The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1869-01-25
THE NEW MOVEMENT ~ VIZ
GINA.

iuent gentlemen in Virginia, either des-
pairing of obtaining justice for their
State, or hungry for the spoils Of Office,
met together and consulted rs to What
would be tho best course for Virginia to
adopt in view of the fear Of the "lndcr-
wood Constitution" being forced upon
them. They claimed to represent the
: feelings and views of the former leaders
of the public opinion Of that S'a'c--and
we're self-consti,utcd scli-eecIel body.
They met, agreed upon platform cmLrH-
cling Negro Suffrage, delegated portion
Of their number Committee to 60 to
Washington and confer with The powers
that be. They done SO. Everything was
satisfactory-thc New York TribHne en-
dorsed tlicm-Sumner endorsed them and
the great moguls Of both Houses If Con-
grcss lent them willing ear. AL went
merry rs marriage bell. Bn', alas!
These sclf-consttutcd, sclf-elcct'd promi-
uent gentlemen, went back home, and
found, much to their establishment, that
| their action had not been taken rs kindly
as they might have wished. The people
had the bariihood 10 say that they had
no authority to treat for them and sell
their birlh-right for few Offices. They
had raised the storm, but could not ride
it, and must, perforcc, sink Into the
arms of the cxpectant worshipcrs
headed by IIunnicutt, or acknowledge
their inability to do what they had prom
:scd SO glibly.
4 The result is that worly war is in
progress through the newspapers, both
pro and con, the last dcvclopment being
q letter from Ex-Governor Wise, in which
be pitches into tho sclfconstitutcd and
prominent gentlemen, in his usual, forc'-
bic and sarcastic style. His letter Is da-
It'd Mt Richmond, January 9th, 1860, and
from it we extract the following:
DEAR SIn:-No apology was necessary
for your note to ne Of the 9TH instant;
for, surely, If the prominent men" who
lately met in this city, 10 whose move
ment you refer, may meet here and take
into their deliberations and guardianship
our rights, opinions and sacred honor as
we'll as their own, without our consent.
or consultation with us. we may humbly
speak for ourselves, and say whether we
choose them to represent us at Washing
ton or not. | do not concur in their
movement. lam not willing for them to
represent me, and | protest against every
reason they have urged for their conclu-
sions and their course. You have sought
this expression from me, and had re-
solved to be silent; but don't SAY this
Reluctantly, as there is a necessity and II
duty now to withhold no longer from each
other any well considered opinions we
have formed. and which VIC express calm.
ly and with dccorum. Several Of tue
prominent gentlemen who met here,
md who, II seems, have sent a deputa-
ton 10 the Federal Capitol, are my friends.
and all Of them are worthy Of due re-
spcct, and | would say nothing of their
course, doubtless taken from the Lost of
motives, except what is necessary to sure
me from n,yfrienls !"
In commenting Oh tho declaration of
the leaders Of the movement, "illat they
will accept Negro Suffrage, although
they would no, have it if they could help
themselves he says:
"Thcir "williugnc.s,' thu, nut for
ward Of any trial for the very right, may
persuade our enemies Of such weakness
on our prt us to tempt them to turn an.
other screw upon us; but it will not ci-
tler prevent what was inevitable in the
intended course Of onr enemies toward us,
nor mitigate itsseverity in the least. Chi
bono. then! ! tell you plainly that. il.
MS yon say, the "Alcxandr;a Cous,itu-
ton or the "i'lack Crook' constitution
arc to be the alternatives of my fate. |
will take neither. As Mr.. i. W. Leigh
once, under the signature of Algernon
Sydney, said respecting much less sig
nificant alternatives: IF take either,
may coroner's inquest bring me. in 'ttlo
de Sc stick stake through my BODY and
bury nc in the highway" If either is
forced upon me, am not to blame; but
| will be blamed by myself and my heirs
forever if take either, BY and with my
own consent, or FIR and in consideration
of price. | would as soon barter hon.
ror chastity for L price. If Virginia is
to DO forced, she will be piticd: but il
she consents, or sells her honor, her ca,l,
will never be taken that she was viola.
tod y