equitable proportion OF the
public debt of the Commonwealth OF
Virginia prior to the LIST day OF Janua-
~, 1861, shall be assumed by this State
and the Legislature shall ascertain the
same as soon as practicable anu pro-
vide for the liquidation thereof by
sinking fund, sufficient to pay the ac-
crued interest and redeem the prlncl-
pal within twenty-fOur years.
| We now hear, and have long been
told, that w. Va. owes none OF the
| Virginia debt and her accountants
and politicians have SO figured as to
prove this assertion.
Their mode of figuring has been
about as follows:
| l Not dollar was spent on inter
nal improvements within the territory
of w. Va.
| 2 Taxation was unjust and unequa
negroes in eastern Va. being taxed ver'
low. and the horses and cattle in west
ern Va. very high.
8. Slaves were counted as basis
representation and as the people O
the estern part of the State had few
they were not properly represented.
, These and other similar argument
have now convinced most OF the citl
zens of W. Va. and all of It's polite
ians, that they never owed any part
the Virginia debt, and just why tn
|, foregoing clause was put in their con
stisutiOn by their own creators the
. cannot tell. 1t was singular act il
meant nothing.
1t is true that not much of the moi
ey spent on internal improvement
was spent in W. Va. But the prime
pal part of the debt was incurred
the construction of the Va. Centr
Railway and the James River an
), Kanawha canal. To have begun bull'
ing either of them ID w. Va. instead {
:, where they were begun and bul
would have been to act as fools. The
great highways for the development
W, Va. minerals were started as TIT
" should have been at tldewater, al
pushed westward as fast as possible II
the direct purpose of developing tt
coal and other minerals of the westel
IL part of the State. The war unfort
y nately stopped them. Virginians 10
in that war every vestige OF person
y, property they possessed, ard half the
territory in quantity and possib
;" more than two.thirds in value w
likewise swept away. West Virgil
% ians lost nothing, they were even pa
~ the highest prices for all they sold tt
~ government, and otherwise prosper'
during the days of trial and devast
tion of those east of the Allegiance
- indeed many of them came over IN
- Virginia and assisted personally
y plunderlng their brethren, burning al
~ destroying the little left to them.
The pretense of unjust taxation
- mere rot, the bulk of the taxes OF q
% State, as the records show, was pa
:. by the people east of the Alleghanle
~ whilst the failure to have equal re
10 resentation is as specious as the cry
- unjust taxation.
Nc The coming suit is likely to eau
~ some bitterness, the conflict is
10 preaching, and the question is to
~ before a legal tribunal for decisio
The politician will foam at the mout
:. he will curse and expostulate, but t
payment of the "equita Bile portion
:" of VlrginIa's debt by w. Va. is to
~ decided once and forever.
70 Let not the w. Va. politician forg
:. that the very men who gave him
u State recognized liability and put
" in the constitution. and they call
themselves the lawful government,
- if any burden rests upon him his oV
~ people, and not the people of Virgin
~ are to be held responsible.
Il, Mr.. Lewis Nixon, the great Amel
o. can ship builder, and member of t
TO ship building trust, saw the Gar Il
II days ago and had long talk WI