The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-19

and in his cool, quiet manner, with an
enunciation as distinct and a voice as
calm as summer morning, said: The
words OF the section were true. as the
gentleman had admitted, and he would
be glad to have that section going
echoing down the corridors OF time; but
he regretted, more for the sake of the
gentleman himself than on his own
account, the remark which he made
when he characterized the proposition
as mere dd captandum one, injected by
heknew not whom. The gentleman with
all his ability and experience had much
to learn of the courtesy due to COM
mittee to whom such subjects were
always committed. 1t had been in.
serted after mature consideration, and
il the gentleman could find no other OBJ
lection than that already urged, he
hoped the Convention would not reject
a proposition universally conceded TO
be true, because the gentleman had
been pleased to call it mere ad captain:
dun. Again he regretted the discount
esy and feeling displayed by the gentle
man, and thought it but charitable to
ascribe it to hisyouth and inexperience,
and trusted that age and acquaintance
with parliamentary usages would I'M
prove him in this respect, ifin no other.
can give you but an imperfect &C.
count of the debate. 1t WIS the manner
more than the substance (Which l have
ou6ted) which made the rebuke 30
terrible. 1t was absolute crucltxion'
and go potent was this to his friends
that Mr.. Atkinson got up and insisted
that he should withdraw his motion.
The proposition to strike out was lost
by a unanimous vote, Hagaps being too
much demoralized to open his mouth.
A good deal Of amusement was Gre
ated, by the discussion over the 18th
section, which is copy from the Vlr-
GINA bill of rights. as prepared by Geo.
Mason. 1t reads as follows: NO tree
government or the blessings of liberty
can be preserved TO any people but by
firm adherence to justice, moderation
temperance, frugality and virtue, and by
a frequent recurrence to fundamental
principles"
Mr.. Hoge said that while he admired
and revered the memory of George
Mason and thought him one Of the
purest and noblest men this country
had produced, he was clearly OF opinion
that while the principle which he had
embodied in the section just quoted
was true, his grammar was execrable
and he therefore offered As substitute
the following:
mo tree government can be preserved
to any people but by firm adherence
to Justice and virtue and a frequent
recurrence to fundamental principles.
He thought that Justice and virtue
included all the virtues known, anC
could see no reason why the list shout
be extended.
Mr. Brown opposed the motion. lie
loved the old provision, bad grmma'
and all, and revered it for its antiquity
AID while the language proposed nigh
be better than the original he couldn
give it up.
Mr.. Woods liked the substitute, and
it George Mason had written it thai
way in the first place he would have
much preferred it, but like the gentle
man from Preston (Mr. Brown he
loved it for its antiquity, and the com
mittee were unable to get away from
the weight of authority. Amid much
laughter, the substitute was voted
down. &c..
Mr.. Travers offered an additions,
section providing that no citizen should
be imprisoned for debt, which created
considerable discussion. The only DIT
ference Of opinion, however, was as to
whether it should not be qualified so as
not to apply to cases Of fraud, non'res'
dent and absconding debtors. Messrs
Wheat, Davenport, jackson OF Wooo
and others opposed, and without coming
TO a conclusion the Convention ad
journed. -,
Nothing of interest was done in the
Legislature. loRicK'