The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-07-01
VIRGINIA CAN'T SEIZE
SOVEREIGN PROPERTY
VETERAN LEGISLATOR SAYS
sUCH WOULD VIOLATE
CONSTITUTION
Hon. Ssptimvs Hall Thinks Credits
Due West Virginia Were Over
iookso-Thinks Debt e.
cessive-

The constitution OF the United
States stands as q shield OF protection
against virginia's taking over any Of
our sovereign State property In an
attempt to collect the alleged debt OF
twelve million dollars. according TO
the decision of the United States Su-
IRENE Court ~ recently handed
down"
The above statement was made by
Hon Septimus Hall. the veteran mem
Der OF the West Virginia House OF
Delegates. while At the n. 4 o. sta
ton. last evening. to take his train
for home at New Martfnsvflle. Mr.
Hall continued by saying that there
bad been considerable discussion by
the people about virginia's stepping
In and taking over some OF our State
Institution In an effort TO collect the
Indebtedness. but that that could not
possibly be done unless the constitu-
ton OF the United States was violated.
When asked about q similar case q
few years ago. when property beiong e
Ing to the State of North Carolina was
| eeized In payment Of q Judgment
against that commonwealth. Mr.. Hall
said that only q large amount OF rail-
road bonds belonging to North Caro-
lima were levied upon. and that that
kind OF property was not considered
sovereign State property.
Has West Virginia any similar
property that might be seized In such
a manner" was asked.
Cannot eelxe Property.
Mr.. Hall said he was not positive,
but intimated that West Virginia pos
sesses no such property: that the only
property she owns Is literally sover-
eign holdings. and that the constitu-
ton OF the United States declares
that this kind OF property shall not
be seized. which seizure would cause
an uprising of the people. and such an
act would be nothing but anarchy"
declared the veteran legislator.
| When The Intelligencer printed yes
terday that Mr.. Hall was reported
through a second persona supposed
personal friend and reliable man
that 'the debt should be paid, and the
quicker the better" Mr.. Hall declared
that The Intelligencer's informant did
not quote him correctly. Last evening
Mr.. Hall said that he did not know
how the. state OF Virginia was going
about II to collect the debt from West
Virginia
He said that the amount assessed
was too large. In his opinion. for the
reason that the full amount OF equities
or just amount OF offset" that could
have been used before the Supreme
Court. was not entered into. Mr.. Hall
went into detail explaining his conten-
ton on this point. saying that the
reason the Offsets" were not INTRO
duced before the court was that the
attorneys who had had charge OF the
litigation before the last attorneys had
been engaged. had put their defense
in such condition that the latter attor-
neys could not present the Offsets"
in a convincing and equitable manner.
At this juncture Mr.. Hall paid a
glowing tribute TO the attorneys VINO
argued the case for West Virginia be-
fore the United States Supreme court.
Credits Were Overlooked.
Mr.. Hall, In enumerating the off
sets" that were not used before the
court in reducing the total amount of
West Virginia's Indebtedness. stated
that no credit was given this state in
money expended in construction OF the
state capitol and other institutions
which Virginia used. These improve
ments continued from 1922 to 1851"
said Mr.. Hall. II speak particularly
OF that period when I say that these
equitable Offsets" were not used in
the attempt to reduce the total al
legged Indebtedness OF this state %
Virginia. which would have amounted
20 several million dollars"
When asked what steps could be
taken now TO reduce the amour. OF the
said Indebtedness and how would
Virginia proceed in collecting the debt,
Mr.. Hall gave out no specific solu-
ton but continued to declare that
there were different opinions on these
questions, again saying that there
should be no apprehension on the
part OF West Virginia people that The
state OF Virginia can seize any OF the
public institutions and that II the on
sets" had been used IN the FIRST place
in the proper and equitable manner
that the supreme court would have
doubtless considered the Offsets" and
consequently the total amount that
the court declared this state owed Vir-
ginia would have been much smaller.
Mr.. Hall gave out no expression as to
his opinion OF how. when and by what