The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-03-19

"6ht ul'el uluCH ol duAlOuS prayer anu
watching,giyes place to the much covet.
ed and glorious day, The mad folly Of
our ine1Orable ueghbors. has hastencd
our dlsenthmlment, and we are permit,
ted to take our place in the glorious gal
axy ofStstes, sooner by three years, than
il Eastern Virginia had not rebeIled. -
Henceforth, our destiny is in our own
hands. We may alterour constitution as
often and as radically os we choose
with none to say "What dOest thou?"
We may enact such laws and impose
such taxes as we may deem just aud ex,
pedient, Ond--we can expend the reve-
enue as We may choose for our own e1.
elusive baneGl, The day for paying
tribute having passed, we may, after the
return Of peace Outstanding our resour.
css in the iaterim) inaugu rate judicious
system Of intornal improvements, and
by developing our nCaIculabls mineral
wealth we shall soon achieve our want
ed relative position as State.
Last April, the Constitution was in
dorsed by vote Of l8, S62 for TO 5l4
against-but few soldiers voting; and
though amended iu regard to the eman,
cipation Of slaves, we look for It's trium-
phant ratification, The census Of 1860
gave less than $4,000 slaves within the
limits Of the New State, and that number
is now certainly reduced below 5000,
which is less than two per cent. of tho
present number Of white inhabitants
TOO Insignificant su interest apparently,
to weigh against the incalculablO advan.
tages present and prospective Of a New
Stale. West Virginia will comprise
about one third of the area of tho whols
State and the same proportion Of the
white inhabitants previous to the rehe!l,
ion, while it embraces hut fCrlieth part
of the slave population, We ore TO have
three members OF Congress, while moat
new States are entitled to but one. Our
first Legislature will elect two U. S.
Senators, and then ,ec will cease to be
misrcpresented by the aspostato Carlile.
After fifty years of disguiet and Cypress.
ion, we now have the long deferred op
pohuni'y, of sOverug forever our odious
connection with these TO whom we have
been SO reluctantly bound. by simply de,
posting au affirming ballot. We con-
grstulate those SO loBg insulted, chagri-
ned and defed. "that The day Of deliver.
ence draweIh nigh from our insa,iable,
tyraunicle, exAeli1g and inexqrsbIs
neighboe of -tbe fide.Sslsr secti61. ~
West Virginias, hencelorth your desti
ny is in your own hands. All indspenSs.
bic lolmailies have boen complied with,
and at last the whole mst,er is coufded
to you-au affirmative ballot 10 alone re.
quired,to insure total and rrevOcable
separation, from eur Eastern oppressors.
In passing upon the question Of the rat.
iiicalion of the Constitution of West Vir,
ginia as it will be submitted to you, it is
desirable 10 consider its area, its popula-
tion. aud its capabilities. 10 regard to
its area, it at least is respectable, as it
comprises $4,000 square miles, about
equal TO South Carolina and exceeding
in territorial extent, Maryland, New
Hampshire, Vermont New Jersey, Mas
sachusel,s, Connecticut, Delaware or
Rhode Island, and in Iced is about equal
10 the whole area ofthe last FIVE States
just above enumerated, While We are
the thirty fifth State, in regard TO the
dale Of admission, we are the Goth in
point of sz. geographical extent. In
respect to population, we are also res.
peclable, having within the designated
boundaries, about $4,000 people. &c,
cording 10 the last general cenns-motc
than either Oregon, Kansas, D ,leWare,
Florida, Minnesota, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, Vermont Arkansas, or New
Hsmpshite,and more even, than the whole
eggregnte Of the white population Of the
first four above enumerated; SO that in
point Of population we are the 26lh
State. As to our capabilities we admit
tedly outrauh most Of the other States Of
the Union. Our valleys are fsbulously
fertile, and our mountains are crowned
with superior timber and are groaning
with incxhaustiblo mineral wealth, while
the salty fluid, oil, and other invalubls
products, Aow ia uniniermIted streams.
at our bidding. Surely, wa may we'll
he proud Of our new, born State West
Virginia, Register Jan, SM.
Let those fearful Of an influx Of free
negroes, remember that each State has
the undoubtcd control over all persons
within its limits, and can passjust such
police regulations as its nlereHt requires
in the premises. Who raises this false
alarm about free "niggers'" Either
rampant Secessiorists or doubtful Union.
iSts. Why do they thus seek 10 prcju.
dice West VirginianS against ratlfying
their new Constitution Simply 10 DO.
ter you from no,o striking of the CALLING
chains that have for forty years bound