Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-08-10
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VIRGINIA CONVENTION

Speech OF Senator CarIIIe ON a DIvis-
marks In Reply by MIR. Stewart, OF
DOddrldge.
THURSDAY, August 8, 1851.
Mr.. Carlile submitted the following res
olutions:
Resolved, That the Committee on Busi-
ness be instructed to report an ordinance
providing for the formation of separate
State out Of, and to be composed OF, the
following counties, to wit: Jefferson, Berk-
ley, Morgan, Hampshire, Hardy, Barbour,
Braxton, Brooke, Cnbell, Calhoun, Clay,
Doddridge, Gilmer, Hancock, Harrison,
jackson, KaDawha, Lewis, Marion, Mar
shall, Mason, MonOngalia, Ohio, Peasants,
Richie, Putnam, Randolph, Preston, Ro-
ane, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Upshur, Wood,
Wayne, Webster, Writ, Wetzei.-3s.
2. That the Committee on Business be
instructed to report an ordinance prOvid-
ing that any county lying contiguous to
the boundary proposed for the new State,
n minority of whose people shall express
desire to be admitted into the proposed
new State, shall form n part thereof.
). That the same Committee be instruct
ed to report constitution and form of
government for the said proposed State,
~ pO 9hOu4AhLCh " tAiC bLSANOA AOA
ratification or rejection, at the polls, on
the 4th day Of October next, and at the
same time the sense of said voters to be
taken on the question. of the formation of
said new State.
SENATOR CARLILI's SPEECH.
Mr.. President, this Convention will at
least accord to me sincerity of purpose
and honesty of motive in advocating the
adoption of these resolutions at this time.
The Legislature, to whom / am greatly
indebted, have conferred upon me posi-
tiOn worthy tue ambition of any man. I
aU: secure in that position ut least for four
years to come If things continue here as
they are. None but the body of which l
am a member can deprive me of my place,
except action such as 1 propose. If the
Convention shall adopt the resolutions,
and separate State shall be formed, the
instant it is formed cease to be member
of the Senate, and the representatives of
that new State will select my successor -
Therefore there can be no ambitious per-
sonal or pccuniary influences operating on
my mind when / seek to obtain the object
contemplated by the resolutions; but, sir. it
has been the cherished object of my life;
and | would be worse than ungrRteful If I
could at an hour like this forget people
who have been engaged ever since my res
idsnce among them in showering upon me
all the honors within their gift.
There are considerations weighing upon
my mind, Mr.. President, which induce me
to believe that the time has arrived NOW
when we should act. five were at peace;
ii our people were not engaged in n strug-
gle to maintain the government of our fI-
ther5, the natural barriers that separate the
people inhabiting the region of country
embraced in the resolutions make it, IN my
opinion, TO their interest that they should
no longer continue n connection which has
been nothing but prejudicial to them ever
since it began. The channels of trade,
business and commercial relations of the
counties named in the resolutions have
offered have been everywhere else than
with the rest and residue of the State in
which we live. All the feelings that OPP
crate upon men-the kindest feelings of
my nature-the love have for home, the
scenes of my Tchildhood, the place of my
nativity, have all struggled with my sense
of duty in this matter. Sir, if we act as
propose, / shall be separated by line. an
imaginary line it is true, but yet State
line, from the county of my nativity and
the home of my birth. But the counties
have designated have no facilities, either
of land or water, for any commercial or
business intercourse with the rest of the
State. We must seek an outlet for our
products elsewhere. We must look for our
markets to Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania
aud Kentucky. We never can-nature has
/ fixed it and made it impossible-we never
can have business relations with the rest
of the State. The Southwestern part has
its railroads, turnpikes, and canals peue-
and
and leading to the capital of the State
The center of the valley, the county of
| Frederick, my native county, has its public
| Improvements reaching to Alexandria and
Richmond, affording to them an outlet
Hence they are not interested as We are, as
are the counties mentioned, in commercial
relations with other States, and they are
not compelled by force of circumstances
which cannot be overcome, as we are, TO
seek market for their produce and chan
mel for their industrial interests in other
and neighboring States. Therefore, as n
mere material qestion in time ofpeace, tits
tue interest of the people inhabiting these
counties to separate themselves from the
rest of the State, and organize separate
State Government of their own.
But then, sir, there are other considera-
tions now. We have entered upon war
such as heaven aud earth never saw be-
fore, and such as trust in God
never will be witnessed again. What
is to be its end nobody knows; no
man can tell. And what. when peace shall
at last come, with tired and oppressed
people, ground down by taxation and op-
pressiou, legitimate and natural conse-
| quences of war-what consideration would
they bestow, the::2s, 100000 OfpeopIe, when
coming upon terms and ratifyiug and con-
cluding peace, upon the 30s Opeople who
inhabit the counties set forth in the resolu-
ton? How long would they let that peo-
pie stand in the way Of a settlement at the
termination of this war? 1t is question 1
throw out as suggestion TO be revolyed
| by gentlemen in their minds when they
rest upon their pillows. God grant that n
separation of these States never may take
place hope it never may; and as far as
/ it depends on my action, it never shall
But, sir, am but grain of sand on the
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