The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1871-08-24
A Correct View.

my DEAR SIE--1 have properly
avoided taking anything like an active
part in tue Convention controversy. This
course was not the one bad chalked ou'
for myself before the advent Of the Dem
ocratic party to power. On the contrary
it was my intention for several years pre-,
yious to last falls election, to exert to the
utmost my limited abilities in effecting the
much needed reform Of our State Govern.
meDt, whenever circumstances would rem.
der reform possible. The complexion oil
the Legislature last winter led US to look
to it to begin that reform; q reform that
vas to clear our statute book of oppressive
laws, substitute for them few good stat.
utes, and then, not only call Convention
or rather submit the call Of Conven-
ton to the people, but SO adapt their legis'
latiOn to the wishes Of the people who call
cd for reform, that the programme would
be carried through with perfect harmony
in the Democratic party, and complete
success in amending the organic law
Instead of this they set in motion all the
discorlant elements Of our party, and at
the same time washed their own dirty lin
men before the world, thus begetting re.
spect neither for themselves nor for their
political friends. We now Gud ourselves
10 prcdcament in which our whole labor
is expended upon the effort to reconcile
our own party to measure which one
year ago was the first wish Of its heart -
The Republicans look on the contest and
laugh, They are not idle spectators, how
ever, but so deeply interested that their
political salvation depends upon the result.
They even take an active open part in the
controversy, and so bitter is the feud be-
tween their opponents that men are well
coined 10 an embrace which one year ago
would have been rs revolving as that Of a
leper. Garry the election we may, but
Convention or no Convention, what can
this state Of things portend but disaster to
the party?
So important do deem a Convention
that look upon everything else in our
State affairs as mere sounding brass aud
tinklng cymbal" without it. We ought
to have gone into it, aud we could have
gone into it, with tue Democracy unit
upon tue subject.
| have just read "Nlason's" letter aud
Halls reply. II Mr.. Halls summcrsault
would be justified provided "NIason's" seu-
timents we're the sediments Of the whole
rebel element Of the Democratic party,
ought not a man of Mr.. Halls experience
and good sense to satisfy himself first that
"NIason" is true representation Of that
rebel elment? There may be in the
breasts Of Confcderates a feeling Of dislike
for the act Of the actors in the division Of
tho State, but calm reflection and the sober
second thought, have satisfied them that
the act has resulted in good to the State,
and that the actors deserve praise for the
deed, rather than censure for the manner
Of doing it. lie is q fool, indeed, who
does not know that the only time in the
history of Virginia, when she could have
been divided, was the very time, when,
through the madness aud folly Of secession,
John Hall and others were afforded an OPP
portuuity which they boldly seized upon to
give US our long coveted emancipation
from East Virginia thraldom Others may
imputc their motives and damn the actors
to their hearts content, and then they may
prove all that they aver, and yet | main.
tain that we got good thing by the d.
vision.
Now wc may blame this Or that, We may
ccnsurc "NIason's" want Of policy, or We
may attack the motives of all demagogues,
as being based upon sheer, bald selfish
ness, and attribute our widespread discord
to these causes; but to find the true source
Of our difficulties we must 60 to the action
Of our last legislature. That body saw
the seeds Of trouble (and a blind man may
see them) in our party, and they did not
meet the crisis either, like statesmen or
patriots. The Union men saw the danger
Of rebel resentment, when such resentment
was not meditatcd. The rebel element
was timid and compromising, when men