Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-08-01
ZEE CONVENTION QUESTION.
Election Ddy, IA 71~'dey, 24M August.
JEFFERSON COUNTY MASS MEET
ING

ing was held in "Lee Hall" ct Chsrtestown,
on Saturday, July Goth, for the purpose Of
expressing the sense of the spsot! upon the
prOprietY Of calling State Convention, with
view to changing the present Constitution
of West Virginia.
The meeting was organized by The election
Of Col. THos. VI. IsBELL to tie Chair, upon
motion of Mr.. Andrew L. Kennedy, and Of
MF: S-. GEO. T. BRoOKE as Serrctury up6n
the nomination Of f. Willis Wilson, Esq, Of
the W. va. House Of Delegates from this
county. The meeting being called to order
By e'Chaitman, Mr.. Andrew e. Kennedy
moved to adi0srn'fo fifteen minutes that time
might be given TO prepare the proper ResOLt-
tons. ThesmotiOn was carried, and upon the
-reassembling Of the meeting at the expiration
of the fifteen minutes, the following Resoiu,
t'0"s-Which were unanimously adopted
were reported:
BE itresOIVed By the citizens Of Jefferson
county, here in mass meeting assembled:
i. That in our opinion the.gene raj welfare
of tho State demands a Constitutional Con-
vention to effect salutary and necessary re,
forms in regard to Suffrage, Representation,
TsEatiOn, Corporation, tho Judiciary, and
other subjects of general interest.
2. That the local interest of this County,
which is one Of the largest Taxpayers in the
State, demands shat all Of her citizens should
unite in Ale call for Convention, in order to
secure representation based upon the entire
population; because unless this necessary re-
form is secured, this County, under the new
sPportiOumcnt, will lose one delegate in the
legislature, aud be thus deprived Of her leeiti.
mate weight and influence
Srd. That A. Ii. SpouAeller, Washington
Cox, j. y. Kern, T. II. Percival, John II.
Strider, G. ID. McGlIncy, Thos Wysong, b. +.
Harrison, IL. ST. John Shepperd, j. j Rams.
burg, A. J.JOhnson, Jno. q. Shirley, Geo. Ii.
Flagg, Maj. JAS. LSw. HOoff, VIM ii. Moore,
Richard Is. Washington, Logan Osborne, Mai.
VIM. Is. Lewis, Joseph Starry, Col. Robt. W.
Baylor, John Selden, B. W. Cook, Col. NO.
I. Gibson, Col. John j. GrGnthath, 8. s.
Moore, Maj, Seth. NJ. TimberIdke, Thaddems
Baney, +. j. Manning, John Il. Thomson,
David Fry, John T. HenkIe, S. v. Yahtis. be
a committee to make arrangements for n
BARBECUE to be held at FLOWING SpKINu.
on Saturday, l9M AwgWstj and to take any
other steps which they may deem proper in
order to bring out q full attendatce of voters
on the day Of election.
4th That the committee of arrangements
be requested TO convene at CharlestoWn in
"Lee Hall" on Friday, the 4th of August,
at o'clock, TO make the necessary arrange.
ments for the Barbecue.
9Th. That Edward +. Cook. Thos. G. Green,
Andrew f. Kennedy, DanI. b. Lucas, and
n. Willis Wilson, be a committee to invite
Speakers to attend tho Barbecue and address
tho people On the PrOpriety OF calling State
Convention.
After the Resolutions had been read BY the
chairman of the meeting, Mr.. +. Willis Viii.
son spoke upon the prOpriety OF their adop>
ton ;-giving it as his opinion that unless n
Constitutional Convention were called an ef-
fort would be made by the Radical party to
have the Flick Amendment declared null aud
void by the Court of Appeals on the ground
that constitutional notice of said amendment
had rot bees given, acd consequently If the
Court Of Appeals undertakes to 20 Lchim51hc
act, as the Judge Of our Circuit in another
case has done, many of our recently eufran>
Chised citizens may be again dis4ranchised.
Mr.: a. Kennedy seconded Mr. Wilson's
remarks in his usual energetic and effective
manner but thought all, whether originally
! in favor Of, or opposed to, the Flick Amend
ment, should cast their votes for Convention,
rs there were many defects in the present Con.
stitution that were not cured by that Amend.
ment.
Mr.. Green approved especially or that part
Of the first Resolution relating the the Ju-
dietary. lie thought we could mover have an
honest Judiciary go long as it is at the mercy,
as it now is, Of the Legislature. Our Court
OF Appeals has never pronounced any act of
the Legislature unconstitutional. There have
been cases in which the Supreme Court of the
U. s. decided certain acts unconstitutional,
that were afterwards decided constitutional BY
the Court of Appeals Of West Virginia, be-
cause of their fear, it is believed, TO decide
otherwise. He mentioned, as m instance of
this sort, the act by the West Virginia Legis.
lature subjecting lawyers to test oaths with q
view to excluding them from practice in this
State. The court OF Appeals Of Welt Vir-
GINA declared this act to be constitutional,
Notwithstanding tho Supreme Court of the
U. S. declared this test.oath to be unconstitn.
tioual. The Reporter is aware that for want
Of both time and space he has not done justice
to the admirable speeches made By The gen.
tlemcn, ON THE occasion. He has endeavorcd
| to give the 5iSt of their remarks as coucisely
as possible, and hopes they will excuse him,
under the circumstances, for mutilating
speeches that were really Gar better as heard
than they will probably seem from our very
indifferent report of them.
CS- Papers Of the County requested to
copy:
To the Lately Enfranchised.
ia honoly aov;nr, I,,k