Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-03-21
A Tempest in a Teapot.

The Elchmond wing ana the Know
Nothing organ OF Richmond, as we'll as
some of the Know-Nothing members of
the Legislature. are making great fuss.
and attempting to manufacture deal Of
capital out Of the votes Of thirteen Demo
cratic members Of the House Of Delegates,
upon the bill to more effcctually prevent
the escape Of slaves. The bill provides
for the payment by tho State of a reward
Of $500 for such information as will lead
to the arrest and conviction Of any white
person engaged in carrying off negroes
from this Commonwealth To this bill,
Mr.. Newton. Of Taylor, offered ryder,
providing that this reward should be paid
from monies arising from fines, forGeitures
and confscations, and from the sale Of
free negro conyicts failing to leave the
State, after the expiration of their term of
imprisonment. This ryder was rejected,
and upon the final vote on the bill, the
following gentlemen voted in the mega
tive: Crabtree and Riggs, of Lee county;
Kelly. Of Russell Brandon. of Preston !;
Parsons. Of Hampshire George. of bod
bridge and Tyler; Barnes. of Marion /;
Caruthers and Lantz, of Monongalia /;
Kce, of Pendleton McIver, of Scott !;
Newton, of Taylor and Holden, OF Hari-
son. These gentlemen are charged with
abolitionism in conseq uence of this vote.
This charge the constituents of Mr.. Hol>
den cannot be made to believe, and we
have no doubt that it will be equally fuo
tile with regard to tho other gentlemen.
The following explanation was made the
next day, and We believe is considered
satisfactory:
''Mr. Newton rose to apersonal expla-
nation, and therefore a, matter of privilege.
He had been informed that reference had
been publicly made in this city to, the
votes given by himself, and twelve other
members agreeing with him in politics,
on the bill more efectually to prevent the
escape Of slaves; and in that reference it
had been sought to represent them as in
fected with Abolitionism aud untrue to
the State. lie gave to the imputation the
most positive contradiction. and denounc-
ed the accusation as false. He voted
against the bill because he objected to tie
payment of Tie regard to the intormer out
Of tie treasury. He desired that it should
be paid out Of the fund arising from fines
and for(citures under laws providing for
the punishment of persons aiding in the
escape Of slaves. He had offered an
amendment to this effect, for which thir-
ty.odd members had voted, and had that
amendment been adopted. he should have
v0ted for tie 5iil. He denied that this jus,
tiled the accusation. which had been made
against him, and repeated his denunci-
atoms Of it. FIT -
sin the course Of his remarks he declar-
ed that he thought it would have been
far the most prudent course to have paid
the reward, ($50o) to informers under the.
law, out of the fines and foEfeitures im>
posed on the abolitionists. He had been
informed by the chairman of the special
committee that they would be more than
sufficient for This purpose. He argued that
il would have been much more acceptable
to the people not owning slave property.
"Han tHo PaSmSuklol tue 3LuOuey out u the
treasury, which might be distasteful to
them and exercise bad feeling toward the
law.
"Mr. Holden took the same ground in
justification Of his vote as one of the thir-
teen"
Our readers will thus see upon how
fimsy q pFetext political capital. is
sought to be manufactured for the dark
lantern party.
9E Owing e a failure III the mil. our
--t t-r-.-,