Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-03-22
OUR DELEGATE AND THE CAPI-'
tai QUESTION.


We publish in today's issue letter from
e.. Nj. Beltzhoover Esq, in reply to our stric-
lures. in former number. upon his vote, or
rather his change of vote, whereby he defeated
the bill toretain the capitalat Wheeling. In
proof that we were influenced by no desire
to do him injustice, We may remind our readers
that we characterized him as clever, and
conservative representative. Our charge was,
that upon the question of retaining the capi-
tai at Wheeling, or removing it to Charleston,
he misrepreseuted his constituents, by first
voting to retain the capital at Wheeling, and
then changing his u0te, whereby he defeated
the bill to retain, the same being defeated by
only one vote, viz: Mr.. Beltzhoover's. Mr..
BIS letter, and the facts stated therein, amount
not to a denial, but to what in law We called a
confession and Avoidance of the charge. He
does not deny defeating the bill, nor that his
constituents were in favor of its passage, but
confesses these facts. and justifes his vote
upon the ground of constitutional obligation
under his oath. We believe this to be fair
and Ineligible statement of the case.
The bill to repeal the Act removing the
capital to Charleston was passed in the Senate,
and came 10 the House at an early period OF
the session. and was there mblea. Now the
vote on motion to table bill is considered
test-vote on its merits and final passage -
The representative who votes to table bill
votes against it, as tabling is but ono mode OF
defeating it. We understand Mr. b. as adj
hitting that he voted to table the bill orlgl>
nally, and persistently followed up his oppo-
sition by uniformly voting against taking 1t
from the table. The reason which he assigns
for this opposition, viz: "thatthe capital cues
ton had influenced and controlled all legisla-
ton, much too long already for the good OF the
State" ought to have had, one would suppose,
directly the opposite effect, and have made
him all the more anxious to take the bill up,
and dispose of it, by allowing the capital to
remain where it was. The effect of his course,
from first to last, has been to remove the capt.
tai to Charleston, contrary, as he confesses, to
the present convenience of his constituents
and, as we believe, to the wishes of nine tenths
of them. We donot suppose that Charleston
will remain, permanently, the seat of govern
ment. because it is neither central nor Access
sible. The consequence of removal will be
large and useles expenditure of money, and
the continued agitation of the capital question.
until some other location is determined upon.
Upon the constitutional point involved we
believe that we could easily prove that the
Bill had been read first time before the I'd
of March, and, on that day, stood as an en-
crossed bill ready to be read a second time, if
the House so ordered, and consequently there
was nothing in the constitutional difficulty
raised. But if Mr. d. conscientiously Gelieved
the objection sound, of which we have no
doubt, while we unhesitatingly condemn him
for his previous vacilaion on the question,
VIC can but respect him for his final change of
vote, on the ground that any action traceabIe
to so rare motive as a constitutional scruple
on the part of West Virginia legislator,
deserves our commeudation, however untimely
or miSjudgcd