Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-08-02
Will KEEP THE COUNTIES.

WILL KEEP THE COUNTIES.
The inspired writer IS contributing 10 the city
papers trying 70 sentiment against west Yir-
snia in the famous Virginia debt suit case Is moi very
familiar with the aueston he tries argue lie should
first know that It has proven that West vr.
ginia owes the Mother State a debt The best legal
talent in the State has agreed tha and while there
has been an adverse decision rendered the qnson ii
no nearer solution than II was at its Inception
When he tries 70 argue that West Virginia would DC
willing 10 give old Virginia the Eastern Panhandle or
tho counties Of summers Mercer and Monroe it il eva
dent that he is having pipe dream Neither Is for
sale and their transfer g Virginia would not pay Tie
debt because We debt TO the old state. It's The
hondholders who arc puehng The question They claim
that West Virginia owes them.
The facts are these The debt contracted by vir
MIA before Tie civil the bonds we're purchased by
spectators and should anything recovered virginia
would not profit Tho hondholders would gel the money
they purchased the bonds long before West Virginia
became a State. Il is war debt and made so by the
Federal Government
The question not heard Of until the Republican
State Machine became strongly entenchcd in power in
this State. Then some Of its members who own part
OF the bonds, began urging that suit be Instituted
which done and the people know the rest Many
months previous to the courts decision the ad
sanced on Wall street materially. Through roach
cry and shrewd manipulation forced into court
and compelled to make defense of a debt we never
contracted
Should West Virginia owe debt to the Mother state
there is not a good citizen the state who would re
fuse to become party to the payment of It, Bui when
ii TO trying TO force the payment of something
unjust and arguing that the State willing give up
part her territory in the payment OF such Is unrea
sonabie and only the dream of a wandering mind
The idea Of surrenderng the Eastern Panhandle or
three other counties is ludcrous to command
ton The Eastern Panhandle is composed of 1926
square miles and is worth approximately s5ooooooo
The counties Of Summers, Monroe aud Mercer have
1260 square miles and their valuation is placed $2e
100000 by surrendering the former Virginia would
us S2000000 and by giving up the latter would s
one-thrd of the debt If il is the lnspired writer
says be the staggering of more than $sooooo0o
principal and interest"
For the edffuation this INSPIRED writer" a little
history might be place. Berkeley ard Jeffer
son counties were not included in West Virginia the
time OF the admission into the Union On January 81
1868. the Assembly, under the Reorganzed Government
passed for Berkeley, and the ensuing 9TH of
March for Jefferson providing that elections be hold in
each and n majority OF the votes be in favor Of
becoming part of West Virginia then the chief execu
tive Of the Reorganized Government should certify the
result the Governor of West Virginia This done
and August s. 1863 the Legislature of West Virginia
PASSED admitting Berkeley county, and by sim
liar enactment November 2nd following, Jefferson
was made a part of the State.
on December s, 1866 the Virginia Assembly, sitting
at Richmond, repealed the act Of 1868 by which the
counties question transferred to West Virginia
Then authorities Of that State appealed to The 39h
Congress and March 3 1866 that body passed act
declaring these counties to be subject TO the jurisdiction
OF the state the if they had been part Of
at the time OF its formation. Virginia then brought
suit against West Virginia in The Supreme Court Of the
United tine recovery OF the counties The case
was argued the December OF that trbual in 1866
but no decision reached and il not again called
until December, 1870 when IL heard a second time
and decision rendered in favor of tho defendant
West Virsinia-hree of the judges. Davis Clifford and
Field dissenting Thus determined the area aud
boundaries of the State they have since existed
Being unfamiliar with the history OF the and dc
string aid the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company
in IT'S fight to dodge taxation it is not surprising that
such a udcrous statement should be made that West
Virginia is willing surrender part Of her territory IN
payment of debt she does NOT West Virginia
people viii submit to Lewiston Of the state to
satisfy the bondholders pay any obligation After
has decided that must pay the debt it viii be
ample time discuss the method OF raising the money.
AN ELASTIC CURRENCY
From point Of view there may be no good reason