Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-01-25
GOVERNOR RECOMMENDS
ACTION BY LEGISLATURE
In His Special Document to the GEN
erai Assembly, Swanson Shows
That the Commonwealth should be
Paid About st2,ooo,oo0 by the Unit
ed ssates-Urges an Investigation.

RltDMONl', VA, jan. S-.-bu't'-
nor Swanson today transmitted mes
sage to the general assembly. IN
which he claims and argues at some
length to show that the federal gov
ernment owes the State OF Virginia
about the seventh of sS0.000,000 for
lands north of the Ohio river. cedea
by Virginia, but for which there IS
and has never been, settlement
The message is as follows:
To the General Assembly OF virginia:
Superintendent OF Public lnstruc-
ton J. ID. Eggleston. and DIR. Robert
b. ulton, superintendent of the Mil
Ter School. have called to my atten-
ton a large claim which the State
of Virginia has against the federal
government arising from the cession
TO the United States OF the vast ter
ritory once possessed By this Com
monwealth north of the Ohio river.
DR.. Fulton has. at the request of Su-
perintendent Eggleston and myself,
for sometime been making a thor
ough investigation OF this matter. and
he's complied a complete and detailed
statement OF tbs claim. which APP
pears to establish its Justice and ie-
gsfiJy. and imposes upon me the duty
OF transmitting the facts and infor-
nation obtained by him to you Tor
consideration and action.
Prominent firginians, Including
Commodore Maury and Supcrinten-
dent Of Public Instruction Eggieston,
Dr. William II. Ruffner, have present
! ed in writings and reports this claim
of the State of Virginia.
Succintly stated. the claim present
ed Is as follows:
virginia's Claims.
The vast territory norta OF the ONO
river was included in Virginia's orig
insI charter of 1893. which charter
was prior to the charter OF other
states and which territory was IN
cluded in the boundaries of Virginia
when she asserted her independence
and organ zed her government as
sovereign State In 1875. This teri
tory. in addition to being Virgiuia's
by charter rights, became hers also
by conquest, since l. was conIuert
nom the British By Virginia troops,
commissioned by the governor and
council of Virginia The expenses in
Cured by these troops in this con-
quest we're paid out Of the treasury
| Of this Commonwealth. Virginia was
in actual possession and control OF
this territory until her cession to the
| federal government and the accept
ance Of her cession by the federal
government. Prior to this cession
this territory was organized as the
county of Illinois. and held as a part
OF the state. Thus, by charter rights.
/ by conquest. and by actual possession
this territory ceded constituted a part
OF Virginia. The fac. that the United
States government derived title 20
this tcrTitCry by ccssiOn and deed OF
conveyance made by Virginia 10 The
/ United States government has been
clearly and distinctly recognized by
| the S-preme Court OF the United
States In the case Of "Handley's Les
sec VS.. Anthony. 5.h Wheaton, page
| 37f.- In this case. the opinion OF
which vas rendered by Chief Justice
Marshall. the court decided. In fxiEg
the boundary lines tetween the state
Of Kentucky and the State Of Indiana.
that the boundary line Of Indiana
must be determined ty the cession
made By the State Of Virginia TO the
United States government and the
terms and limitations contained n
| that -ccssion. since the tile OF the
1 United states to the territory vas
derived from THE cessson Of the state
Of Virginia. The opinion o. this court
was further sustained b. The general
court ~ Virginia in tEc case Of Com
monwoaifh W. Garner. I'd Gra,ou'
page $50 Thas the gTior rights Of
virginia 10 this territory has been
ind cialiy determined.
Accepted the Conditions
In the act Of Virginia making NC
cc..-.sn Of this large territory 10 TIC
United States and w the Decd 81 con
vcyancc IN pursuance Of the act 'o'
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