Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-12-24
4

think have said enough, TO satisfy the
gentlemen who have done me the kindness
to attend 70 what 1 have said. that the Leg
iSlatuse which assembled at wheeling, vif-
tginiai was the Legislature OF the State Of
IYirginia; and that Il remains With you
alone to determine WhetheE Il shall be or
mot. Ifyou affirm that 1t is, there Il no ap-
Fpeap from your decision. I am ready, for
one, TO affirm il, and upon the dlbtiHet
ground that1 dorecoRuize, in the language
lof Mr.! Madison, even The rights Of minor
ity In Q revolted State 70 be projected, IN
der the Federal ConStituti6n, both BY Ped
etal law and by State law. / hold, sir, that
tho Legislature assembled At Wheeling,
then, iS the legal Legislature OF the State /;
that It had power TO assent to this division
of the State Of Virginia and that il is
WHOLLY indmaterial to me whether major
ity Of The counties OF that State refused, by
reason OF their treason, TO co. operate in the
election of Delegates and Senators 70 that
4 Legislature. On tho subject of granting
the admission Of the proposed State, to
which that body has assented, Il iS enough
for me to know there il q sufficient number
of loyal men within the limits of the pro!
posed State to maintain the maehinsFy of
= State government, and sutitle them 10
Federal Representations. That Is the only
rule heretofore recognized by Congress 10
tue matter Of admitting new States duly or
gahized. 1nod tint - sSliiia i,7i nv fo
. II may be urged here that this LeeisIG-
ture, before asserting to the division Of the
State, should have met at Richmond II
is hardly yusSOtth dWhile 10 iFoFIow' out such
an argument. Gentlemen might as we'll
| allsge that il the. forces Of. the rebellion
took possession of this capital, the Aueri-
can Congress could not meet and lawfully
exercise It's functions in Philadeiphia. do
not expect to argue any such question. 1
undettake to assert that the power exists
that there is nothing either In the Consti-
tuition ofthe United States, or in the laws
OF the United States, TO make invalid the
meeting of Congress elsewhere within the
limits OF the Republic than the city Of
Washington. If you assert the contrary
conciuston, then all Jef Davis has to do Ia
order to 'annihilate the legislative power
Of the Government is to take possession Of
this capital l am not ready so 70 stultify
1myself 'lit s}an41 90 -iif' o llht .+'
Now, this Legislature of virginia has
passed an act, in due form Of law, assent
ing to the erection Of nav State within !
the limits Of that State that il all which |
is required by the Constitution Of the Uni- |
ted states on the part Of the State of'Vfr- |
ginia. hIt remains 70 be determined then |
whether ooHgreSs win grant itp consent
This State, which Il Is proposed 70 admit |
into the Union, Is three times ss large III |
territorial extent as the State OF Massaehu. !
sets. 1t has an area of 1900 square |
miles. and free population of $40, ,00o. 20
The question them come up whether the |
Congress of the United States ought to
grant the prayer of the people OF Virginia, !
Will Congress admit the new State upon the |
the Constitution as framed and proposed |
by the bill TO be amended9 - ~ tia9
The gentleman on the other side who |
PROCESSES to represent Virginia in this mat !
teri Mr. tSeEar, 1says that we should not adj |
mitthe new State because there were eIeV- |
en- counties in which there was not single |
vote for the Coustitutioh. Well, there were |
ffty-two counties which voted. But he !
hasinot yet informed rs how many votes
were cast against It. It so happens that !
there is 4 return of some 1880 on the |
adoption of. tho Constitution in the form
as ito originated in the Convention, and only
500 in round numbers were cast against it. 4
You must consider that at the time this vote
was taken large portion Of the male pop
ulation were in arms, protecting the from
tiers against the Threads In this armed re-
beilion. Yes, sir, my friend tells me not
less than seVenteen regiments, In other
words, seventeen thousand men, were IN
the field. a4A Hon7f-a 90 i0 o4iio
That objection is easily answered. how
ever for tits expressly provided in the
Sepate bill, which Is now before the House
for consideration. thar the new State shall
not be organized nor the constitution adop-
ted until there shall be smother election by
the people. They will have an opport1,
nifty then to vote Il down. You give It the
sanction Of law BY passing the Senate bill,
which provides that It shall not take effect
| nntl an election be held, and that the con-
4 *
ratified by the, people. They will then
have an opportunity 10 determine. .by bal
lot, whether they win come into the Union
as free Stats. or whether they will re-,
main IN the State Of Virginia as now or
] ganiLed. submit that am justified in
saying thst tue objection raised by the gea-
tleman from Virginia falls 70 the ground,
unless heis indeed unwilling 70 trust ihs
people. That is precisely the difference
/ between btm and myself. have an abb
ding confidence In the people, aud that
eonhdence shall remain unshaken until
that sad day comes, which ! trust never
viii come when majority Of the people
in every State shall initiate the bad exam-
pie of a majority OF the people OF the
j State'o Of Virginia. That would indeed be
3 calamity Tor which our matchlsss OouSti-
! tution provides no temedy, and for which
"u0 possible consultation can provide \
| cure The people VIII then have consen-
\ \ ted simply 20 national suicide and SELF -dss-
II is because have eonfdepee in the
people that ! am willing to send, this bill
to them. want TO see them vote on &,
from the base Of the Allsghanies 70 the
beEuHf1l waters Of the Ohio. ! have been
ameng that people. 1 know something Of
Il their charactet. have seen eight or ten
] thOasand Of them IN eovention assembled.
foF the laudibls putpess Of holding up the
arm of the,of the GoYernmept against this
4 unmatched treason and rebellio1.. I be-
lieTe tint they are loyal, / believe that
they are the friends of free Institutions.
We have gUme evidsnes off In the eonStf.