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

which it vas proper should be en-
brsced in the fundamental lau2 Woult
it derorm the Constitution, or would i
add lustre to its character Was i
not eminently appropriate that, in
Constitution boastfully protesting to b
based upon the broadcast admission o.
human rights, q perpetual interdic
should be interposed against the posi-
bic revival Of the institution Of slavery
Let it be. borne in mind that West Vir
GINA, by her present Constitution
recognizes slavery as an existing legal
though temporary. institution: that i
contains within its limits al this time
upwards OF seventeen thousand human
beings, who, if the laws which were il
force few years ago still existed, would
vet be iu a condition Of slavery; tina
these persons are ignorant, jealous o
their newly acquired rights, and easily
deceived and misled by the suggestion:
continually poured into their ears, and
which has banded them into q soitc
phalanx against the Democratic party
that in conceding their freedom we have
only Welded to the ms MAJOR, and thai
we mean again to return them &c
slavery whenever a favorable opportu
nity shall present itself Are not such
anxieties and fears worthy of the notice
OF statesmen Would not such a pro-
vision inserted in our own State Con
stirution be an additional guaranty to
assure them of the safety of their rights
and of the false imputations cast
upon our party? Would not such a
provision embraced in our State Constr
tuition make manifest to them, and to
the people of our sister States, that we
had adopted, in good faith. the now
settled policy Of the country on this
subject, and meant to adhere to it with
out reservation of any kind? He be-
lieved that every State where slavery
had ever once existed, or where any
serious effort had been made to introduce
it, confined such a declaration III It's
fundamental law. Was there any rea
son why West Virginia should desire
to be an exception to the course 50
uniformly adopted by her sister States
Of the South similarly situated? Was
there any party purpose that could be
accomplished 10y rejecting this provl-
sion? Was there anything in the past
history OF Wet Virginia that rendered
it expedient that her course should be
exceptional on this subject? SO far
from such being the case, there was a
peculiar fitness in the fact that the first
State which, south of Mason and Dix
ons line, had commenced the work OF
emancipation in her first Constitution,
but then LETT it imper ect, should now
complete it in her second great organic
law
He was aware that, in submitting
this proposition, he WAS acting without
the concurrence Of many with whom he
was politically associated in that body,
but the course which he was pursuing
was salis 'actory to his own mind. and
he should pass a vote omit, let it result
as it might.
Mr. WHEAT, or OHIO COUNTY.
Mr.. Wheat said that he desired, rs
briefly as he could, to explain the vote
that he was compelled, most reluctant
", to give against the proposition OF
the gentleman from Berkeley. lie felt
it to be most ungracous vote. alter
the speech Of that gentleman--an ap
peal so earnest and personal. lie MIR.
F.) has told US that, in the flush OF
early manhood, some !orty years ago,
il the year 1882, then being one OF the
Youngest members OF the General AS
sembly OF Virginia, he had proposed a
scheme for the gradual extinction OF
slavery: that, at that time, his PROPOSE
ton had failed, only because the public
sentiment of the people OF Virginia had
not then been sufficiently educated upon
that subject; that his proposition WAS
made to, carly. Mr.. Wheat begged
leave to su.gcs. 10 that distinguished
gentleman, that n0W his motion to en-
BODY in the Constitution Of our State
the Thirteenth Amendment, to the Con
stitu,ion Of the United States, comes too
late.
The extinction OF s'avr'y had been
decreed by a higher p,wer than our
Stately the Constitution o! the
United States, recognized 10y ~ as the
supreme law OF the land. 1t i q fixed
fact-im fat accomplishment ~: a de
Il. tI,nt l. Host l.
tutc of any practical significance OF
Importance whatever. 1t would afford
him pleasure to give his consent &c
round off the political life 0! the gen
tleman in this highly poetical way did
he not feel it his his duty to refuse
He hoped that the public services OF
that gentlemen were not near their
close, but that they may longer continue
to the advantage OF onr people and bis
own honor Surcly the gentleman
would greatly prefer that we Shout
have the evidences of his lon- poltlcaI
experience and great learning through
out the Constitution We are about IL
propose to The people o. our State, thar
that his fame should rest upon a propo
sition so valueless and useless As the
one now before the Convention
Slavery is forever prohibited in tnese
United States, and the gentleman ask,
us to do but vain and idle thing in
adopting the section proposed by him
lie would vote against the proposition
not from any hostility II to It's intent
and meaning, but because it was of nc
importance, and was therefore utterly
useless
MIR MARTIN. OF TAYLOR.
Mr.. Martin said he was sorry that
the gentleman from Berkeley had intro
duced the proposition in question, for
he had a very high regard for that
gentleman and disliked to vote IN oppo-
sition to his wish. The proposition is
already embodied in the proposed Con-
stitution OF the State, because it is there
in distinctly declared that the Constitu-