The Morgantown monitor. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1863-1864, 1863-11-07

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in: due time, if yon, by this unwlse
aud impolitic act, do .not:destroy this
hope, and, perhaps, by it lose all,
and have your last slave wrenched
from you by stern military rule, as
South America and Mexico were,.or
by the vindic.ive decree of unlver-
sal emancipation, which may reason
ably be expected to follow. But,
again, gentlemen what have we to
gain by this proposed change of our
relation to the General Govern mente
We have always had the control OF
it, and can yet, if we remain in it,
and are united as we have been. We
have had majority of the Presl-
dents chosen from the South, as we'll
as the control and management OF
most of those chosen from the North.
We have had sixty years of southern
Presidents to their twenty-fonr, thus
controlling the executive department.
So Of the Judges of the Supreme
Ceurt-we have had eighteen from
the South, and but eleven from the
North although nearly four-ffths
of the judicial business has arisen in
the free States; yet majority of the
court has always been from the South.
This we have required SO as to guard
against any Interpretation OF the
Constitution unfavorable to US
| In like manner We have been equally
watchful to guard our interests in the
legislative branch of the government.
In choosing the presiding Presidents
(pro tenn. J of the Senate, We have had
tweuty-four to their eleven. Speakers
of the House we have had twenty
three, and they twelve. While the
majority of the representatives, from
their greater population, have always
been from the North, yet we have SO
generally secured the speaker, because
he, to great extent, shapes and
controls the legislation ofthe country.
Nor have we had less control in eve
ry other department of the General
Government. Attorney Generals we
have had fourteen, while the North
have had but five. Foreign ministers
we have had eighty six, and they but
fty-four. While three-fourths of
the business which demands diplo-
matte agents abroad is clearly from
the free States, from their greater
commercial interests, yet we have
had the principal embassies, so as to
secure the werld's markets for our
cotton, tobacco, and sugar on the best
possible terms. We have had vast
majority of the higher offices of both
army and navy, while larger pro-
portion of the soldiers and sailors
were drawn from the North. Equally
so of clerks, auditors, comptrollers
filling the exective department.. The
record shows for the last fifty years
that of 5000 thus employed, we have
had more than two thirds of the same,
while We have but one third of the
white population of the republic.
/ Again, look at another item, and one
be assured, in which we have q great
and vital interest; tits that ofrevenue
or means of supporting governmet.
From official documents we learn
that fraction over three-fourths OF
the revenue collected for the support
of the Government has uniformly
been raised from the North. Pause
now while you can gentlemen, and
contemplate carefully and candidly
these important items. Leaving out
of view, for the present, the countless
millions of dollars you must expend
in war with the North; with tens Of
thousands of your sons and brothers
slain in battle, and offered up as
sacrifices upon the altar Of your
bition-aud for what, we ask
again ? Is it for the overthrow of the
American Government, established
by our common ancestry, cemented
and built up by their sweat and
blood and founded on the broad prin-
ciples bright, justice, and humanity!
And, as such, | must declare here,
as have often done before, and which
has been repeated by the greatest
and wisest of statesmen and patriots
in this and other lands, and is the
best and freest government, the most
equal in its rights, the most just in
its decisions, the most lenicnt liz its
measures, and the most Inspiring in
its principles to elevate the race of
men, that the sun of Heaven over
shone upon. Now, for you to attempt
to overthrow such a government as
this, under which we have lived for
more than three-quarters ola century
in which we have gained our wealth
our standing as a nation, our domestic
safety while the elements of peril are
around us, with peace and tranquility
accompanied with unbouuded pros
perity and rights unassailed-is the
height of madness, folly and wicked
ness, to which | can neither lend my
sanction nor my vote.
West VIRGINIA, s.: