Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-05-17
THE WEsTKRN VIRGINIA OONvEN-
TION.
IEaiiOriai ColsssPOniepse.
WHEsrrse, Va, Nay Is

NJ AAs WAtSg ANhAAe N-~ AeSA NfN-
resolution Of instruction offered BY Mr.. Car
lie. Nr, W. said he bad been Threatened
tor his coarss, bat would not be deferred BY
threats, any more than be was at Richmond
He repeated his statement that the formation
Of E broviSionaI government would be an in
surrection which it would be the duty of the
Federal Government 10 assist Gov. Letcher
to suppress. Hsseaa from DE Virginia stat
utes to show that the organization of a pro-
visional government was treason against the
State, forgetting that Virginia itself had
committed the most outrageous treason
against the Constitution of the United States.
he said ,hat eight or ten Of tie counties
which were proposed TO be included in the
new State, were not. represented here. But
Mr.. Carlile has made an amendment to his
resolution to-day, providing for submitting
the ordinance Of separation to the people on
the 2sd. MIR. W. proceeded % depict AL the
horrors and desolaiion which would follow
the passage of this ordinance Of separation,
and begged the Convention, for Gods sake
to pause before they brought this ruin upon
themselves and their country. A military
dictatorship would be one result but be
should have remembered that the Star Cham
Der at Richmond had established military
despotism over the State. BE recommended
standing where they were for the present
under the good Stats Government, and trust
70 the future. He thought after time the
eastern portion of the State and the South
erners would have enough to do at home
and would be much more manageable. He,
"as law-abiding Virginian," would never
lend himself to the proposed means OF ac-
cOmplishing the object, which is very evi-
dent to anybody who had heard the honorA-
BILE gentleman through bis labored speech.
Mr.. Paulsley, Of Mason county, followed.
BE had been mortified at the report Of the
proceedings during yesterday and a part
Of to-day. He spoke highly OF Messrs.
jackson, Wiley, Carlile, &c. He referred to
the early days when Virginia had been be-
traTed by atreacherous Governor, as now.
He had as little physical courage as any man
in the be use, but the cry OF q treason " had
been rung in his ears too often to fear it now.
The speech which had been made had ad-
vised the Convention to count the cost and to
beware of treason. II this was treason, it
had already been Committed, and if we were
here to count the cost, we had better go home.
Rashness and fearlessness may be prudence
sometimes, A sloW-match was now applied
TO Western Virginia. Who would take their
lives in their hands and snatch away the match.
Men might cry "peace, peace, but there is
and can be no peace. Foreign troops were
upon US; let us snatch away the slow match
before it exploded, he thought. it WAS folly
now 70 introduee the word treason. We
had no state government. The whole State
was in a state Of anarchy We have moth
ing to say or do now with treason. There is
no State Government to commit treason
against. The act Of secession By the State
Convention had in effect abdicated all the
State officers, and all the State authorities had
surrendered all their powers to the Confede-
rate States, and in doing that had surrender
ed all powers of the Stale. By what au-
thsrity is John Leteher Governor Of Vir-
Rinia3 He vas elected under the 0. S. Con-
stituiion. That Constitution has been de-
clared by him null and void By what pow
er then does he hold his Officer Rightfully,
he has abdicated and we are in anarchy. II
so, he sOoner We adopt some kind Of organ
izaticn the better. What did California de,
to protect themselves from snarchy2 They
organized proTisiOnsl government knock
ed at the door Of Congress, and were admit
ted as q free and independent State. We
have the right, il we viii, to establish q pro
visional government not only for ourselves,
but for he IDhole State.
Mr. Carlile-H this Convention viii
agree to that suggestion, am with them
heart and hand. (Applsase.)
Mr.. jackson, of Wood, "a son of General
JacksOn) moved that hereafter, the COnven-
vention set with closed doors.
Mr.. Pierpont had an unuttsrable abhOrrence
of going into secret session for the transac-
ton Of business which must ultimately 60
forth to the world. BE was willing to let
the whole word know what We were doing
Mr.. Lazier offered an insane amendment
that the clergy and ladies' be excepted. Good
heavensl has Mr.. LazieF lived for City yeats
and not learned that the ladies would circu-
late the dOings Of the body more than the
press could possibly do2 He must be taken
charge of by committee of ladies.
Mr. Carlile would aeouiesce in the
adoption of the resolution, if it would con-
duce to harmony and Cancellation.
- FTTT'TFT ftLEkI ltH
Mr.. Hubbard commenced to impugn the
motives Of Bir. oarii1e, when he was called to
Mr.. Burdett favored secret session.
Mr.. jackson withdrew his motion.
Mr.. Pierpont rose to address TIE Conven-
ton. BE opposed the position of Mr.. Car
lille. It seems that have been misinformed
as to the position which Mr.. PierpOnt takes
in this Convention. He opposed Mr.. Car
lies proposition witb-vehemenee. He said
that that proposition would be a rebellion
and no more nor less II mnst be put down
as aay other rebellion. Br. P. is strong
speaker, but has q voice which he raises to
the highest possible pitch, and which then
cuts ones ears ike knife. A fife would be
an aolian train in comparison.
he was q lover of constitutional liberty in
all its forms. The gentleman proposed to
form 3 provisional government. which was
itself in direct opposition to the Constitu-
ton. Congress would never recognize it,
The gentleman explained his idea of treason.
It vas q dangerous thing, if the authorities
were able to enforce the law against it. But
he held that neither the government at Mont
gomery nor the Virginia government, would
ever be able to enforce the laws against tres
son in Western Virginia, if we were true to
ourselves (aThats 80, y and applsnse.) We
repudiate the action of the COnfederacy. But
our destiny depsnds upon.the result Of the
conflict OF Grnns. If JEFF. Davis wins, we
shall Be oveffun with his troops; if Mr. Lin
coin wins, JEFF. Davis viii be driven back
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