Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-01-30

OF the Committee on Finance, and to do it
without delay.
TUS OF JGTFBRsON.
In orr issue of last week we commented up>
on some OF the points made by the Judiciary
Committee of the House of Representatives
/ 4 its very lame report upon the status of this
county and, although we believe that the
fact that polls 'ocre opened at only tieo of tie
eight places Of ro'ing while the Act of the
Virginia General Assembly giving the con-
SAINT of the State to the transfer. REQUIRED
polls to Ge opened az each place Of rotiag, is
positively conclusive Of the case as against
the pretensions of West Virginia, we feel
bound to say word or two upon some other
OF the arguments urged by the Committee
The Report says that there is no doubt
that West Virginia has the de.t;tcto govern
ment of jefferson, and, therefore, that State
should not be disturbed in its possessioas.-
Tn!s is simply absurd. 1t has no force what
e.er. BY what means dill West Virginia OBJ
tim this dc tacto government? BY gross
outrage base cheat upon the people; and
by an equally base fraud upon the law which
ordered the'sense'O of the people to be taken
on the subject of the transfer. But suppose
there WAS force in the proposition, and that
Congress would adopt it as its rule of action
It would b, compelled to extend it to ether
cases The Southern Con!ederacy itself
would have its independence OF the Federal
government acknowledged by the same rule
OF action 1t certainly had n dc fxcto coy
eminent, and an admirable one at thar, over
the whole Southern States If CONGRESS- has
noright to disturb the West Virginia ant5or,
ltl'' III this county, it had no right to inter-
fere by force of arms, OF otherwise. AGAINST
the Confederacy.
This very dc t0cto government of West
Virginia IN this county exists in consequence
ct an invasion of tn, State of Virginia by the
o'icais Of that State and it is made the duty
o. Congress, by the Federal Constitution. to
repcl it-a duty which Congress should per
t'rm at once, and which it could do without
resort to any other means than passin, bill
OF resolution refusing to sanction the transfer
The Report is unwilling to admit that ..o
Richmond Legislature is the de jure IerisI,.
tire OF the State, and therefore does not con.
sder the repo3ling bill Of that body entitled
II consideration. It is useless to araue srcb
proposition as this-ndeel the Report it.
self furnishes a complete vindicat;on Of both
the de jHre aud de t,tcfo character Of TIE Vir-
gina Assembly In the opening of the Re-
port, the Committee has to spcal, Of the ere,
stored government" OF Virginia rs the ONLY
authorized, legal government in the Sta+a
and atfirrn5 that it has been SO recognized by
Congress itself. Peirpont is claimed bv the
report to hare heen TIE only lawful Governor
OF the State, that he is 50 at this time, and
that he has been so recognised by all the de,
partmcnts of the federal Government. and
that he IS now so recognised by the reoplc
OF Virginia" Each and every member Of
each branch of our legislature was elected and
holds his seat by virtue Of the Constitution
and laws of restored Virginia." and none
other, and the people of the State and Cover
nor Peirpoint. recognise them as FORMING the
dejUTe and de tdcfo government of the State
1t Is therefore mere folly in the Committee to
report that the present legislature is not the
only true ana lawful legislature Of the State
II II Is not the true and lawful legislature of
the State, then that other legislature that
sat In the same place last winter, and which
was elected under the constitution o,l lowe
OF Of" Virginia, was and if it was. what ho-
comes not only of the transfer Of .Jafro-.o.,
and berkeley, but of the State Of Wost W.
gia;a?
The Report is full Of such amsv ar,,,,,rnts.
indeed 1t Is perfectly apparent that the Conn.,
mlttee has derived its arguments. as we'll =.
us l"c'S' from INSCRIPTIONS men who a,!voc,tn
the transfer But there is one point. m.Io
III thlS report, which should be known Inv
cEe'y G'''Zeh' IN order that it may lie seen to
"n"S desperate straits the West Virginians
are driven The Committee saws that i r,.as
not necessary for Congress to rive consnnt va 80
the compact between Virginia and \yost w
gina, tor the reason that at the time Of 49,
agreement on the part of Virginia. there WIS
10 such State as West virginia. But lot -,
give the Committees own Language
IL was therefore supposed by the Senators
ana Representatives Of West Niroir;o IN
" Congress, that inasninch as West iir,,in;a
- was not State, and had not thc c,r9o;.,.
- to enter into any compact or agreement,
with the State or Virginia in PROVIDING thn
means OF transferring these counties to tho
~ State of West Virginia, and givinr her as-
q sent to such transfer, was not .cn,nnact
or agreement within the meaning Of The
Constitution of the United States. and tbat
q therefore no ratification by Congress was
necessary to the validity Of the transfer"
Here. then, it is clearly adI.itted-for the
Committee contend that this supposi,ion is
correct-tflat the State of West Virginia was
not State, and could not enter Into com
pact with Virginia. Now this is exactly
whit EnIinI.n nr,l IL y