Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-01-05

tUal, feryent prayer of a righteous man, avail
ETH much, and we devoutly pray that our
Congress may always select and appoint such
men to lead their devotional exercises.
A FIsHcREEEER,
In behalf of the citizens of Marshall county.
In May 1877, the delegates of the several
States assembled in Philadelphia, with a view to
the formation of a constitution for the better
government of the Union. OF this ilustrious
body, Washington was unanimously chosen Pres
ident. Daring the session the following occur
rences took place The account thereof, in its
present form, was written in the year 1925, by
an intimate friend of the youngest member of
the convention. The part here given is that re-
lating to the reconsideration of the provision
which had been made in the begipning, for the
representation of the States in the Senate. 1t
had been determined, that representation should
be according to population. To this principle
the representatives from the four smaller states
objected. They moved a reconsideration, and
expressed their purpose of Withdrawing from
the convention, unless the constitution was so
modified, as to give each state an equal represen
tation.
'"There was much warmth, says the writer
referred to, and some acrimonious feeling exhib-
tied by a number of the speakers; arupture APP
peared almost inevitable, and the bosom of
Washington seemed to labor with the most anx
ious solicitude for its issue. Happily for the
United States, the convention contained some
individuals possessed of talents and virtues of
the highest order, whose hearts were deeply in
terested in the establishment of a new and eff
tlclent form of government, and whose penetra-
ting minds had already deplOred the evils which
would spring up in our newly-established Re-
public, should the present attempts to consoli.
date 1t prove abOrtive. Among these person
tages, the most prominent was DIR. Franklin. He
was esteemed the mentor of our body. To a
mind naturally strong and capacious, enriched
by much reading, and the experience of many
years, he added a manner of communicating his
thoughts peculiarly his own, in which simplicity,
beauty, and strength, were equally conspicuous.
AS soon as the angry orators who had preceded
him had left him an opening, the Doctor rose,
evidently Impressed with the weight of the sub
Iject before them, and the difficulty of manage
ing it successfully"
Ina speech, as given by the writer, the Doctor
urged the consideration of the great interests
involved in the issue of their deliberations. and
proposed n recess of three days, for cool relec-
ton and impartial conversation among the mem
bers respecting their conflicting views and opin-
ions, that they might return to the discussion
of the subject before them with more tranquil
and amicable feelings. He then concluded in
the following words:
Before l sit down, Mr.. President, L will sus-
gest another matter; and l am really surprised
that it has not been proposed by some other
member at an earlier period of our deliberations.
L will suggest, Mr.. President,Lth proprietyE of
nominating and appointing, before We separate,
a chaplain to this convention. whose dntv it
shall be uniformly to assemble with as, and in.
troduce the business Of each day by an address
to the Creator of the universe, and the Cover.
nor of all nations, besecching Him to preside in
our council, enlighten our minds with a portion
OF heavenly wisdom, influence our hearts with
a love of truth and justice, and crown our Ia
bors with complete and abundant success"
The Doctor sat down; and never did / be-
nod a countenance at once SO dignified and de-
lighted, as was that of Washington at the close
of this address; nor were the members of the
convention, generally, less affected. The words
OF the venerable Franklin fell upon our ears with
a weight and authority, even greater than we
may suppose an oracle to have had in a Roman
senate! A silent admiration superseded for a
moment the expression of that assent and ap-
probation which was strongly marked on al
most every countenance; L say almost-for one
man was found in the convention, Mi. - of
=, who rose and said, with regard to the first
motion OF the honorable gentleman, for an adj
lJournment, he would yield his assent; but he
protested against the second motion for the ap-
polntmeDt of a chaplain. He then commenced
a high-strained eulogium on the assemblage of
wisdom, talent, and experience which the con-
vention embraced; declared the high sense he
entertained of the honor which his constituents
conferred,o on him in making him a member of
that respectable body; said he was confidently
OF opinion that they were competent to transact
the business which had been entrusted to their
care; that they were equal to every exigency
that might occur; and concluded by saying,
that, therefore, he had not seen the necessity of
foreign aid!
Washington fixed his eye upon the speaker
with a mixture of surprise and Inclination.
while he uttered this iinpertinent and impions
then looked around to see in what
manner 1t affected others. They did not leave
a moment to doubt-no one deigned to re-
Ply, or take the smallest notice of the speaker,
but the mnfInn fDP 0nnOintirD -.I
instantly seconded and carried; whether under
the silent disapprobation of Mr.. - or his
solitary negative, 1 do not r~ecollect. The mo.
ton for an adjournment was then put, and car
ried unanimously; and the convention adjourn
ed accordingly.
''The three days of recess were spent in the
manner advised by DIR. Franklin; the opposite
parties mixed with each other, and a free and
frank interchange of sentiments took place. on
the fourth day we, assembled again; and il great
additional light had not been thrown on. the
subject, every itntriendty feeling had been ex-
PEELED; and a spirit of Cancellation had beens,
cultivated, which promised, at least a ecrI,n and
dlsPassionate TeeoHsiderdtioa of the subject.
SAS soon as the chanlnin had cIosa1 he 49, L.