The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-07-17

SNuANeu as 70 Dc aIuOSL unavailable 1OE
the purposes of military defense, OF
protection. Yetthe morning of the thir-
teenth OF May beheld the city swarm
ing than excited multitude of its own
lnhaoitants, and the delegates to the
convention. All were enthusiastic and
eager Tor the beginning of the work,
YET none were fully assured of the di-
rectton matters would take. BY ar
rangement the delegates met at Wash
ing Han at eleven O'Clock, A. NJ. The
large building was filed to oyerfloWin1
with an eager throng, whose anxious
countenances depicted the depth OF
their feelings. It was a remarkable
spectacle; the faces of the delegates
were not familiar to those who had
attended political meetings for several
years previous. They were a new set
OF men whom the people had thrust
forward In the peril of the emeF-
genCyI whose recommendations were,
an entire sympathy with the mas
seS In the struggle before them, and
a q nearly confidence in their fidelity.
they were plain, unasSuming men too
but as plain men always do, they pos
seSSed those traits of character which
make honesty the accompaniment of
simplicity. Above all, they were filled
with noble spirit caught from their
constituents, an undying attachment
10 the government of the fathers. and a
holy hope of relief from the task-mas-
ters of the east. 1t was a spirit grand
IN It's conception, glorious in its devel-
opementy aud sublime in its execution.
II was the fierce youth of the freshly
lighted fires OF pure and righteous
revolution. The meeting was called to
order by Chester d. Hubbard, of Ohio
county, on whose motion William b.
linn, OF Preston county, was called to
preside. George r. Latham, of Taylor
county, was appointed temporary Sec
retary. Before proceeding further in
Inc business for which they had assem-
6led, venerable prelate, the Rev. Peter
", himself a delegate, invoked the aid
OF DEITY on the deliberations of the
body; pious act of faith not without
its usefulness in estimating the charac-
Ter OF the delegates and the reotitude of
their motives. -..-rs5fs sa
A committee on permanent organiza-
Llon and representation was appointed.
In the atternon session, John W. Moss,
OF wood county, was reported for per-
manent president, and long list of
Vlce-presldents; Colonel Wagner, of
Mason, Marshall NJ. Dent, of Monon-
gala, and ]. G. Chandler, of Ohio
county, were appointed as secretaries.
a committee, consisting of one MEM
Der from each county represented, was
appointed on State and Federal rela-
tlons. Ihe following persons compos-
ed It: c. Tarr, Brooke county; w. 7.
Wiley, Monongalia; John s. Carlile,
Harrison; ]. j. jackson, Wood; Charles
aooton, Preston; Daniel Lamb, Ohio;
Geo. McC. Porter, Hancock; Joseph
Macker, Mason; d. D. johnson, Tyler;
James Scott, jackson; G. w. Bier,
Metzel; K: @. Holiday, Marshall; A. S.
Withers, Lewis; F. T. Trahorn, Writ;
+. ii. Pierpoint, Marion; s. DAYTON,
BaEoourj g. 8. Senseney, Frederick; j.
8. Burdett, Taylor; A. R. McQuilkin,
Berkeley; s. Cochran, Peasants; ]. E.
stump, Roane; 8. Martin, Gilmer; As
Dury b. Rohrbough, Upshur; o. d.
Downey, Hampshire; Mr.. Foley,
Richie. -,
The body now fairly began its work,
and on the second day resolutions were
poured upon the committee. a very,
excited controversy spEang up on the
plan to be adopted for Immediate ac-
ton. There were those who came to
the convention, with the recollections
of wrongs and insults burning in their
memories; men of high resolves and
unquenchable zeal, and who under the
stimulus of a great excitement, were
bold to r9shness in their objects. This
class of men came to vote for an imme-
dtate and unqualified division of the
State, however violent or revolutions
ary 1t might tappear. Some delegations,
indeed, came to the city with a banner
Tying at their head, endorsed, "New
Virginia, now or never" This party
had a powerful leader in the Hon. John
3. Carlile, who smarting from the in
justice and contumely that he had ex-
perienced in the Convention at Rich
mond, raised his deep resonant voice to
the highest pitch of revolutionary fer
vOr, HIS plan was to immediately
adopt constitution and form of gov
eminent Tor the counties represented,
and proceed to fill the Offices by tenn!
porary appointment. This was a popu-
lar idea with the mass of the conven-
tion, and it became almost perilous to
oppose 1t; those who ventured to do SO,
subjected themselves for the time to the
liability of having imputations cast
upon their loyalty. But there was a
minority, respectable, both as to num-
bers and intelligence, who felt and saw
the trreparable mischief that would
follow in the train of such a course.
This party found a leadership in the
Hon. w. T. Wiley, of Monongalia,
whose mote equable temperament en-
a6led him to discern the true point of
distinction between SpasmOdic disrup-
ton and authorized resistance. It was
argued that the proceeding urged by
the majority was wholly unwHrranted
by the call that had led to this assem-
blage that the delegates had not been
appointed with this view nor empower
ed to act with such extreme vigor: that
this was but an informal meeting of
the people, not legally convened and
could not bind the people to acquies-
cence either in law or reason, or by any
known rule or precedent; that no vote
had yet been taken by the people on
the ordinance of secession, and hence
the State OF Virginia had a government
under the constitution of the United
States, at Richmond; that the Federal
Government would not recognize a
State created thus, because it was not
the United States.
The whole of the second day was
consumed in acrimonious debate. The
partiZans of both views maintained
their ground with unrelenting hCstili-
~. A crisis was rapidly approaching,
When motion to adjourn was carried.
Great dissatisfaction prevailed on all
sides, anditappearedas though the con-
tending parties were about to separate
without arriving at any conclusion,
from which good results would flow.
There was that lack OF harmony which
is so essential to the Accomplishments of
great designs, when men have a COM
mon object in view, but are widely dis
sonaut as to the manner of affecting it.
On the third day the debate was con-
tinued, but in better spirit; the voice
OF better counsels was beginning to
prevail, and all felt the imperative ne
cessity OF some action and that it should
De, SO far as the same was possible,
harmonious in its character. Late at
night the committee reported through
It's chairman, Mr.. Tarr. After but little
discussion, the report was adopted by
the body; but two voices in the vast
throng being dissentient. The central
COMMITTEES was appointed as follows /:
John 8: Carlile, James 8. Wheat, Ches-