The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-12

on the Permanent Location of the
Capital. rT -I.-r a-lg-s
Mr.. PRESIDENT: / would also put in
nomination, Ruckhannon, in the coun-
ty of Upshur, for the permanent seat
ot Government OF West Virginia, and
L must confess, sir, that when I reflect
upon this momentous question, that 1
ieel unable to do justice to the merits
or Buckhannon. 1 believe she has SUI
perlor claims to any other point. 1 in
tend TO say nothing against other points.
desire to advocate Buckhannon on its
own merits, and do not want to build
up upon the downfall of other locali-
ties. .a .... "a. -o fEG
But 1t il true, sir, that public journals
have spread broadcast over the land
most outrageous ISLANDERS against Back.
haunon. Some have even said that
Buckhannon has no coal. Now, sir, 1
undertake TO say that such a statement
IS false to the last degree. l wonder
why any one, with the least degree OF
Intelligence or truthfulness, could ut
ter such base slander. '#a sIEl
Sir, II is not true. There is no spot in
the state that has such coal as Upshur
county. Not ten miles from Buckhan-
hon there is n vein of coal more than
twenty feet thick, Gome ten feet of
which is the best of camel coal for the
truth OF which L will refer you TO Sena-
tor Young, a member of our body.
(Senator Young confirmed the state-
ment, and said that he had never seen
such vein of coal in all his trayels.)
and around the town of Buck hannon.
there were numerous other veins vary.
ing from three to nine feet in thickness.
The object of gentlemen who are
thus disposed to slander and abuse
Buckhannon is obvious. They desire
10 prejudice members and the people
against us, in favor of other localities.
- "a ~ u.
loNeiy spot for the Capital which can be
found in this State, and it could hardly
be surpassed in the United States. II
Is also said that we have no'buildiug
material. Sir, within u of mile from
the spot where we propose to build the
Capital, there is an abundance of the
best rock for building purposes. and il
Will split almost like rail. The sup-
ply Is lnexhaustible, and it is as good
as ever the hammer of Il mason mark
ed, and there are no intervening hills,
Besides, sir, we have timber in absolute
profusion. No spot on earth has bet
ter, and yet We are lied on about the
timber also. II is also argued against
us that the transportation of material
from the Railroad will be onerous and
the cost lnmense to the State. Sir,
IL gentlemen in the Senate
make this an objection, j.
pledge You that the people of Upshur
"AAA NO tAAA ALtS udu1luG. De 1t IIluCn
little, without expense to the State.
They also say we have no lime. This
charge, ike the rest, is untounded. We
have immense quantities of gray lime,
the white we should have to bring from
the Rich Mountain, % miles distant.
as bad off as we.
Sir, don't understand why all ar
rows are pointed at Buckhannon. 1t is
The most central spot named, taking
everything into account. 1t is % miles
from Clarksburg, and 35 miles from
Grhfton; and as to population, cannot
see where the Senator from Ritchie gets
his figures. Take the United States
census OF 1860, and if any fair-minded
man can produce the figures of the
gentleman, then 1 will surrender this
point. By dividing the counties equal |
ly through which the b. q o. r. R., with
It's southwestern branch passes, lex
cePtlng those counties in the eastern
which the road merely
passes upon their northern edge), there
are only II counties north to 40 conn
ties south of it. Why, sir, the railroad
strikes the very edge of the State, as it
were. There are only uO.973 inhab-
ltants north of the railroad, dividing
the population of the counties border
ing on il; and south of il
26l, ,6I2. The railroad has made
those counties through which it passes
vastly wealthy; and Notwithstanding
the superior advantages those counties
have which lie upon that road, as we'll |
as those counties which border on the 1
beautiful Ohio. and protected as they |
were by the strong arm of the brave /
sons of the interior, who breasted the !
nrst storm of bullets and rolled back |
he raldlng foe, and thereby protecting |
The lives and property OF those who [
were SO favorably situated-bGt not
all this, We find that the |
vast majority of the population lies I
south OF that road. Pierce the centre 1
Of our State with another railroad, and |
what would be the effect? Why, sir,
the Iopal North, with her wealth, will
pour IN ITS population, and then would
our population soon be a million in
stead OF what it is. Then would the
source of taxation be SO greatly in
creased shat it would make rich the 1
treasury of our State. But il by any
act OF ours, we should follow our once
ask masters Of Eastern Virginia, who
oy her acts of unjust legislation; re-
used to draw the bolts and bars of the
A1leghanies, and give US an outlet for
)ur commerce and the rich and mex
laustible minerals which the God of
nature had covered up in our hills.
Sir, our people are already groaning
lnder taxation; and how are they to be
if We refuse to do that which
VIII be the means of opening the great
'entra! resources of our State.
Sir, look to the future more than to
ne present, IN this matter. We should
Ict as statesmen; looking also to the
of the millions who shall fol-
ow u.s. We must have more than one
allroad- Where there is only one IL is
NV ways a monopoly Its managers are
,ut flesh and blood, and are subject 10
he laws of self interest, which more or
ess govern all men. The people know
heir rights, and dare assert them. We
re demanding another railroad; for we
re no longer disposed to be hewers of
wood and drawers of water, as we once
we're 10 Old Virginia. But, Sir, refuse
IS these things, and you would dry up
ne very veins ana sinews of prospsri-
y, and the hope OF our glorious new
'tate- l would call upon every Sena-
or on this floor, to look at these things
political point of views and ask
what would be the effect, il We should
dopt line of policy that would vir-
ually lock up, for all time to come,
he great central interests and re,
ources of our State? Why, Sir, then
you'd the predictions of the enemies ofl
ur State and country come to pass,
nat they would yet possess the land.
'ir, you would see many who have
tood up with their lives and their little
III in their hands, and bat
led for the cause OF the Union,
'utling up stakes and leaving the State; ;
md if that time should ever come, .
which may God forbid, mark what I
ay to-day, that the political scsptre
viii then have departed from us, and
We VIII by our enemies be sold back y
o Old Virginia Sir, such state
II things will never do. Let us bury
'ur former aninlosities, our pickering
md our sectional strifes, and like men
Who have a faithful constituency, To-
ate the Capital at the place where it
viii the more certainly subserVe the
;reat interests OF the people. ~
1 have nothing to say of Grafton, ex-
'ept that it is not central believe