American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-03-26


In the course of human events, Mr..
Editor, it became necessary for certain
"outs' to cndeavor to manufacture
some home made thunder, whereby to
foist themselves into the place of GER
tain sins - and hence il was resolved
in tho midnight conclave Of a certain
cliquc,'t get up meeting on Court
day, adept set Of resolutions, send
them forth to the world, and await
their operation upon the public mind !;
and on the 4th Thursday in May, 1859,
be gloriously elected to the Legislature
in the places now occupied by Messrs.
Alfred Nj. Barbour and Albert G. Da-
Wis. But the wisdom of these midnight
oreven midday caucusses is not always
potent; and the forecast Of those who
set the triggers does not always pre-
vent them from getting kicked by the
gun when the triggers aforesaid are
pulled and the gun goes off. Your
Reporter has heard of "breech loading
rifles" but that the gun that was fired
in the Court room on Monday was
loaded at the breech is more than pro-
ven by the way the offensive weapon
kicked. 1t has not been often that old
Monongalia has been called upon to
witness such a gathering as the meet,
ing on Monday. The meeting was
large and rcspcctablc-enthusastic &
brilliant. 1t will be remembered long,
and by none longer than those who got
1t up. But a truce to prcfacing-so /
must hasten on to give my promised
report of the proceedings and | will
give them fairly as memory serves me.
The meeting was proposed to ombo-
dy an expression of the public mind on
the subject Of internal improvements,
political economy, &c. &c. But how
supremely ridiculous this idea looks
when the fact is added, that up to the
ringing Of the Courthouse bell no pub.
tic notice had been given that such
meeting was to come off. Not one man
in fifty, who came to Morgantown on
Monday, knew that such u meeting was
contemplated. The Star had no call
for such n meeting-your paper was
silent on the suhject--and not even
handblll was issued to call tho people
together, or to apprizo the Taxpayers
what great ideas of State economy were
grooming for release from the craniums
Of Tie patriotic fnanciers whom the
cXigcncies OF these " hard times" have
brought before the gaze Of an aston
ishcd people. The object Of the meet
ing, to get at it as near as can, was
ostcnsibly to instruct our Delegates in
tho Legislature to go against any large
appropriations for internal improve
lnents. \ tolcrable crowd collected in
the Court room, and the doings were
very nc"ply as follows, gainsoy it who
may
SCENE 1.-John q. Lough, ESQ.
was called to the chair. Moved that
committee Of seven be appointed to
draft resolutions expressing the sense
Of this meeting. Motion Seconded
The chairman rose and put the qucs-
ton in a dignifed manner but the
motion "stuck;' not u solitary voice
responded aye or no to the proposition
or broke the profound silence that held
sway. The chairman waited a moment
or two, and then took his seat. The
circumstances were embarrassing even
to the " Honorable Court" land who
could Withstand such dead halt on
dead level" without embarrassment
The chair announced the fact, already
apparent, that "nothing a0as donc."
One of the leading spirits in the de-
monstration then thought it best to
explain, and to cnlighten the auditory
who had SO signalIy " Sung Manu. as
to the object in appointing the com
mittcc.
MessrS. Keck and Bunker stated in
further explanation, that the object of
the meeting was to instruct our Dele
gates in the Legislature to vote against
the large appropriations now before
that body.
The motion to appoint the committee
now prevailed. The committee was
appointed, and retired to draft the re.
solutions that had been carefully con-
ned Il written out in full, few nights
previous, and went into the meeting in
the pocket Of one Of its projectors.
Whom the committee retired, most
Of the meeting followed suit, and it was
not until an invitation was extended to
our citizens, wHhoW reSpsct to party,
to participate, that the meeting was at
MI respectable in point Of numbers
| Here J wish the reader to notice, as
he will in the sequel, that some Of our
citizens we're first invited to take part
in tho proceedings, and then wantonly
in doin0 90 and tyootod ,vitL |