The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-03-26
spee ch OF hon. A. rlesher.

- ~ A'SHASh'I O"NhaNu SN~H'!i 'N'
We had intended to publish it in full
but tie want OF space prevented us !.
FSllOlc. Cti=cas,- The question that
has convened us this evening, is one of
stupenduouS grandeur and magni6cence,
! 1t must necessarily agitato, and TO some
extent, absorb the public mind-ihe for
nation of new State. The work for
its completion has all been done except
what is wisely left for you, which is to
ratify the amendment suggested by
Congress and now placed By your con.
venliUu in the Constitution. Ii this
amendment meets your appreciation and
is adopted by o vote Of the people with
in the forty eight counlits composing
the New State on the Goth day Of this
month, the new State of West Virginia
is made, and she stands in the grand sis.
;erhood Of States in the Union. Tha
reasons assigned for this great move
mcnt, when campaled with the objec-
tious urged against il, will Wost assured
( IL convince US Of the great necessity OF
the measure. TLis question of dividing
the State OF Virginia is an old QUE, and
has been entertained aud desired by men
oflbought aud power and judgment for
more than a quarter ola century. And
as tune has posscd along the reasons Tor
division have become stronger and the
objections have grown BEAUTIFULLY less
Some Of the objections now offered
against the New State as l have learned
them, aud here may be briefly cousid'
cred, and thus by q negative view of tie
subject may discover the weak and
iIimsy foundation on which the Cuemies
of the New State are standing. Their
supersructurc is built or composed Of
the folio wing umbers LIST, the legiola.
lure which gave its consent to the dlyis.
ion Of the Safe was not the proper leg.
isIaluro Of Virginia. % Congress has
dtc,qdd to as, in which they have trans
cended their legitimate bounds. Sd, if
The New State Constitution lis adopted
we shall be oYerruu with free negroes.
4!h, to divide thus, isto oil inlents and
pa poses seccssoR. And 18th, tie whole
proceedings 10 the matter is wrong and
Unconstitutional. This last is the grand
king post IN the building by which they
hope to hold il together. Let us eX.
anime the objections briefly, which form
this castle in the air, and il found logi
cal and reasonable give them the credit
J Justly due, but on the other hand If
/ chatf, rotten. and nothing but sophistry
/ treat them with that coGtompt their ad,
vocales deserve. Phat the Legislature
which assembled al Wheeling Oad gave
its consent for the division Of the State
in May last is the true and proper Leg
isuure Of Virginia cannot now be Qhes
toned, since the highest authorities Of
the nation have so decided it, Tue
/ President by the recognition of Cover.
nor Pcrpoint as Governor Of Virginia,
and corresponding with him as such,
has acknowledged the Wheeling Gov
ernment the true, loyal and legitimate
government OF the State of Virginia.
The Congress has also decided the same
thing-in the Senate by admitting our
Senators, and the House of Representa-.
tiyes by admitting our representatives.
The Secretary of the Treasury done so
by paying over to the Wheeling Gov
ernmcn. the $40, 900 belonging TO Vir-
ginia. And the Secretary Of War also
recognizes it. Is not this testimony en-.
ough? Weigh the judgment Of these
| high dignirarics in the scales Of common
so0se, with that Of these croakers ia the
country clngiug to the forfeited and
rotten dynasty at Richmond, and who do
you find the better judges? and 10 what
conclusion do you come? You all must
acknowledge that the President and his
Cabinet together with the Congress are
by law made the only judges in the
maller.
But Congress has dictated to U.s.
This is false in toto. Our application
wentto Congress praying for admission.
iney had right 10 admit or reject US.
They did not say no, we viii not admit
you, but suggested that if We would
make a slight alteration IN one section Of
our Constitution they would receive psA
At this suggestion both our Senators
p,epared a bill, and that Of Mr.. Wiley
was received. Z"
1--WE shall be overrun with FREQ ne.
gracs," To save those men from such
scare, We may only remiod them that the
same laws which have ever protected US
from such a calamity, will still protect
us, as they arc in full force and effect,
until altered or repealed by tho LOgisla'
ture oGlhe New state. And more Obun-
dainty SO, as at this time the free negroes
of Eastern Virginia have dght 10 come
and settle among us, but 10 soon as the
New State is adopted, they dare not
come no more than they could come