Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-08-20
VIRGINIA CONVENTION.
PR. Lamb. Speech on the Division or
the Stnte

t4bO4N La SON v Elm HUN,
PR. Lamb. speech ou the Division oi
the State.
In the Convention on last Friday night
tue substitute Of Mr.. Foreman pending
Daniel Lamb, Esq Of Ohio county, Obtain.
ed The loor and spoke as follows.
had not intended. Mr.. President, To
address this house on He subject Of d.
vision Of the State. So much aas ALREADY
been .nid upon that subject that though,
It might only serve further to weary The
members Of this body But. sir, It is a
matter OF too deep Importance to US nj.
Tor me 10 omit giving ltternnre TO some
considerations, which think ought To in
tluence the members OF this Conyeulion in
their discussion OF 80 momen,ous u qaes.
ton.
Mr.. Presiient, let me say in the outset
hdt 1 an for a scparaHon Of tAa Silt
rt1V cIa be d0He al he groper time and in
i5f preper aIaHHrr. In tlat division, how
! ever, should iusist on at least, obtaining
the line Of the Allcghanjcs or tho line Of
the Blue R!dgc-thr latter il twas to be
had---ii not, tue Allcghnnies extending
down, ~ least, MS hr as tue Kanawhn. -
Wbh the amount Of population which we
possess, with the amount OF revenue which
cad be commanded in this district of
eodHtry, 1t is essential, | think, that we
should have our position capable Of easy
I military defence, in order that We may
occupy a respectable position in the tnu,.ly
OF States. 1t will be necessary for the
pGtpose Of the arEumcn, which / propose
to make, 10 gIauCe for moment, and very
brletIy,Ht the reasons which think would
render Il sepaudi II from Eastern Virgiuia
desirable tuns ALL
We have long suffered, Mr. President,
from the misgulc OF the Eastern section
OF the State, They have repeatedly de-
uicd Us onr proper share of representation
in our Legislature have subjected US
to an nDsqualand unjHs. system Of tixntio1
for the protection, rs far rs possible, from
the burden Of State service, Of their own
property In the distribution 6f the ex.
pcnditurc OF that taxation, they have en-.
deuvored to encourage the prosperity OF
their own section OF the State, and have
left the West without any participation in
the btuett Of that expenditure. We are
in fact Mr. President, different people,
Our sOciol habits are different. Our COM
mcreial relations are notwith Eastern Vir-
ginia, The productions OF our soil Rnd
our workshops do not go in that direction;
nor do we purchase the articles which we
want from the cities Of Eastern Virginia.
Every consideration which can lie address.
! cd to the wisdom Of statesman, would
demand u separation at the proper time and
in the proper manner lnm as deeply sen-
siUle OF this, as firmly convinced of this,
as rcsolutely determined on eiTccting that
separation rs any gentleman who will vote
( upon the other side Of this question.
But sirs, that separation should be eff
frcled at the proper time and in the pro-
per manner. II is when We could COM
mnnd such boundary rs our new State
ought to have 1t should take place only
when II iulI and free aud fair expression OF
the opinion Of the people could be had
throughout all the limits Of tue new State.
When these conditions tan be complied
with, ! am ready TO so into the measure
and they cannot be complied with in the
midst Of confusion and civil war. They
cannot he complied with at present, aud |
see in the agitation oil this question, in the
heat with which members are disposed to
hurry forward this measure at present,
nothing but that which precedcs mislor.
tune 10 Northwestern Virgiuin,
Mr.. President, it is not sixty days since
our present form Of government was in.
augurn,ed. Our Governor was elected on
the goth Of jane; It is now the 10th OF
August, and We are already seeking to
overthrow all that was then established.
Already we would change all that was
then hGed ana Determined upon. Already
we wonld uproot tue government which
we had established from its foundation, and
start OF in pursuit oi'R new seheme-a
new experiment, for experiment it is in
such times ~ these.
This disposition, Mr. President, to be
continually changing great iundamen.
I tai institutions, is one which can lead to
nothing but misfortune. We are proceed.
lug more rapidly in this course than the
Eealols Of the French revelation, for their
consulut!ohs and their fundamental sys.
TENS Of government 1t least lasted sixty
days, How long will il be, IL this spirit
is to be encouraged, before some new
scheme will be started upon which men
may excite the passions and prcjndtres Of
the people, for the purpose OF riding into
power or Office? would impute no such
motives to any man here. With their mo-
tiyes ! have no concern. Be-, this dispo.
sinonshcwn here, to have something new
some great charge-berore VIC have even
I tried the system which we have adopted,
is 10 my mind, o1e OF the worst slcns
1 Of the times. Why is it, Mr., President?
| Why this disposition to preeipi,A,e? Why
this hot haste in reference to this measure :?
Are We subject now to the control Of East.
eru VrgiHia2 Are her tax gathsrers
amongst us nnw7 Are our neople 10 he
transferred into Eastern Y!fginiai l. she
now contracting debt. which We are 10
pay? No, sir! AsA matter Of fact. what.
ever the theory may be Of the separation
which gentlemen demand-lhe separation
which they are 50 anxious tot at this pres
ent moment,-ptac,ieallv We are perfectly
Independent nov OF EASTERN virginia.
She has 10 eoa,roi over Us. Tie misruio
(which shf las exercised over ~ 50 long.
t. .g9H. =.