The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-02
speeehes by Hon. c. j. Faulkner,
Hon. Okey johnson, Hon.
w. HI. Travers, and G.
Boggess, ESQ.
A Good Audience and a Success
,s... full Meeting. 1872
Letters from Hon. Henry g. Da'
Wis, Hon. j. j. Davis and
Col. Ben. Wilson.

success IN point Vi nuunoele, eu'hueino'A
and practical results, and will doubtless
have much influence in increasing the
majority for a Constitutional Conven-
ton in this end of the State. The court
room was densely filled with citizens
anxious to hear the questions discussed
and gave close and appreciative atten'
ton to each of the several speakers
While the audience was assembling
and before the organization OF the meet
ing, Was Brass Band was in attend
ance and played several tunes with its
usual skill. The audience was one Of
the best that has ever assembled in the
Court House. 1t was composed almost
entirely Of voters and embraced many
OF our most prominent citizens and mos'
substantial business men. A great
deal of enthusiasm was manifested and
the eloquence Of the speakers was met
by many demonstrations Of hearty ap'
probation.
The meeting was called to order by
A. J. PANNELL, Esq, who nominated, as
presiding officer, His Honor. G. W.
JEFFERs, Mayor of the city. Mr.. JEFFERs
being duly elected, took his seat as
President, when the following named
gentlemen were nominated and elected
Vice Presidents of the meeting:
A. J. Pannell, John Zeckler
A. J. Sweeney, John Baer
Thomas Pollock, Daniel Scham
bra, G. W. Franzheim, R. g
Barr, Thomas Hughes, NJ. Reilly. John
W. Boring, Israel Updegraff, Robert
Crawford, August Rolf James Max
well, B. NJ. Eoff, n. Reister, John
Fitzsimmons, Thomas j. Campbell, j,
NJ. Todd, William c. Handlan, August
Wiedebusch, John B. Wilson, A. NJ
Jacob, George Sawtell, w. W. Miller
J. H. Montgomery, Silas Wharton,
William CASTOR, John Faris, G. A. Cra-
craft, James Robinson and VIM. I,
Chambers.
Dana L. Hubbard was chosen Secre
tary.
The organization being thus effected
immediate calls were made for Hon c.
J. Faulkner, who was introduced and
spoke as follows:
Mr.. Faulkner's Speech.
FELLOW CITIZENS: l thank you fol
the very kind reception you have been
pleased to extend to me. 1t was moi
without much diffidence that l yielded
to the request Of your committee to ad
dress you upon this occasion. During
the past ten days I have been labor
iously and almost continually engaged
in the discharge Of professional dutie;
before the Supreme Court of Appeal;
now in session here, and l have felt in
consequence much wearied and some
what untitled to address you as become:
the importance of the subject we are
met to discuss. / trust, therefore, thai
YOU will bear with me indulgently.
| am one Of those who had no agency
in proposing the call OF a Constitutional
Convention upon which you are to vote
on the Oath fthe present month. When
this subject was proposed last winter
and acted upon by the properly consti
tuted authorities Of the State, ] was one
of those white inhabitants of West Vir
ginia who had no voice in the direction
ofits affairs. But since the first Of last
June, since the proclamation OF that date
issued by my friend Governor Jacob. ]
am a citizen of West Virginia and ]
propose to exercise tonight one Of the
rights Of citizenship.
A few DAYS ago there went from this
very hall to the press and the people Of
the State, the broad declaration that nc
man could be in favor Of a Convention
to revise the Constitution Of West Vir'
giDinia unless he was seeking an office
and desired to turn some one out. 1t is
one OF the marks Of the degeneracy Of
the times that no man dare announce
the honest convictions OF his own mind
without being adjudged to be influenced
by improper motives. Hon. William
G. Brown, of Preston county, and Gov,
ernor Stanton, of this city, thought it
fit and proper in this hall, upon the
occasion of which l speak, to attribute
to the friends Of the Convention motives
which, as for myself, I spurn. They
seem to think that all their opponents,
all whose views upon political affairs
differ from those they happen to enter
tain, believe with Douglass Dalgetty
that 1.-The best Of causes-is the best OF
pay." Such charges might be expected
from petty partisans or from the local
press of the State, but coming from such
men they are sad commentary upon
the violence and recklessness Of party
rage. So far as am myself concerned,
my name having been mentioned by
those gentlemen upon the occasion re
ferred to, l can we'll afford to leave the
charges they have made to the vindica
ton of time and the justice Of this
community.
Fellow citizens, / may sincerely say
that deeply regret to see the question
of calling q Constitutional Convention
made an issue a. between the two po
litical parties in this State. Parties srs
useful and even necessary in . SeRybli
can government " They operate as
check upon corruption and extraya