Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-03-12
SENATE CHAMBER, Feb. 80, 1858.
Charles Houtoa, Esq.

toENt Ii Sah" SSe' ~ sSSo'
Charles Hooton, Esq.
Dear Sir-Yours Of yesterday is
before me, in which you ask my opin-
| i'm in relation 10 the arrangement be.
tween The River and Mountain coun.
lies Of our Congressional District,
based upon the resolutions Of the
Blucksvile Convention Of 1915. /
was not q member Of that Convention,
nor have seen the resolutions from
the lime they were first published IN.
Ill my attention was recently called T."
them, in view If u difficulty. likely 10
mise in the district, in relation to III,
proper construction to he placed upon
The particular wording Of one oitlIem.
| | was, from the beginning, opposed III
the introduction !ofany such arbitrary
rule, by which the people were to 10
deprived Of the free choice II tho cui-
dida,e from auy portion Of the district
in which they might Sue proper IL
make the selection.
The resolutions referred to were a.
dopted by the Convention which nom.
mated Mr.. Brown, of Preston, WI"
served four years in Congress, and
then, in obediencetothe arrangement,
gave way to the nomination OF u River
county man. Mr.. Newman was nom-
mated and elected, but died before Ia.
king his seat, which made special
election necessary to fill the vacancy.
A Convention was called, and Col.
Thompson was nomiuated-lhe Noun
tain counties did not present candi.
date. The Wings Of tho District,
however, nominated Col. Raymond
as their candidate, aud the regular
nominee Of the Democratic party was
beaten.
Some time in tho winter of'50-'5I.
another Convention was held to nom.
Innate democratic candidate for Con-
press, and Col. Thompson was again
selected without opposition, so far as
known. Col. Raymond was again
nominated by the Whiss-but in This
contest was beaten, and Col. Thomp.
son elected. He having, in the mean.
time, been elected Judge Of the Cir
cult Court, resigned his seat in Con.
rress, to take effect near the close OF
the first session. leone now to speak
of the views which governed my own
course on this occasion. Being soliti-
tied by friends from different sections
of the district to become candidute,
and entertaining the belief that tho
mountain counties would be entitled
to the candidate ut the next regular
election (which comes Oft this spring.
according to the arrangement, call
ed on the delegates from those coun-
ties, in the General Assembly then in
session, 10 know if their people intend.
ed to press their claim to tie candida
cy, for the next regular term !. on
being answered in the affirmative,
Immediately Informed my friends lat
Ii could not consent to become can
didate for one session only, and aad.
yised that no candidate be presented
by The river counties. My coulisels
did not prevail. A Convention was
} without opposition. Ihave now given
you succinct history Of the work.
ings Of this ill.advised arrangement.
and the views ! have taken Of its
+, meaning. That other views have been
} entertained. I am well aware, but that
they exist 10 any great extent in the
river counties. l do not know.
The agitation of the question is Of
recent date, consequently ! am not
: prepared to speak from personal OBJ.
servation; but so far as ! am inform.
: ed, do not apprehend any great diff
: ficul.y in the settlement of that qaes-
ton by aregularly organized conven-
ton, which, | hope, will satisfactorily
arrange all matters of difficulty, ifany
; should exist, and then expunge from
the records Of our party those Blacks
vile resolutions which serve only to
clog and embarrass its action. and
render success doubtful in the strong
est democratic district in the State.
With my best wishes f'r yourself,
and for the peace and harmony oflhe
district, permit me to subscribe myself,
Yours. &c. J. r. MARTIN.