The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-28
inc yIrxinians Perplexed.

Oh hand and informal speech in the
Senate Chamber at Richmond on Sat
urday last, to the members of the Gem
eral Assembly, in regard to the recent
Congressional Military bill. We can
hardly tell from the Wings report how.
the Governor stood towards 1t. Like
the girl, however, that was sort Of
courted and sort of not, but rather
more sort of than sort of not, we should
say that he favored it in mild way.
The difficulty with all present, inclu7
ding the Governor, seemed to be how
thew should proceed in the matter of
organizing an acceptable civil govern
menL under the bill. We quote as fol-
lows from the Governors remarks on
this head:
The Governor said there were two
ways to make the Constitution under
this act OF Congress- The first is for
all who desire TO enter into the move
ment to hold their primary meetings
in each county and elect delegates to
a central convention, where they will
fix the number of delegates and ap-
point their commissioners to superin-
tend the election of delegates to the
convention 10 make a Constitution un-
neE IQe DEONlSlOnS Oh Ll6 act. f..".... .
The other mode was for this Iegisla-
| ture TO promptly pass an act providing
| for holding convention under the re-
strictions of this act of Congress. This
course was opposed by some, and it
| was proposed for them to fold their
arms in Indifference, and take no ac-
ton in the premises. He was in favor
OF calling the convention in the mode
last indicated, because 1t would be
done under the forms of law, and he
/ thought would be more likely to secure
an acceptable Constitution with the new
element in the body polite, who were
to participate in the elections and gov
eminent of the State. If the Constitu-
ton were left to be made under the
mode first indicated they might get q
good Constitution, or they might get q
very unacceptable one. He supposed
under the act ofCougress there was moi
more than five per cent. of the white
voters excluded-perhaps less. The
great body of the people had their lands
families and debts, which they could
not leave and it was not, in his opin.
ion, wise TO say, because some of Us
cannot participate. none of US will. He
had determined long since, when he
conld not get all he wanted, to get the
next best he could. In conclusion he
assured them if they did not provide
for making "a Constitution, one would
be made for them. ..-s..
No other speeches were made. The
members in a good humor drew up in
little groups, and continued to discuss
the subject among themselves.
The Richmond papers do not seem
Inclined to discuss the bill so mildly
and good humoredly as the members
of, the legislature. For instance, the
Wing says: ...a. ..a- d. .a
Estates OF the South will decide the
question for themselves, should the bill
become II law but Tor this State we can
say that the present generation ofVir.
GINA must pass away, and their sons
and sons sons, before she will seek any
representation in Congress through
such means, and especially such repre-
sentation. Military rule may be i'm
posed on her, every device of State tor
tuTe may be applied, these will be the
shame of those who employ them, moi
hood, nor affix the brand of infamy
upon her brow. Never!'
The Dispatch advocates the following
preparation for the military rules
"Let;the awful brigadier find us
planting and building; whites and
blacks living tremendously; our leg.
islature considering measures for pre-
serving the credit of the State and de.
velopinS its wealth; judges on the
bench administering the laws of the
land with universal acceptation to all
alike; and then let him, before the face
of earth and heaven, by one order from
headquarters, deprive whole people OF
all this order, and peace, and legal pro-
lection, and rule them with bayonet
at all their throats, and no law over
them but the edge of the sword"
The Examiner thinks that the Old
Dominion will do her duty under any
circumstances:
"Ground down by taxation, imposed
exclusively for the benefit of those who
are attempting her destruction, selling
her heirlooms to pay the imposts of hel
her political grave, she is canvassinG
every expedient, considering every pro
posal, and accepting any sacrifice thai
can be borne, in order that she may
leave to history an honorable name,-
the repute of duty fully discharged"
The Enquirer appeals to the North tc
consider how they would like it if the
state OF things were reversed:
1--WE entreat the men of the North to
take counsel of their own knowledge OF
human nature-to consult their inter.
ests-to remember their oaths and en-.
Gagements-in their dealings with the
South. If they will not admit US to oul
privileges mt Washington, at. least
leave us in peace in our local affairs
Let the Samson whom they have cap
tured and whose eyes they have put
out, be useful in the mill, instead o.
making of him an occasion of general
calamity"
The New York Tribune publishes G