The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-04-25
HAMILTON
tcontipued from page One.1

West Virginia not by virtue Of any
provision OF the constitution. but
under our absolute power, which the
laws Of war give US in the circum-
stances IN which we are placed. /
shall vote for this bill upon that
theory and that alone for | will not
stultity myself by supposlng. that we
have any warrant in the constitution
for this proceeding"
Even President Lincoln was ad-
visited by his attorney general and
other members OF his cabinet that
the formation of West Virginia. "a
proposed, was not warranted by the
constitution and that on account OF
Its revolutionary character it would
be highly inexpedient and improper.
Present Lincoln recognized the
truth of this advice, but consented to
the formation OF West Virginia as a
matter of necessity tending to assist
in the preservation of the govern
ment. In written opinion he
said: THE division of this state is
dreaded as a precedent, but the
measure made expedient by war is
no precedent in time OF peace.
believe that the admission OF West
Virginia is expedient."
Mr. Hamilton cited as an evidence
that President Lincoln acted from
military necessity, the fact that his
approval of the West Virginia bill
was given on December 81, 1862,
and that on January l, 1863, he is
sued the final proclamation for the
emancipation of the slaves.
Having shown in this way that
the formation OF West Virginia was
permitted purely and entirely as \
matter of military necessity in time
of war and that it was in effect con-
quered territory taken from vlr-
ginia, which was then at war with
the United States, Mr.. Hamilton
took up other similar cases in the
history OF the United States and
showed that with the single excep-
ton OF the Northwestern territory,
which was ceded by Virginia, the
government had paid for all terri
tory acquired by conquest, through
dispute or otherwise, and that in al
most every case it has also assumed
the payment OF all debts chargeable
against the territory so acquired.
Mr.. Hamilton cited the case of
Texas, in which this government
paid Mexico not only SIS, 100000
for certain conquered territory, but
also paid debts. amounting to more
than $5.OO0,O00. He also cited the
acquisition ofrthe Philippines when
this country not only paid 100000
900 for the Islands, but assumed all
debts owed by Spain to citizens of
this country and has paid such
debts, aggregating almost $780,
1000. He spoke of dispute over the
boundary lines of Georgia in which
the government paid Georgia &c.
100000 and undertook to assume
the Obligations resting upon the ter
rltory purchased. Other instances
were cited by Mr.. Hamilton to show
that almost without exception this
government had assumed the indebt-
edness of territory acquired by it in
whatever manner He showed that
the payment to Mexico and the as
sumption of the debt of the territory
thus taken was approved by Henry
Clay; that the payment by the gov
eminent of West virginia's part of
the state debt was approved by
James G. Blaine and that the pay
ment for the Philippines and the as
sumption of their debt was favored
by William j Bryan and these
three men he considered among this
country's greatest statesmen.