The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-02-04

j said that not only has Virginia
during all this period been recog-
nized as a State by tho Executive
of the United States, by the heads
Of the Departments of the Govern.
ment, by the Congress of. the Uni
ted States, bnt she has also been
recognized by her Sister States as a
State IN the Union My own State
the State of Ohio Wy tho ac'i Of
her Legislature during tho time
that Governor Peirpuiht was the
clicf Executive Of the State of Viz
ginia, asked the consent Of the
Legislature Of that Slate TO grant
the right Of way Tor n = railroad TO
pass through her territory and for
its consent 10 bridge the Ohio r1vor.
And further, Governor Peirpoint
was invited TO meet and did meet
with the Governors Of ether States
adhering TO tho Union. at Altoona.
on the 2lth Of September, 1862, in
order to concert measures ior the
prosecution Of the war.
And now | appta al to tho judg-
mont aud intelligence Of this House.
| appeal TO this honorable body.
composed Ut IL ~ large part Of
lawyers / ask them whether Vm"
ginia, having been recognized as
State during tho entire war by the
executive department Of tho Gov.
ernmont, by the Legislative depart
meDt Of the Government, and re-
cognized now ne State in the I'M
ION by the Supreme Court of tho
United Stotes, upon what pretext
can you, rs legislators, under the
solemn obligation of your oaths to
support tho Constitution, unders
take tod eny TO Virginia the right of
representation on iris fOor2
Is It not evident, Mr.. Speaker,
that Congress made a grave mis-
take in the year 1867, IN driving
the Senators and Representatives
OF Virginia from tho floors of CoE-
gross? And will we not commend
ourselves to tho indulgont Judge
mcnt and good opinion of the
world by frankly correcting the
error committed, and by an honest
cndeavor to romedy the grave
wrong which has been dUne2
IL is not pretonded-and | now
approach that branch Of the subject
to which gentlemen upon tho other
side particularly address themselves
IN the discussion of the bill before
tho Auuse-it is not pretended by
any gentleman on the Committee
on Reconstruction, and l presume
IL will not lie protorded by any
gentleman upon this floor, that
Virginia has not complied IN every
particular with the requirements 81
what are called the ucts of Recon.
structiOn. Then, it the Constitu-
ton is to be thrown aside, IL it II
to be disrcgurded by this body IN 1
solemn act of legislation, still com
mon manhood and common honesty
dictate that VIC should at least al
here to our own proposition, tha'
we should stand by our own nets il
reference to the admission Of thai
StLte.
] have said, SIR, and l repeat it
that anxious as | am TO 500 Virgin
"a restored to her constitutional
rights in this Union, TO see her
representatives once more upon
this floor, still / am not willing
and l will not vote for any measure
which proposes to drug that great
cd Commonwealth into tho pres
once of this House and of the coun-
try IN mlnaclcs and in chains.
Sir, when | think OF the present
and compare it with the past, when
l view TO day tho position occupied
by the members in this honorable
body from the old Common wealth
Of Massachusetts, whom / see The
hands of Massachusetts, fastened
upon tho throat Of PROSTATE Vir-
ginia, / eau but compare the posi-
tion Of Massachusetts toward Vir-
ginla now with the conduct of Vir
ginia toward Massachusetts in tn.
earlier and more glorious days o
our country's history. / speak q
the time when the town of BostoI
was occupied by British troops
when the psoplc of Massachusetts
had arisen IN response to the soul
stirring appeals OF James Otis anC
Samuel Adams, when Massachu
setts @allod upon her sister colonies
for assistance, and citizen Of Vir
ginia arose in his place in IT,,
House Of Burgosses and declares
That hd was prepared to raise
regiment at lis own expense {,
march TO the relief OF the town 0
Boston.
need not say TO this honorabl,
body, ] need not say to gentlemen
Oflhe Commonwealth of Massachu
sotts, that the citizen of Virgins
was numod George Washington !
| need not remind them that after
ward that same citizen of Virgins
did go TO the relief of Massachusetts
and that IL was while he was il
command OF the American troops
in which Virginiuns and New Eug
landers fought shoulder to should
er in a common cause, that III
, British were driven from Boston.
Let mo refer To an event htIl
earlier in our history. Whom u
question Of British domination an,
, British oppression was agitatod il