Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-08-09


the border-state policy of Mr.. Lincoln'
s rigidly adhered ito throughout 'he
contest, had not required this INK ioi
the completion of the chain-the wisn,
es of the people most directly lnVoi'eu
would never have had the slightest at
tention from the Congress ofthe uni'ed
States. Stro, and equitable as was tue
case of West Virginia, irritating ana
undesirable as her relations TO the Old
er State might be, advantageous TO the
people as the new government might
prove. these considerations OF theIn-
selves would not have offered suihclent
inducement to engage the attention OF
Congress forsn hour at that critical
period. They wouldshave been brushed
aside and disregarded with that cool IN
difference by which all great legislative
bodies prove how easy it is TO endure
the misery of other people. West VIZ
ginia got only what was equitaoly
due. and what she was entitled to
claim by the natural right of self-gov-
eminent. The war brought good for
tune to her as conspicuously
as it / brought i'll fortune 10 the
older State from which she was
wrepched West Virginia is to be con-
graduated, and her creditable career
and untiring enterprise since she as
sumed the responsibility of self gov
eminent show how well she deserved
the boon. But the wounds inflicted on
the mother State by her separation
will never be healed until Virginia is
relieved from the odium Of having
been specially selected from the eleven
seeding States for the punishment
that struck at once against her pride of
empire. Nor should it be forgotten
that the State of Virginia before the
war might well be regarded as the cred
itor and not the debtor of the National
Government. One of her earliest acts
of patriotism as an independent State
was the cession to the General
Government of her superb domain Cd
the north side of the Ohio river, from
the sale Of which more thar one hun
bred millions of dollars have been paid
to the National Treasury
During the session OF 1905 l offered
a resolution in the State Senate urging
the appointment of a commission to
safeguard the interest of the state In
the suit then looming up. And again
this year a resolution creating COM
mittee to assist in the defense of the
states interest, this committee Con-
sisting of the following gentlemen:
Attorney General Clark w. May,
John J. Davis, Ex-Governor A. b.
White, .Ex-Judge l.. n. Tavenner,
Judge Joseph NJ. III. Dent, Judge
Warren Miller, Thomas ii. Dennis,
Nelson E. Whitaker, Col. Thomas
O'Brien, Judge John w. Mason, Sam-
uel S. Green, Judge Hunter Moss, Jr.,
E. a. Bennett.
Both of these resolutions were voted
down, and in lieu of the latter an APP
preparation of 10000 was made for
counsel fees. Since then the defense Of
fered by the attorneys for the state has
been, to say the least, entirely salts
factory to the plaintiff in the case. The
demurrer lhaving been eVerruled, 1t
would appear that the state a6-
ministration might take the people In
to it's confidence to the extent OF adj
vising them what defense they have to
offer when the suit comes up on Its
merit. since the state has been brought
into this peril in these times of Repub-
iican machine control Perhapsit is re-
living on Messrs. Elkins, Scott, Hub
bard, SturgIss, Gaines, Hughes and
woodward to successfully impress on
Congress the views of one Of the great
est of Republican statesmen, as above
outlined.
A contrast of 1.-THE present predi'a-
ment, with the states position in the
past can scarcely he comforting TO
West Virginia Taxpayers, regard less OF
earty.
Respectfully,
William Campbell.