The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-02-26
West virginia.


would be constitutional expOunders, and
sSown their quibbles,and atienuated, far.
fetched renderings Of the Constitution,
the sheersst sophistry, and having pune
'Nured the free Niger bubble, Till a few
Niger babies only remained, we propose
considering another objection, viz:
"I1l never vote to take my ncig5bors
money Out Of his pocket That has an
honest appearance, and at first blush,
seems very proper, yer, it really. is wry
dccpt're. 1t implicitly assumes, that
voting for West Virginia, is taking un
justly; our neighbours money. 1t is cyi.
IDENTIFY aimod at the emancipation clause
in our amended Constitution. In one
sense, most legislative acts involve eta.
king money from our neighbors peck.
ets"-coercing the payment of taxes to
meet general appropriations, aud the
necessary expenses of government; but,
ba that is not the sense here intended,
We need not discuss Il view of ii.
If, as We are confident, is no. the case,
there is person within the limits Of
West Virginia, who owns many slaves,
but no real estate. then, indeed, By de.
preciaIing the value Of his slaves, it Ger.
iainly would bear with peculiar hard.
ship upon him. aad-lfh he has no kin to
Frap the equivalent advantages, result.
ant from his personal loss--arOuses our
sympathy; but, as tho case supposed is
clearly an exceptional ore, (if not sheer.
y imaginary we can't be asked to
iegislnte solely 10 NEE. such possible
contingencies-aa the interest Of one,
must be suhordinatcd to tho interest Of
the masses. II, indeed, such was not
the case, then all laws must be repealed
all government cease as utterly i'm
practicable. Thus much, for the theory,
how as to the practice?
Shareholders are real estate owners.
We candilly admit, the market value Of
the slaves will be sensibly diminis ed by
the operation Of the Constitution of
WeH Virginia; yet, we can dem onstrate
the loss is only apparent, while the gain
would be Subslanial-real. A, owns
thirty Two slaves, { just the number of
the largest STAKEHOLDER, and the most
jealous new State man in this part of the
State) estimated value $500 each 50
600, his land 1000 acres, averaging $50
per acre $30,OOO-lotal $4,000; he
votes for the new State, it's adopted, bis
slaves depreciOte fifty per cent,-$4, 800,
but, his land increases IN ralas fty per
cent, (at the least, and is then worth
$4j. 000,--adi diminished value orsavcs
a S00--and wo haye-S49, 800, in.
stead oil S39,Goofor both slavcs:ma land
--dilIercnce-SlO,20O-i favor Of the
change proposed in Constitutions. for,
we alervduced TO choice of the Con.
siitulion Of 81 or, of 90. We have
Purposely made o low estimate OF the
enhanced value OF real estate, and high
estimate Of the loss OF slave property, as
il answers all the purposes in view; and
yet, we find instead OF slave. holders sus.
tanning loss, the contrary is certain to
result! from our permanent separation
md the consequent establishment Of our
New State-WOst Virginia. Again, the
above gain Of $40, 200 is in the case OIL
A, who owns 80 slaves and 1000 acres
of improved land; but B, owns 80 slaves,
800 acres Of improved, and 5000 acres
of unimproved land. Consider how
much is uDjustly, arbitrarily taken from
the pocket of B, Present value ofB's
slaves, $4,000, improved land 5000,
mimprOvcd land $4,000, total value
$4,000 adopt the new Constitution,
and the case stands thus value Of slaves
$4,000 Of improved land $l3,5OO, IN.
improved land $50, 900, lolal 4s. 600 de-
duct present value Of the three items
s97,OOo-Ond we have $4,000, gained
by changing our cid for the new Con.