The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-01
from the counties Of Greenbrier and

( Mr.. McINhofter, from the Judiciary
Committee reported il ihe1pedtent TO
change the law in relation 70 itmita-
tions of suits, or the law governing app
peais from the Judgments of justices.
SIr. Cassidy, from the Com mites on
Counties, reported a bill to reufoSe the
county seat of Calhoun county from
Arnofdsburg to- Simon p. Stump's
farm; bill changing the line between
Mason and Jackson counties, ana
bill constituting the Ohio riEer1n-Jaek-
son county a lawful fence
Mr.. COMBS, from The Committee on
Arts, Sciences and General Improve
ments, reported a bill for the profession
of fish in streams emptying into tnei
s ssh9te BinIS6. 1s, gfof the fslief Of
James *. Ewing" was read the tniro
time and passed unanimously !.
House BIZ No, 8, ga bill amending
the law In relation 10 the competency
of Witnesses came up on its passage.
The bill is as followsi
Be 4 endeted By The legislature Of
West Virginia ..5.s-r.'Ts.fF TuFFJ {
l. No person shall be incompetent as
a witness on account of race or color
2. Section twenty Of chapter one nun
tired and Seventy-six OF the Code, OF
virginia, second edition, and all acts or
parts OF acts conflicting with the fore
going section aIe hereby repealed. y
MI. Bee, OF Doddridge, opposed the
bill. arguing that the time had not AR
rived for placing the colored man upon
the witness stand. In cases where the
negroes We're interested he would allow
other negroes to testify, but not In cases
between white men alone. The pas
sage of this bill, he thought would re-
suit in the defeat of the Union party at
the polls next fall, and the accession to
power and ONCE Of that party which con;
sfdered this government bogus, ana
whose every effort would be directed 70
its destruction. In many on the DoIu us
counties, II Is only by the strongest e1-
ertiops on the part OF the Union men
that they hold their own; in some they
fail now; II this bill is passed, this
House will next winter probably be
composed, half oft at least, OF copper
heads and secessionists who can never
in any wny or by any possibility, be
Mr. Riddle, of Richie, admitted that
he had sorupies about allowing negroes
to testify in cases between white men;
and SO far, the bill was unsatisfactory
to him. But, as between that evil and
the evil of keeping the negro race de-
pressed as they are by the present law
he preferred the former, and must there-
willing tOmake the United States one
great negro pauper-house we must give
these people the right toreapthe fruits of
their labor by allowing them TO testify
in cases in which they are interested. r
Mr.. gKellar, of Barbour, asked Mr.
Riddle whether the people OF Richie
would sustain his vote on this measure.
Nh Riddle replied that every man
who voted for and elected him would
endorse his position; that the rebels
wouIi-not; but he did not receive a
single. vote from that class and was not
anxious to be endorsed by them. The
people of Richie had, by re-electing him,
endorsed his record here last winter on
measured of this kind, and he had no
HESITATION in repeating that they, would
sustain his vote on a measure as just as
Colonel witcher, of cabell, said that
he would vote for the bill and that his
people had desired him so TO vote. Not
an Intelligent man in his county was
misled ON this question by prejudice
against the negro,s and rthe only men
vino Would oppose this measure are
those who live around the heads OF
creeks ana holiows and can neither
read nor write. Backed by an intell1-
gent constituency and by the enlight=
ened world, he should vote for the bill.
Mr.. Trainer gave his reasons for vo-
ting for the bill. He considered IT NOT
only to the interest of the black race
but to that of the white race that this
measure should pass. Unless we desire
to support as pnupers the negroes oil
this State, we must allow them to sup
port themselves by making and enforc-
ing their contracts. But The bill Is not
only expedient, 1t is just; and whit is
{ sombaiIed the m0offoina that Tf negro
was allowed equal rights he was thereby
made equal to tho white man. This
matter OF equality is matter OF choice,
and unless the white man shall choose
to reduce himself TO the level OF the
black the two are as nnnchi unequal as
ever. IIll5i III tclil1 Ihi3A5 Fo!H
Mr.. Darnel, of Mason, said that being
Il native born Virginian, and repre-
sentative of a West Virginian constitu-
ency he could not allow such an odiouS
bill to pass without raising his voice
against it. The negro should not be
legislated for to the exclusion OF White
people. PISS this bilFaTd negroes who
have heretofore done well wsuld have
to go over into Ohio on account of the
prejudice which would be created
against Them.
the passage OF the bill was improper
If ii passed now It would shortly be re,
pealed or amended. The people of West
| Virginia would not submit to 1t. He
KNEW Doddridgc county wouldnot.
Mr. Bennett, OF GiInier aud Calhoun
fsaid that although a sound Union mar
he could not vote for this bill, because
| he felt that its passage would weaken
! the influence of the Union party. The
,rebols secretly purpose to getieOntrol o.
this State. II we pass this bill we give
them a club with which to lather US
over the head.
Mr.. Bell, OF Ohio, expressed surprise
at the warm opposition to the bill. II
wns measure eminently just and pro
per in itself, and necessary to the white
/ citizen as well sas. rtoSthe black. He
could only attribute the opposition tc
the remains OF prejudice which had
ALWAYS been manifested in this State
against any measure in which the black
was interested. The arguments against
this measure are the same that had
been used against. emancipation. OF
the measures OF fmnelioratiou demand
ed by public. opinion this is but one,
and one'o OF the most necessary. The
fitness OF the negro to testify is indis-
putahle. The religious element in the
character OF the negro is marked and
deserving of respect. The strong reve-
renee and hope in the nextwOrld which
sustained them in the bonds and degra-
ton of slavery, argues cores
ponding reverence for the sanctity of
.auoath We onlyiask that they may he
made competent witnesses, and their
evidence taken by the jury for what it
is worth.
The argument oflthe gentleman, from
Doddridge, tAIr. Bee, amounts 10
nothing, for the Prejndice would be the
and II negro us between white men. II
il Is Just THAT the Negro shaiIi testify ut
all, It is just that he testify in any case.
The colored people of the city of
wheeling-who are as respectable con-
sidering thsir Opportunities and isn-
6ilttiess as any body OF white people OF
r.alnhrnfinH nm nnniYarsnrY last sum