New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-08
Az INTERESTING CLAIM.

The State of Virginia is preparing 10
collect an ancient claim against the fed
eral government in which all the thir-
teen original states have a material in
tereSt. II the claim is sustained the
thirteen colonies which entered the con
federation and afterWaTd constituted
the federal Union will be in position
TO divide about $50 100000. the share
of each partner depending upon its popu-
lation during the confederation period.
The retiring Governor Of Virginia, MI.
Swanson, sent 4 message to the Legs
laTure last week il which he told the
story of the transaction which created
the liability in question. He also ad-
vised the legislature TO instruct the
states deiega ton in Congress TO urge 4
settlement on the United States.
Virginia, as is we'll known, magnani-
n,ously surrendered title 70 the land
claimed by her north of the Ohio River
when the Northwest Territory was Gre
ated and put under the control OF Con-
gress. Governor Swanson transmitted
70 the Legislature papers prepared by
the State Superintendent of Education.
DR.. Eggleston, and by Dr. Robert H
Fulton. Of the Miller Manual School. TO
proye that one of the SIX conditions al
tached by Virginia to the deed OF gift
was violated. although no waiver of its
provisions was ever secured by Con
sress. The unfulfilled condition, accord
ing to those authorities, was as fol-
lows:
That all the land within the territory
SO coded to the United States and not
reserved for or appropriated 10 any OF
the before mentioned purposes, or dis
posed Of in bOunties TO the officers and
soldiers Of the American army. shall be
considered as common fund for the use
and benefit OF such of the United States
as have become or shall become MEM
bers of the confederation or federal al
lance of the said states, Virginia IN
elusive according to their usual respec-
tive proportions in the general charge
and expenditure and shall be falthfuIiN
and bona fdC disposed of for that pur-
pose and for no other use or purpose
Whatsoever
1t is alleged on firginta'S behalf thdt
s.. S6S.212 acres of land and S2.930,6A 40
received from the sale of lands were dis
posed of by the United States for other
purposes than those mentioned in the
ceSSion stipulations. and that in conSe-
ouence neither Virginia nor any other OF
the original states received any benefit
from the common fund which should
have been established from these surplus
resources. Allowing Il value Of s. an
acre for the land diverted, the total COM
mon fund should have been about $50
0n0.1o0 without interest Virginia 5
share would he about S11. Jop. 600, and
the rest would be apportioned pro rata
among the other original states.
We notice that Major James {. Hemp
hill. OF The Charleston News and
Courier" and Colonel JosephuS Daniels,
of The Raleigh News and Observer
are already talking about what South
Carolina and North Carolina will do
with their shares of the recovered North
west Territory fund. Possibly North
Cardinals allotment will be levied on
by South Dakota or some other inconsid-
crate commonwealth which has been
enticed into accepting gifts of repudated
North Carolina bonds. New York VIII
probably not get excited over the pros
pect eff an addition of SI,010,QO0 or
SSlN0.9o0 to her treasury through such
4 curious windfall. Yet if Virginia :
claim is shown 10 be sound. modesty
ought not to deter the twelve other as
sociates in the confederation from ask
ing similar compensation for the repu-
diation OF a beneficial contract.