The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-02-19
From the Wheeling Intelligcpcer.
An Argument of Age and Strength.
A Document Of Peculiar Interest and
Importance to the People Of Western
Virginia at this Time. q.

The following memorial rom the peOa
pie of Augusta county, Virginia, TO the
convention which assembled il Rich
mond in October 1929, We take from a
copy of Niles Register Tor that year
The copy Of the Register containing it
can be seen at our Office or al the Office
of any lawyer in the city who has a tle
oft. We publish /! to-day 10 this col
umn, in order that the attention OF every
reader Of our paper may bo drawn to it.,
II is remarkable article, and al this
time It's solemn and measured sentences
fell with the weight of prophecy upon
the ear. Let every one read it.
Memorial 70 ths Honorable Convention Of
Virginia, held at Richmond, in Oe.5.
Der, 1929,
Seeing that the people of this Com.
mouwcalth have deemed il necessary to
reform our existing con slitution Of gov.
erument, to supply its defects, and to re-
move number Of evils which we're
thought to press heavily upon the com
munity We, the subscribers, inhabi
tants Of Augusta county, cannot but con
graiuIaie ourselves and the public on
the selection Of SO many OF our highly
distinguished citizcDs for the perform.
ance Of thrpc Solemu and interesting du.
ties Distinguished as you have been
for gravity, prudence, and wisdom, wo
cheerfnlly accord to you our conf icnce,
IN the important aud arduous station to
which sou ats called and trust that YOU
will employ your wisdom and prudence
in that way which viii rebound most to
cur common welfare.
There have been many topics oSrerorm
anticipated and discussed among the peo.
| pie. We do not mean to medls with
any of them, or to express any opinion
on their merits, Our purpose is respect.
fully to call your attention to another
subject which We regard ag OF para
noun. Importance, ard Respecting
which, il nothing bo done, we uppro.
bend that your abors must prove com.
paralively nugatory. Wa ask your at,
tentiOn TO the existing slavery Of tho ne
groes in our State, and to some constilu.
noo'I provision fQra system of ernanc,
patton. h
Il Is objected, indeed. that our propo.
sitIon will give alarm to opr Eastern
brethren, who Rrn shareholders on large
scale 'han We Of the West; and that they
are even already alarmed at the antici.
pated power Of the West to impose un.
limited taxes on this species Of property.
To the latter objection we answer, that
we are wiling to SEQ You proviao any
requisite guaranty against an undue ex.
creise Of such power, that thus the fears
Of our Eastern brethren may be guieted.
To the former objection we saw that, in
apoIitical view, we esteem slavery an
evil greater than the aggregate ofalI tho
other evils which beset US; and that we
are perfectly wiling to bear our proper
lion ofthe burden Of rGmoying IT, We
ask farther, what is the evil OF any such
alarm as our proposition may possibly
excite, in minds Unnecessarily Jealous,
compared with that Of the fatal catastro.
pho WHICH ultimately awaits our coun.
Try, aud the general deprivation ofman-
ners whi;h slavery has already produced
aud is producing? These we think suf.
hc'ent answers to the objections mention
ed above.
In laying this subject before you, We
are not insensiblo to its magnitude or its
difficulties, We are aware, too, of the
rooted prejudices which we encounter,
growing out Of old habits and present
reel OF supposed interest. Now arc we
Indifferent to those imputalions ofenthu.
siasm andrashness which will probably
be cast upon ne in no sLinted measure,
But We know that no great good was ev.
er achieved without strenuous effort; and
thatsuch efforts have always been sub.
jecied to reproachiul impulations. We
must, therefore, patiently submit 10 them
considering them, in our turn, ar the
cbuiliton OF needless passion or uncom.
promising selfshness. The awful weight
Of the subject forbids any approach to it
lin the spirit OF levity; aud we feel sssur.
red that We approach it with as much
caution ss those observe who turn
away and refuse TO look it in the face
But We should esteem it moral and poll.
tioal cowardice in us to remain silent on
6 subject SO deeply interesting to Us in
oil our domestic and political relations;
one which interminglGs itSelfwith every
interest and concern Of life; productive,
perhaps, of a few transient benefits, but
certainly Of an infnity oievils, now pres.
sing upon us, and pOrtending gsnCral
desolation in future.
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