Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-02-18

that il was useless to think of sue ceeding, I'M
less the Court House question was permitted to
rest; and that knew the people of Wheeling
were willing ii should rest. Indeed, sir, the
whole county were anxious to postpon the
| consideration of that question The county
had tecn severely taxed for police purposes; in
one year as high as three dollars on each 1.-THE
| able: the ia, of the county was III an unsafe
and dllapidatcd state; prisoners had made their
| escape; It became necessary to purchase lot
and erect new Jail; number of the bridges
| Of the county wanted expensive repairs, and at
other places new ones were necessary.
i By this means tho taxes bocamo burthensome to
the citizens ofthe county-yos, Sir, almost intol-
erablc. This accounts for the willingness of the
parties to postpone, for Il time, tho consideration
of the question. The citizens of the lowcr part of
the county rcscrving themselves the right of re-
ncwng tho attack, whenever tho other party should
commence the onset. Under these circumstances,
! ut a numerous and highly respectable meeting of
the citizens of tho lower end of the county, they
passed a resolution, think, in these words:-Re-
solved that this meeting authorize our candidate
to say if elected we, of the lower end of tho
ty will not be the first to agiate tho CourtfIouso
question. Even by this resolution, if their candi
date had not boon elected, they had right TO re-
new the agitation of this question:; which have
no doubt would have been the case. And, sir, per-
nit me horo to say, and say it without hesitation,
that believe the adoption of that resolution by
the meeting, was the means of my election; with
out it, there is strong probability that should
have been defeated; with it, aflor n three days
campaign, which enabled the citizens from tho low
er end OF the county to attend tho polls was only
elected by a small majority of twenty votes-fur
behind, Sir the two first days of the election.
| But who have first agtatod this question: Not
the people of the lower end of tho county; have
| they not boon perfectly silent for years on that
subject My colleague says that it is mere ques.
! ton between the Corporation and the Justices of
the county, d not agitatod by the people or by
Jority Of them. Sir, it is matter of perfect ndf-
ference Tor us to know whether the people, or
majority OF tho people, corporate body, or the
Justices of the Peace, agitatc this question: wke-
thcr the object is to the Court house out of
the street. or to somo other street. We know that
the question is agitated, and agitated too, by the
Justices OF tho upper ond of the county, and feel
1t not only my privilege but my duty, to act and
TO act on that side of the question that may
dictate or justice demand.
The county Court of Ohio, at their last November
term, appointed Commissioners with directions to
purchase lot, and contract for erecting the public
buildings thereon Those Commissioners have, in
part discharged that duty; they have mado pur-
| chase of lot at s., 000-whether those proceed
| ings wero intended to foresta the proceeding of
this House, shall not now pretend to say-And,
| IN addition, there is your table, an appli-
cation from the County Court, praying for the pas
sage of law authorising that court to raise an
additional sum of $40, 900, by lcvying a tax the
property OF the county, for the purpose of build
ing Courthouse and Clerks Office. 1t does,
therefore, appear to me- that if tho people are to
pay this sum, that they should have some guaran-
: portion of the county will be impartally consulted
Row is that to be done-by the County Court?
No, Sir A portion of the people lack faith in
that tribunal; they would believe it to be any thing
rather than just guardian of the equal rights and
interest of every portion of the county. They
are Sir. III strong sense of the word, a selfcon-
stitutcd body-they, to certain degree porpetu.
ate their own existence, and thereby retain their
! own illegitimate power. The records of the Ex-
ecutive Department of this Government, will prove
tins fact, that whenever tho court have recon-.
mcndad tho appointment of one Justice in the low
er part OF the county, they seldom fail to accom-
pany that recommendation with one recommend
ing two or three in the upper part, for the sole
purpose OF ParalyzDg any influence which the first
| recommendation might produce Your petitioners
Dclieve that the court have done them inius
| tice-wlli you send them back to that tribunal
for redress? Will they be satisfied if thew ara
to be told that the court shall direct the entire
oestIny OF the county? / sure they will not
NY colleague insists that am bound to have the
court house removed to Elizabeth, if possible
| Eiizabethtown has claims, which wish NAV bo
lihPartiaiy heard; and am induced to believe
rom the sensitiveness of my very worthy friend
ana the excitement produced by that otherwise
harmless petition) in Wheeling, that they believe
so too Ezabethtown possesses a beautiful and
commanding Stuation is rapidly increasing in po
pulation, surrounded by rich and fertile country
capable of sustaining dense population with ali
the advantages OF a healthy situation, never sub
Ject to inundation-and does appea. to have been
designed by Nature, for place of great CONNER
cIal and domestic enterprises. / wish, therefore
her claims to be heard, and heard, too by an inn
Parlai tribunal; but not to the exclu sion of the
claims OF Wheeling, any other section of the
county. l will 60 farther, and say, that |
wish TO 90 injustice to part Of the coun-
| W. wish the claims o! all and every part to
DC attended to. | wish tho Commissioners
to examine for themselves the whole county
! 40 not want tribunal whose judgments NAV have
been already forostaled. / will not nominate or
vote for If put in nomination, any individual Who
nave reason to believe, has fixed predeterni
hation or partlality for any section of the
county over that of another. And if Wbeelino
possesses all those commanding and controllin9
Tor the continuation of the Seat of Justice
there, possessing as she does, the wealth. talent
ana population, with other strong claims which I
auinh with great peasure-why then this sensi
uveness OF my worthy colleague on that subiect7
WIN not disinterested Commissioners rive her
claims fair and candid hearing? Ifthey are honest
men, VIII they not do her justice, or is it Justice
! tnat they loarf What is the prayer Of those nett
tIonersi Is it to remove the Seat of Justice from
wheeling, right or wrong7 Do they designate
any particular spet in the county for its loeaton7
Nothlng like it. / did not believe there could
nave been conflicting opinion on this subject
am still asked, if am not directed to have the
Court-douss removed to Elizabeth am directed
oy my judgment, and sense of duty, to support
and carry into effect the prayer of that petition
ana nothing more. Read that petition and then
IL may be known how far l am directed. Now
sir, we neither ask modestly, nor IN any other
way Tor the removal Of tho Seat of Justice from
wheeling, unless Justice should say that it ought
do ask its removal. ~ "
WY coi'eagus says Inc cannot any WEIGH, in rnv ar
s", 10 'ea'ob 10 The law of the 9th of Dec. 1897
',' ud''or agree with me ~ my conclusions Surely
% Cop'eu 10 dliieT as widely with him his constI,c
on OF that law, as is possible for him TO differ viii, mo
in nine. - ~ " UNIV WI" '"e
I'll.