South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1866-01-19
Public Meeting.

'Sl'' WIS c'iIcd I" the Chair, and WM e.
CLAYTON and Ronr. w. PARKER, were ap
pointed Secretaries. The Chairman stated
briefly the object of the meeting, and then,
on motion, Committee of five, consisting
Of McSsr*. Robert White, james d. Arm.
strong, Elijah Kinchart, Alexander Mon
roe, and Joseph c. Pancake, were appoint.
cd to prepare business for the meeting. In
the absence of the Committee, WM. Perry,
Esq, commemorative Attorney for this
County, addressed the meeting, explaining
the operation of the new system of laws I'LL,
der which we live, and with which the pco.
| pic arc not yet familiarizcd.
The Committee, through their Chairman,
R"Er. WHITE, Esq, reported the follow.
Ing Preamble and Resolutions, which were
unanimously adopted
Whereas the geographical position of
this county and of the counties of Hardy.
icndlcton and Morgan, inasml,ch as they
nc eastward of the Allegheny Range Of
Mountains, allies them much more closely
iii interest with the counties of the Valley
District of Virginia, than with the counties
OF West Virginia lying westward of that
Range: And, whereas, the Convention
! which framed the Constitution of West Vir-
ginia did provide that these counties should
be included within the limits of this State
only with the consent Of the people of these
counties, expressed by 4 majority of them
voting therefor; and, whereas, the election
held i'll pursuance Of this proviso, owing to
the disturbed state of the country at that
time, to the uncertainty then prevailing in
the minds Of the people, and to the want of
information among them, failed utterly in
| drawing out any proper and fair expression
Of the popular vii! in regard thereof, only
two of the voting places (out of lS) be ng
opened at all, and those two but six Ill les
apart and in one corner of the county, and
only about forty votes having been polld, ,
while there arc about two thousand votes
i'll the c"unty,so that this question, 50 Vi
tally affecting the interests Of this county,
was decided by about one fifticth part of the
voters thereof; therefore, be it
/" /. RcsoIred, That in the opinion of this
meeting, all obstacles to an expression of
he popular will through the ballOt-box hav-
ing now been removed, it is in accordance
with the views of the trainers of the Consti-
tuition of our State, and with the spirit of
our American Institutions, that an on;,ortu.
nifty should now be afforded to the people of
this and the other counties of this Senate.
rial District, of Expressing their desires and
wishes Upon this question which SO greatly
affects their dearest interests that this
il only what right and justice require, apd
Iiut hr nf Lo
Convention would otherwise be thwarted,
and their provisions in favor Of these coun-
ties entirely nulifcd.
>. Rct"irei, literature, That Committee
OF eight members DC appointed by the Chair
man of this meeting, whose duty ;t-shau IN
r. III YiirgihiiaS, assIng the passage of law
directing vote upon this question, at some
suitable time, by all persons who are emit
tied TO vote hy the Constitution of this
State, in all the counties Of this Senatorial
District, to procure signatures to such petit
ton, to present the same to tie Lcgisla-
turc, at such time as they may deem cxpc-
dent, and if such act shallbc passed by the
Legislature of West Virginia, then to pcti-
ton the Congress Of the United States and
the Legislature of Virginia for their assent
thereto, and that said Committee be en-
powered to adopt such other means rs they
may tl,in!; cxpcdicnt for the promotion Of
these ends.
The following Resolution was, also, unan-
imously adopted:
Br il rc<olcd, by the people Of Ilamp
shire County i'll general mcctingasScmblcd,
that whilst We recognize the Government of
the State Of West Virginia over lis, and
whilst it is our bounlcn duty pcaccably to
obey the laws in force, VIC believe it to be
our right-Iay more, our duty az goo'l citl-
zcnS, sulcmnly to protest against such laws
as arc found upon the Statute Books OF this
State which deprive 4 vast majority Of our
people Of the political and legal rights of ~
mcrican frccmcn, and VIC do hereby declare
that, i'll our judgment, such laws arc against
the spirit Of 4 free government and unwholc-
| some, ungcncrous and unjust, that they tend
| to discord and confusion, and i'll great de-
gree to rctard the advancement and true i'll
tcrcsts Of the State, and to prevent those
feelings of mutual respect and harmony
which should pcryadc all communities.
On motion, it was also Rcso'rcd, That
the Secretary Of this meeting communicate
Il copy of the foregoing preamble and rcso-
lutions to each Of our Representatives in the
Legislature Of West Virginia, with the re,
quest that they will lay the same before the
Legislature, and use their best cndcayors
to attain our object.
1Iy appointment of tho Chair, the Com
mittcc provided for by the Ind Resolution
consists Of the following gentlemen: Jas
j. Armstrong, Jos. G. Pancake, Alexander
Monroe, Syduor Mcdonald, David Pugl
Elijah Einchart, Newton i. Guthrie, am
Robert White; aud, on motion, the Chair
man Of the meeting was also added to TIN