Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1861-02-14

Chair - ps~sishng edscsr " the National Coarestoa
I u Delegates convened In Washington.
Gosfirrnsa IL fsar you hare comnit,ed =
/ great error IN appointing me TO the honorable
position you have assigned me A long separa-
ton from all deliberative bodies has rendered
the rules of their proceeding. unfamiliar 70 me.
while should find in my own state of h-al,h.
variable aud 6cklr IL is. sufficient rea.os 20
decline the honor Of being your presiding ofscer.
But, in times like these, one has but little option
le't him Personal consideration. sLoald weigh
but lightly in the balance. The country in in
danger IL !. enough one must take the place
assigned him in the great work Of ryconeiliaiion
and adjusiu.enl
The voice of Nip,iniA has invited her CO.
stst~~ In moc, her in council. In the imitation
! OF this Government that same voice was heard
aud eornpliel with. and the results of seventy odd
YEAR. have atie>t.,i the wisdom of the ,iecisions
then adopted. l. the urgency OF her call now
less great than II was them Our godlikc faith.
err GRATED: NJ have to preserve. They built
up through their wisdom and patriotism monu.
ments which have cternalired their names You
have before .op, gentlemen, n task equally
! grand. sublime, quite full OF glory and i'm
mortality, You have to snatch from ru n
/ great aud gloriou. Confederation TO prc,ery~
the Government, and To renew and inyigorate
the Constitution. II you rvaeh the b.ight OF
! tins great 'casion yoar chldrvss Children will
/ rise up and call YOU blessed. ! confess myself
to be ambitious Of sharing in the glory of ac-
complishing this grand and magniGccu, result.
! To have our names enrolled in tbs Capitol. to b.
1 .t...N
! applause. this is AN hOnor higher than the noun.
tains. more cndurin than monumental aiaba--
I ter.
c- NirgiI.sIs voice. as in the olden time has
! been heard. Her sister State. meet her ths
I day at the council board Vermont is here.
bringing with her tl,c memories OF the past and
rcviSing IN the memories OF all. her Ethan Al.
len AMI ms demand for the surrender ui Ticon.
( dersgo IN the name OF the Great Jehovah and
the american Congress. New Hampshire i.
here. her far,.s illustrated by memorable annals
and stIii more lately rs the birthpl OF him
who won for himself the name of Defender Of the
Constitution, and who wrote that letter u John
la! ior, which has been enshr.nel in tEa hearts
| Of his country u,en. Massachusetts is not here
some mciG0cr said she is coming hope so
SAID Ar. Tyler, aI,d that she will bring with
her. her daughstr. Maine / did not believe j.
corld well be that the yoce which ia otl.er times
was SD familiar To hcr cars had been addressed
10 her in vain Connecticut is here and she
comes, doubt not, in the spirit of Roger Shrr-
man. whose maine with our very children has be-
come n household word. and " no WAS in iii,. the
embodiment of that sound practical sense which
I lR,lf- fh.. lnt.-
! ernmcnfs Rhode Island, the land Of Roger
| Williams, Is here, OF the two last Sta;e.
IN her jealousy ut the public liberty To give in
her adhesion 81 the Constitution. and anon, the
! earliest ;o hasten to is rescue. The grcai En-
pire State Of New York, represented thus far
but by one delegate. ). expected daily in fsller
force To loin m the great work of healing the
d'scontents OF tho times and restoring the rviyn
Of fraternal feeling. New Jcrsoy IL also here.
with the memories Of the pas, covering her all
over. Trenton and Princeton live immortal in
story. the plains Of th- last ipcrimsone,i with
the hearts blood Of Virginias sons Among
her delegation n.jo'ee to recognize gallau, scn
~ sgncr Of the immortal Declaration which
fnHouoccd Ia ths world that thirteen Provinces
had bcroRe thirteen ip'lcpehslent and sovereign
States. And here too - Dvlevare, the land ot
tb. Bayar,ls and the Roineys. whose soil a,
BSndy wine wns moisteBcd by tbs blood Of Vir.
ginias yOuthful Monroe. Here - Mar,laDd
whose massive columns whcciud into line with
tho~a Of Virginia IA the contest for glory, and
whose state house at Annapolis Was the theatre
of spectacle Of n succcssfHl commander. wl.o
after hberaing his country. siall, ungiytbci
I 0s.ftl nd latI "A .
that country Thrn comes Penns, lvania, rich
in Revolutionary lore, bringing with Ler tie
deaihlcs- naines Of Frahkiin and Morris and
trust ready to renew from the bclfry of Inde.
is.Hlcnee Hall the chimes of the old bell whieh
announced freedom and Independence in former
days. All hail 10 North Carolina. with her
Aechlenburg Declaration in hrr hand. s,aBlinc
erect the ground of her own probity And
hrssBr-s 70 the caa-e of tlse public liberty. and
+ represented IN her attributes BY her MAcoa. a.d
"a th's assembly by her distinguished .on At ~
great DISTANCE from me. -Four danrhtsrs Of
Virginia aiso cluster around the eoun,.il boar ri
On the invitation OF fhe,r nucisut Iso1hor--tis,
ei'ir.t krntueky. who's. Sons under that intrrI-
vi warrior, Anthony Wayne. gave f,vs-io,n "A
set,lemeRt 10 tlrs territory Of her sister OHIO
sl. extends her hand daily aBJ bpurly aeros-
ia bets ririers. o. grsPiie hand Of suine oi.e d
ise kindrcl blood of The noble states OF IHIsana
ssri lllisois. asd Ohio. who have sruvs ~ nta
T,Dwsrfui state- slr-a,ly ersad, I-.,ebi. aa,i ~
uosi impcf.al Trnsosses y ~, lgrv bot d.
! coaaiDx irevenicl from beng h-rs oaly by il.e
fo.sl- Which have swolen lisr rivers When sl.s
arrives she wiil year ihe baigrs on her warrior
crest of victories ven ~ oOuspany vith thc g1,ai
West. On many az sn.aszuihsl plaza. asi
stsndar,s tpsn iran' ti,c hani. ~ lho conquer.
80 ~ " aiorioo. M,--ossi ssA lows aud uirh
itan. WISCONSIN. asd Minnesota stili l,n-e- ID,
hind bui it s,ay ~ hopssi that their bcart. N,
viilf W IN ii's Ereai pafk ~ have " DO
Gssfie,aea. she sy~. u ti.s ~l.ole eos1,ey ~.
j turned " this assembly IN expectation an
hope. trust that yos MAY prove yoars.i,e.
worthy ~ he great oseasiou. Dor aoee.sos,
probably eosamittssi blandsr IN 10, having Ga
. - apqn every hhh drcsde fos call q t,ss
: eral CeHveation 20 Aaopd sol refofua the Coz,
: stitafion. On N coatrssy. thay have mads n.
! i r.. a a.