The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-07-30

thc St0tO Va ViAELhAos " 49,
ginia, indeed! What withering, ir-
repressible scorn must any hon
est mind feel for the misera-
bic. inconsistent and ridiculous
assumption which claims West Virginia
to be State constitutionally within
the Union, and that Arkansas is mere
waif upon the sea of national life, an
unorgaDized colonial dependency out
side Of the Union! West Virginia, sir |!
she has no constitutional home, no
rightful, legal abiding place in the
great family of States; she is bastard
Commonwealth, q mere political found
ling, without drop of constitutional
blood in her veins; she is an illegiti-
mate star in our political constellation;
she was conceived in the sin and born
in the iniquity of modern radical repub-
licanism; and the whole rightful con-
stitutional theory of our confederate
system, the whole original framework
of our Government as designed by our
fathers is disturbed and dislocated by
this horrid burlesque Of State. And
vet, sir, its erection, however revolu-
tionary and unconstitutional, when you
look to the dRimus and mode of its ac-
complishment,a as against those who per
petrated the outrage, Is clear and
unequivocal recognition ofthe fact that
Old Virginia was and is State within
the Union, unshorn of any of its origi nal
sovereignty"
Mr.. Van Trump.-I ask the gentle
man to yield to me for moment.
Mr.. Hubbard, of West Virginia.-l
will yield to the gentleman when / get
through with my explanation.
Mr.. Van Trump.-One moment.
Mr.. Hubbard, of West Virginia.-The
gentleman published his speech in the
| Globe, a speech not delivered upon this
floor, and had no opportunity to reply.
/ do not think under the circumstances
the gentleman deserves the courtesy at
my hands.
Mr.. Speaker, now ask the Clerk to
read second time that part of the par
agraph which / have marked with
double lines; for / want these words
scared as if with hot iron" on the
heart and memory of every loyal man
in West Virginia, that they may know
the future that awaits them if the par
ty with which the gentleman from Ohio
is associated obtains control OF this
Government.
The Clerk read as follows:
"West Virginia, sir! she has no con-
stitutional hon@ no rightful, legal
abiding place in the great family of
States; she is o bastard Commonwealth,
mere political founding, without
drop of constitutional blood in her
veins; she is an illegitimate star in our
political constellation; she was con-
ceived in the sin and born in the in
iquity of modern radical republicanism:
and the whole rightful constitutional
theory of our confederate system, the
whole original framework of our Gov
ernment as designed by our fathers is
disturbed and dislocated by this horrid
burlesque of State"
Mr.. Hubbard, of West Virginia-I do
not propose to enter into discussion of
any constitutional question connected
with the admission of the State. 1t is
sufficient for me to know that West Vir-
ginia has been admitted as a State by
the Congress of the United States, that
branch of the Government authorized
by the Constitution to admit new
States, and presume the members of
that Congress understood their consti-
tutional obligations fully as well as the
gentleman from Ohio. West Virginia has
been acknowledged as State by the eX-
ecutive department fthe Government in
all its branches. Her name has been
entered on the roll of States by the Su-
preme Court of the United States, no
Justice OH that bench, so far as know,
dissenting therefrom. She has fulfilled
all her constitutional obligations as q
State since her admission. She furnish
ed her fun quota of soldiers for the de-
fense of the Uuion-all volunteers, no
drafted men among them. Can the
gentleman's district say as muchf She
has paid her share of the direct tax, and
stands as ready to-day to sustain pro-
served Union as she did to defend it in
its time of danger and peril.
Yes, sir, West Virginia has home, a
constitutional home, legal abiding
place in the great family of States; she
is true Commonwealth saved from
insurrection and rebellion by the best
blood of frcemen; an honored star in
our political constellation; born of 10y
atty ard dedicated to freedom, she mag
mites our national system of govern
ment and proclaims to the coming fu-
ture that loyalty is the birthright of a
State.
know she is not State by the con-
sent of rebels or rebel sympathizers. /
know her name is not called in Demo.
cratic conventions, that it is not enroll
ed on Democratic banners, for she does
not muster in that camp; and am not
surprised that the gentleman's ire is ex-
cited by seeing her Representatives on
this floor. But / am surprised at the
bitterness of inveetive with which she
is assailed, and especially that it should
come from q Representative from the
State of Ohio-a State which, of all
others, q speak it in no spirit of boast
iIg,) has most reason to thank God for
the loyalty of West Virginia. For four
long years of fire and death West Vir-
ginia stood between the citizens of Ohio
and the destroyer. We We're her wall
of defense; while our fields were laid
waste and desolated theirs were rich
with fruitful harvests while our homes
were left without roOf-tree by the
ruthless hand Of war theirs were the
abodes Of peace and plenty; and yet
government and recognition among the
States of the Union, secured by such
earnest devotion and won by such hero
ic sacrifices, must be branded as ellie
gitimate," conceived in sin and born
in iniquity," and that by q Represent
ative Of people who have been most
benefited by that devotion and that
sacrifice. o shame, where is thy blush 7
Mr.. Speaker, have been at loss to
conceive any sufficient reason for this
unwarrantable attack on West Virgin
Ia, made, too, not on the floor Of the
House in the heat of debate, but in the
quiet meditations of his room, under q
permission to print, and published some
four days afterward; so that it would
probably have escaped my notice en-
tirely had not my attention been called
to it by q member of the other House.
say lam at less to assign any rea-
sonable motive for it. Can it be be-
cause the admission ofWest Virginia as
State will ever stand as a reproach to
rebels and traitors, and will be an en-
couragement to loyal men and patriots
in all ages Of the Republic, or that her
recognition here is an abiding assur-
ance that the "lost canse" can have no