The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-05-16
SPEECH OF HON. GREEN.
BURY SLACK. 81 -.

| Ratification Oh Hthc ~
! tiOnal Amcndnent---ihe S'nar'
rcs against Judge \. lIarri'
SON, &c, Sc.
The following address,, prepared for tho oc
casion of the great constitutional Tn on
meeting which was recently to hare been held
in Charleston, but which did moi conc oil, aud
in which i, was anticipated that the s'ereo
typed hobbies Of thu, party would be ridden
by their speakers, was delivered, hy iis a."
thor Hon. G. Slack, State Senator, before
meeting Of Union citizens held at SissonSiiI'
on Saturday last. Being calm, deliberate
ALL d:spassona,c statement Of the great
questions now a:itsting our people, VIC ask
for it a careful reading;
Being one OF lhcsc unfcrtnnat" anil mncl
abused individuals who participated IN en-
ncling those misrrshiy disgrAcrinl and nm
constitutional laws which arc :" much de-
/ uouncci bru certain set OfiViIti:lnhs, may "'
aarloTcd for pr, >"niing some % I"e reasons
which influenced me-, with very hr:'
majority Of both Houses Of 'h" last i've
sessions Of our Legislature, with whom
! Lsl the honor to act. And Wi! here sar,
J whatever motives mar hc nitriLutcl TO ~
! HAT We were ho"rs: III our cn"cavoiS E"'
ONLY to promote the best intercS,-"; the State.
: h-t ~ rcpresrrt the wishes and interests ol
! the loyal peupc. Il has been SAID. repeated
unIi reiterated by every sympaihlzcr, ir""i
( ban Lamb down TO the lowest COPPER head
:,om Ohio. ,ha, The action CT the Legislature
( was prour:r.l by no higher mo:iv" tLar /"
pcrpciua,e themselves in power, IN crnc!lng
! those laws imposing restrictions ami disN'
. bii:::cs ca the enemies Of The C"nG;iy. y
more Infamous sluuacr never was Tr"mu'Galcd'
aud ,hcs. making the assertion S"|T Il l.
, untrue Those men II mean the majority o:
: III. legislatures Of lS'ij AMI tit are 10, the
men ,ha, ever sought Tie Offices OF the c0un'
try, and non. auow he fact better ;aan those
: making ihs charge. They were. n g"LrTai
,hinc, p,nin. uuassTninc men. cIhiriaE
nothing more lann LIBERAL s.lar" 81 common
rc,..c, i.n, n ardent devotion to their country
: nrl whose AgLrs! nnl caiy ambition wns Il
! Keep the coairc! Of her ,"o'iniv, from ihr
| hands Of her cncm:r+. AMI Tor tL.S. ,'."y az"
denounced b.? IL! the Rebel papers aud Rebel
/ Svmpsths.r. Of every grade and c'der. in
un;neasurcd terms o! Reproduction, nI;rihnlias
,
! on Me vvry nigh. Of the close I'll the last
session they held villa, they were pleased It
! term m Indignation meeting, in Wheeling
! in which such men as Keller al Dan h"uf
! Jackson Of Wocd. arI Darncl OF Masonpar,ic
! irated, for the purpose OF dcnouuc,n% Tue acts
! Of the Legislature in passing those laws
which ne d-cm 81 esS"n:ia! 10 the protection
! Of the loyal people y! TIE State; and the pas
: sagc OF whca, nj Internationally loyal men
! 80 impcrioIs!" demanded nj our haEd-: nhd
! regret to say, that the cheeks Of all loyal men
! from this cuJ Of the State were made 10 burn
! with shame, 10 learn that kHnawhA County
was actively represented in that "s'"M1!as,
! hy one 0: WHOM the country had right tC
c1prc, better evidence uf loyalty.
, But villa; arc the laws, 50 unsp"rinG'y tie
, uounced, anil what are the reasons OF then
enactment? In treating Of this subject 1t
| may DC necessary TO awaken Soinc nar'"nsnmi
rcm:uisccu.rs--lo exhibit some unpleasant
truths, thai the mantle OF oblivion might have
covered up forever, hail they not made the
occasion Of their exposure, by the course
they huvc pursued towards your representa-
/ lives.
! again ask, what are tic acts ard what =
! the object CT the le:isla,On> Of which such
! Complaint is made! And whose ini"tcs's are
I souch: TO DO projected by iEOsc who wo"td
! set the laws aside? Are they the loyal me-;
Of the county, who have riskcd their lives and
spent their substance in their countrya de-
Tense? Are the interests OF the w"io%s ana
! orphans y: those noble men who'trH IN ihct
comntry's drlrnsc which ill our lnaI tr'"
one end to the other, sought I" he protested
! by those who are 20 eloquent IN the abuse aud
vitu1era'ivn ofyour Representatives i"rcH"ry
, i.w that has been passed lookin. to the pro
, ,ecticn Of Cuion c,izens, or the r!ac:E: oil
any disabilities upon treason Nay. f,r1iy
hut al this cry about hard dealing rr"Sc7'p'
ton. and want OF Christian charity ia Inadr
! in the interests Of men who commenced mn
unprovokcI war upon us III 1851. and carried
i, on with cruelty unparalleled IN history
! Tor four long years.
! Blu, let W. look tor n moment at Tho laws
thus denounced. First. the ACT declare" TINT
;he Courts alone shall determine he c'H>'i'G'
tional;ty OF a.! acts passed hy the Legislature
Were it not that the history ii :hc ~; twc!''
months exhibits the fact that LEA! gentleman
deeply read in The law, AMI Of thr highest
standing and influence. advised otherwise, II
wosld scarcely he believed kat THIS PROPOSE
tion was ever coniroyertc'!. What would hr
INC consequence u SlCH lrNCniUp ~ tfhN W
Mr.. Lamb ana others attempted Ia i.Hlm upon
the rcop'e, tina, every man hal u right TO de-.
cile upon the constitutinnaiity of every law
enacted by the law making power, aud Obey
or disobry the Law as his jad:mcu. or cnrrir,
might dictate, shoull prevail? Ii j. oal!y
necessary to state the proposition to show irs
Ahsurli,y, md ouly shows TO what c.,rc'nc'
men will resort in supper, Of Il bad cause.
The next act to which will refer is iha'
Enorn as the "Coasii,Hiioual Amra!:c"',
which has passed two successive legislatures
and comes before the people this sir!n: i'i
rntiacn,ion. lts provisions are well M Ter
stood, and | need not repeat them; bu; the
whole question which now divides Ike tive
great parties Of the State. tor | cou;cnl
there arc but two-,hc loyal aud iisloyal, III,
friends OF the Government under which We
live. both Stutc md National, and the enc
mics; | will, however. not say that every one
who acts with the so.callrd conservative par.
IS il, at heart, an eReny TO the country, but
that he is found in deplornbiy bad comprny.)-
the question then is, shall the destinirs Of Oui
young and rising State he directed 10y men
who molly stood up for their country In hcl
hour OF. trial, or shall those who were 90 re-
Gently engaged in trying TO disgrace mud de-
s:roy her, and only desistcl from their fonl
purpose when forced so TO do? This is Tie
iques;icn proposed to be decided BY ."e Con-