Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-08-20

mandcd ac,ion-vigorous action ane
he was happy to say, tha. from the
high character of,he members of ,hi'
Convention, the various exciting to
pics, which were likely to arise dur
f ing the discussion would undoubtedly
bo treated in the spirit of candor ane
forbearance. We have arrived at {
crisis demanding the action of every
true friend of man. There was much
difference of opinion as to measures
and the clashing views ofdilferent per
sons would perhaps be best brough!
to harmonize, by a, free and candid
discussion. For this he looked, il
the fullest confidence, that the action
of the Convention would be of such a
nature as to promote the cause ottem'
perance and the general welfare Of
the public. ~
Rev. Mr.. Tinsley, of Albemarle,
moved the appointment ofa commit,
tee to prepare business for the Con-
ven,ion.
Mr.. Minor Of the State Central
Committee, moved that it consist OF
seven persons; whereupon the chair
appointed Rev. Mr.. Tinsley, L. Mi
nor, A. T. Speak, J. T. L. Preston,
Mr.. Tilden, DR.. Trent, and DR. Gam
bell.
MIR. H. Magruder then proposed
the following rules Of order, which
were adopted:
l. Resolcsd, That no member shall
speak oltener than twice on any ques-
ton, nor more than twenty minutes
each time, without the unanimous
consent of the convention.
2. That the Concurrence ofl0 mem
bers shall be sufficient to sustain a
call for the previons question.
3. That whenever demanded by 10
members, any question shall be de-
termined by county delegations, each
county represented being allowed the
same vote as in the House Of Dele
gates.
4. That in all other particulars, the
convention will be governed by the
rules Of the House Of Delegates, SO
faras they are applicable.
Rev. Pattison Fletcher, Of Jeffer-
son, made an enquiry as to the fate OF
the memorials which had been pre-.
pared in pursuance of resolution of
the convention held at Staunton in
August last. He stated that he had
no, heard what had become ofthem,
tbur believed -Thar most, II noe r-aii,JtfIe
political papers in the State had ops
posed them.
Mr.. sturdivan,, in reply to the ques-
ton Of tho Rev. gentleman, said that
the entire plan had failed, not from a.
ny dcreliction from duty on the part
Of the Central Committee, but be-
cause the subordinate committees, in
the different counties, had failed to do
theirs. Instead of forwarding the
petitions to the Central Committee,
SO that they might be brought to bear
en- masss upon the Legislature, they
had consigned them to the tender mer-
cies of individual members, upon
whom they exerted the same effect as
drops of water upon mill.stones, OF
the rains upon the granite Of the hills:
They came in few at a time, and
the first branch were referred to the
Committee on Finance, and finally
sen, b ack to the chairman as contain
Ing matter beyond his comprehen:
sion. Thence they were sent to the
Committee on Courts Of Justice. o.
ther petitions, as they came in from
time 10 time, were laid on the table,
or under it, though, at the same time,
it was believed that two thirds of the
legal voters of the city of Richmond
were opposed to the liquor traffic
Some members didn't like to present
the petitions a, al, but held them at
arms length, asifthey had a bad smell
or as if they dare hardly touch them
with pair of tongs. One man was
in a great quandary for long while
whether to present a petition at all
or not, though signed by one third of
the population ofhis district. He yves
in doubt whether this was specimen
gilmore of the same SOFT to come and
feared, that in case he should present
it, that he might give serious offence
to the other two thirds ofhis constitu'
epcy. In this dilemma he received
second petition, signed by all the Ia.
dies and children in his district, and
he at last presented it. Now these
petitions never had, and never were
expected to have, much effect upol
the legislature. They were intended
to exert an influence elsewhere d
mong tho people. But the effect o
the petitions was, in great measure
lost, from the manner in which they
were presented. They fell into the
hands of Tom, Dick and Harry. aud
they Jared of course, as Tom, Dick
and Harry happened to feel on the m
subject ofrum drinking and rum sell
Rev. Mr.. Fletcher. of Jefferson
called on the delegatosto state, dur
ING the absence Of the committee or