The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-04-03

here to assert great abstract truths, ant
thew shall be truths and not untruths
L do not object to mere phraseolog!
unless it hath a meaning in it; tn
words l propose, "the State of Yves
Virginia shall constitute one Of tn
United Stated of America" does plainl,
declare that West Virginia shall be
member Of the Union until its exist
ence is legally terminated. o.
isterminatsd by revolution; the phrase
ology in the article as it stands, leaving
out the words and shall remain woult
uuquestionably mean the same thing
"isone of the United States, &c" Thel
if this would accomplish all, why,
pray you, will gentlemen insist upo'
retaining these mandatory words, "ant
shall remainY These words, which t
effect the Interpretation of the sentence
given to it by the Trainer would b
needless, are chung to with unyieldmt
tenacity. Now, sir, when we conside
that the words asserting the right o
revolution, contained in almost ever!
bill of rights in the United States, ar
omitted in this, namely, the right of TIT
people to alter or abolish their govern
ment, and the words shall remain in
serted, words contained in no othel
Constitution in America, can any ont
doubt that this bill of RIG hits would deny
tie right of revolution and nullify thu
Declaration Of Independence. not in ar
immaterial, but in vital part, in th'
very part which breathed into US thu
breath OF life as nation?
Sir, | never can or will yield my
assent TO the doctrine that government;
are indestructible; l never will assent
to the doctrine that Adam or Noah had
the right to prescribe form OF govern
ment for YOU or me. The earth and the
fitness thereof was neither given to
Adam nor Noah, but to man generic
not to one man, or set OF men
but to all the generations Of men
passing over its surface and ultimately
sleeping in its bosom, from the day
when God breathed to Adam the breath
OF life, until the day when the Angel
Gabriel shall set one foot on the sea
and the other upon the dry land, and
proclaim that time shall be no more.
Sir, there are portions of the earth
which must forever remain in common.
The great oceans, the winds, the rains,
and the sunlight, are, and were, and shall
forever remain. the common, undivided
and indvisible property OF all the gene
rations of men which have passed, and
shall pass, over its surface, from
Adam 70 Noah, and Noah to the end of
earth; and OF it, surface there can be
but a transient property at best. Men
are migratory as the birds; flock SET
ties down and stakes out a boundary,
a government in It's limits.
individuals stake off smaller boundaries
in these limits, with higher claim to
possession; but these possessions are
by no means ever enduring. CITIZENS are
ever and anon changing ther domlcll,
passing from one portion OF the earth 8
surface to another, and from one gov
crument under another, until finally
none perhaps OF the original stock
remain, but men OF another race,
of another color, speaking d fferent
language, OF d fferent manners, GUS
toms and religion, are occupying their
places. Yea, sir, in one century hence
not living soul that now breathes in
the limits OF West Virginia will be
found upon the face of the habitahle
earth; and when you and |, sir, have
passed to our final account, our places
here may be supplied by "Parthians.
Modes, Ellamites. AID the anrient
dwellers OF MessopOtamia, speaking
the confused tongues and contounded
of Babel; and still you say /:
" West Virginia is and shall remain"
Territory is ever and anon passing
into the hands of established govern
ments, by treaty and 10y conque>t; the
larger governments are swallowing W
the smaller, and these, again, by revo
luton, secession and di>union, are be-
ing torn into fragments; the fragments
are recognizing aud forming new ALI
ances, and down comes a. Attala, the
scourge OF the world, AMI sseeps them
out OF existence. Kingdoms rise and
fall, empires tot'er and decay, nations
waste away and die; war, psstllencc
and famine sweep from the north to the
south pole and from the rising sun, anu
still YOU SAY, West Virginia ia and
shall remain" When the High Arch
angel comes to proclaim tn end o
time, presume, sir, he will he me-
upon the. beach 10y deputation from
West Virginia, who will bid him
"Baek to the skies with shame be driven
Back to your native heaven -
West Virginia is and shall remain.
II the United States i 90 be forevel
the name Of a government, are we to g
forever under that name, no difference
what people should wear it, or wha
rule of action should govern them?
Suppose. sir, 10y conquest or other
wis, the United S;ates should swallow
up South America and extend to CAPE
Horn; and suppose again that Soutl
America should become strong enough
to Cypress the North, till the burden
became intoierable and it was bound Z
separate from it, then South Americs
would be the United States. would vol
still have it that West Virginia shout,
be and remain one OF the United State!
of America? And suppose again, sir
that ali the existing States should pas!
out from under the Government OF tb'
United States, ieaviug only Maine
Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachu-
sets and West Virginia, would yor
still have it West Virginia shall
remain one OF the United States =
separated from that country by The
great States which would lie between
You andit? If not, why insert such
section2 Will you tell me that remain
only means for a period, day, week
opH hannI nos.