The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-02-19
Congress had the Constitutional tight 10

argument. HOWrlt could ever naVc'Deel
raised by sane man. is incxpli;ablo Il
JUS. Let it pass.
Turning "thiS Constitutional bug
bear" over. we fnd on the reverse
though Congress corditionully admit
ted us, il is unconstitutional 10 admit u
at ALL Unonists,whOI do you think .
that? Al tone breath, curSing and grow
ling, because Congress did not admit US
at the next breath, denying he right Ia
admit. This sel.stulifcalion issmusing
and one argument answers the other il
time and place wero identical. AS how
ever, these enemies Of our new State,
ply Unionists with whichever Of these
untenablc positions, they have reason
in any particular case TO believe most
efiicaeious, and remain for the time be-.
ing, entirely demuro upon the other
thus insuFiDg against tho poison Of the
one acting as an anlidole to the virus Of
the other, we will, at the expense Of
brevity, hold this matter up long enough
for examination.
A denial OF the ConStiiutionality of
our admission on the ground that the
consent Of the State Of Virginia has ncv.
et been obtained, involves the right Of
Secession, If secession is constitution.
al, then, the position is correct. ifas all
Union men believe, the secession Of q
State is aullity, then, the necessary
consent has been secured. The peoples
agents-ali State ofiCials-having tran.
scended the powers with which they
were clothed, their acts were not bind,
ing upon their principal-the people. =
The legislative power, being incapable of
humiliation, returned 10 the people who
had delegated it, and was by them en-,
trusted 10 other hands-the officials at
Wheeling. The State Government of
Virginia,beug thus legalIyreStcred ,vas
competent TO gire, and did gire It's consent
10 the formation, out Of portion of its
territory, Of the State Of West Virginia.
P.ist Aria, Sec. 3, of the United
States Constitution, reads New States
may be admitted by Congress into this
Union; but no new State shall be formed
or erected within the jurisdiction of any
other State, nor any State be formed by
the junction Of two or moro States or
parts of States, without the consent Of
the Legislatures ofthc States concerned
as we'll as Of the Congress. That con-
curing consent both Of the Virginia Leg
islaturo and Of the Congress, has already
been given, and by the peoples ratifca.
ton, the deed becomes absolutely and
forever irrevokable.
When and where isit pretended, this
question of the consent Of Virginia, will
come up for revision? Not by the Ex
ecutiSe, as by continued official CORES,
pondence--by repeated acts recognizing
Pierpoint as the Governor of Virginia,
and finally by signing the act of admis-
sion, The Executive department Of the
Government lis precluded from question
ing the COnstitutionality Of our admis
sion. The National Congress is forever
estoped from denying either the regular.
lily or the legality of the Government Of
Virginia, as established at Wheeling;
as two members Of the Senate now legiS.
latiug fer the Nation as United States
Senators, were elected by the Legisla'
ture at Wheeling. and three members Of
the House were received into that body
upon Credentials sisued'by IF, Piorpoiut
Governor Of the Commonwealth Of yir.
sinia,"
If the Government at the city ofWheel-
ing is not dc j're and de tacto "that Of the
Commonwealth Of Virginia, then, either
every law enacted since the admission Of
Judge Wiley and John s. Garlic sSen,
Otors and Mcssrs. Whaley, Blair and
Brown as Representatives, resultant upon
their votes, is absolutely null and void
or,neilhsr Congress nor any otherdepart'
msnt Of the Government can rightful
Iy review or revise what has been already
done, but on the contrary, are in
hibiIed from going de hor; the record.