The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-04-05

At the opening vi tie seso'ou VI tHs
Constitutional Convention, on Friday
morning, Mr.. Faulkner submitted thu
following as section to be added tc
the thirteenth article Of the Constitu-
ton:
Neither slavery nor involuntary
servitude, except a. punishment fol
crime, whereof the party shall have
been duly convicted, shall exist within
this State"
Mr.. FAULKNER, OF BERKELEY.
Mr.. Faulkner said that it was then
lust forty years since he, at that time
one Of the youngest members OF the
Virginia LIE slature through commit
tee o. that body, submitted plan for
the gradual and prospective extinction
of slavery in that State, upon the post
matt principle. The remarks with which
he accompanied that proposition would
show the ground upon which he
placed his action. They were not based
upon any sentiments OF philanthropy
for the supposed wrongs OF the colored
race, although he did not mean to say
that was a view Of the subject to be ex.
cluded from consideration; but his
remarks upon the occasion referred to
we're exclusively based upon the con-
nection entertained by him at that early
period of his life, that the institution OF
slavery was pernicious TO the prosperl'
ty and happiness of that race with
which lie was himself identified 10y God
and nature. The proposition was then
fairly and kindly received by the Legls
la,ure and people of Virginia, but the
State was not prepared Tor such radl-'
cal change in her policy, and it tailed.
The opinions which he (Mr. + } then
expressed in speech which was pub
lished and largely circulated, however
unexceptonable in their utterances at
the time, had in consequence OF a Sub
sequcnt rtvu sion in public opinion,
caused by northern interference, ex-
posed him 10 much criticism, oDloquy
and denunciation. For near quarter
OF century, that is to say, from 1887
to 1860, his course upon that occasion
was brought up in judgment against
him in every canvass in which he stood
before the country. His political oppo-
nents declared that those opinions
should prove to him shir: OF hessus,
and, favored by the Incorporate spirit
of the times, most faithfully had they
kept their promise Yet in all the
scenes and positions in which he had
been placed since that day he had never
abandoned his early convictions Of the
social and political evils Of slavery, nor
had he ever recanted or retracted any Of
the opinions expressed in that speech.
Yet, while entertaining those opinions,
he, both as a member Of the State and
OF the national Legislature, had felt it
his duty, during the continuance of the
institution, TO maintain all the legal
and constitutional rights Of the slave
holders Of the South. and to demand
the enforcement. in good faith, OF that
guarantee Of the Federal Constitution
for the surrender Of fugitive slaves,
without which guarantee it was an
admitted historical fact, that the Con
stitution o: the United S'arcs would
never have been adopted.
lie (Mr. FL had lived to witness the
extinction of this powerful and wide
spread institution, not only within the
limits OF Virginia, but within the limits
of the United States He could not
approve the manner in which that re-
suit had heca consummated. 1t was
too sudden, too violent, too revolution
ary. 1t was made with too little regard
10 the real welfare OF the colored race,
and with too little difference to the in
du>tr.al interests Of the country. Still,
it WAS q result Of which no Southern
man can justly complain Slavery was
prize deliberately staked upon the
issue o! arms, and it was fairly and
irrevoc4hlv lost in that terrible and
bro >ay enc uuler.
He cherished the hope that he MAS
now in the performance Of the last pub
lie duty Which his e low citizens would
ever require al HIM Ashecommenced
his public career forty years ago in an
effort to terminate that institution in
his native State by legal and constitu-
tional means, and by an appeal to the
Judgment OF those who had the legal
right TO control their own property, so
it would be- a personal satisfaction TO
him to close his public career by seeing
engraited in the Constitution Of this
State, Of which he was one Of the
trainers, a provision that wonld affirm
the policy which he had 20 earnestly
advocated whilst vet youth.
1t was, in his opinion, no objection
to the Incorporation OF this section into
the Constitution, that such would be
the law of the State whether made q
part OF he instrument or not. 1t that
objectio., hal any force it would ex
clude tr, n the organic law now being
prepare not less than eight or ten
provision. which had been already
adopted Y the unanimous vote Of the
body. We had transferred from the
first sectrrn OF the Fourteenth Amend.
ment of he Constitution Of the United
States to ne second article OF our Con.
stitution me entire paragraph defining
who are tizens of the United States
and who are citizens Of the States.
Why this? Was it necessary to the
full protection Of the rights of our
citizens? Certainly not; and yet ii
forms an appropriate section in our
State Constitution. Again, We have
provided that the Legislature shall pass
no bill Of attainder no &c post factc
law, no law impairing the obligation
OF contracts. Were these provisions
necessary in our Constitution? Ger
tainly not; for the Constitution of the
United States contains positive pro-
hibitions against the passage OF any
such law by State legislation. Yet
these provisions are embraced in all
State Constitutions, and thew are ap