The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-25

Ivy VI ncBEOcS 10 noAu oAA.SS ~
West Virginia.
The Convention having under con
sideration the proposition of Mr.. Faulk
ner to strike out of section 4 of article
I'LL, these words, ANY white citizen
entitled to vote, may be elected or ap-
pointed to office" and insert mo persons
except citizens entitled to vote shall be
elected or appointed to any State
county or municipal office" Mr.. John
son, Of Tyler, SAID:
Mr.. Presidential is with a feeling OIL
sadness, bordering on despair, that |
arise to address this body. | have
heard strange doctrines enunciated upon
this floor during the last two days
strange, rot so much in their substance,
"a in the source from which they came.
Had they been uttered by the gentle
men from MonongaIia Mr.. Wiley or
by the gentleman from Upshur Mr..
Farnsworth) | would not have been sur
prised, but coming from men who profess
adherence to the time-honored principles
of the Fathers of the Republic, trans
mitted to us through long list Of nob'e
patriots. my young heart was panied,
as they fell upon my ears, admonishing
me that our boosted liberty was but al
idle dream. Sir, we are told that the
Federal Government is omnipotent, that
by the majesty Of its power, it obllter.
ates State lines, and dictates the domes-
tic policy of the States, and that we the
representatives of the people of the
State of West Virginia in sovereign
Convention assembled for the purpose
Of framing the fundamental law OF the
State, must at our peril prescribe that
an office within our State can only be
conferred upon white man; that the
General Government will arbitrarily
and illegally assume the powers to
nullify and prescribe which we may
incorporate in our fundamental law
which is displeasing 10 the political
party now controlling the Government
Of the United States. Sir, | thought II
was the special prerogative of the Rad
ical party to proclaim such monstrous
doctrines; and that the Democratic
party would not admit, either by word
or deed, that such doctrines could be
tolerated for one moment in our Repub'
lean Government, and when, a few days
aco, the gentleman from Berkeley Mr..
Faulkner) offered his amendment to the
Bill of Rights, announcing the prlnci
ole upon which the Federal Union was
founded, and declaring that it was the
duty OF all departments OF the State
government to faithfully guard the
rights of the State, and protect them
from all encroachMents of federal
bower, my heart beat a glad response
thereto, and l thank God that here
among the mountains OF West Virginia
the fires still burned upon the altar o
Liberty, and that we are yet determined
to pursue our liberties by defending the
Constitution of the United States and
the rights Of the States Hereunder.
This is no idle discussion for if the
position assumed by gentlemen who
favor the pending proposition, be true
then | look with fearful torebodngs tc
the future OF our country; as away
down the misty future / behold a pic
ture that will thrill with terror thu
s,outest heart, aud am fully persuaded
that the only manner in which thu
danger can be avoided ia by firm ad
herence to the principles upon which
the Federal and State governments ar'
founded
II the Federal Government has the
power to nullity any act that we may
do, or declare any provision that w
may incorporate in this Constitution
void, then why sit we here longer
then in the bitterness Of our degrade
ton, like Marshal Benedek on the
bloody field OF Sadowa, exclaim, "All
is lost save life, and would to God tina
we're lost too" Why not bow oul
necks in humble submission, receive
the yoke OF bondage, and return to oul
homes to live the lite Of race o.
slaves2 Sir, l repudiate in toto the
doctrine of the omnipotence ofthe Fed
eral Government in the domestic affairs
of the State; yet. l am compelled tc
confess that during the last seven year:
that government has made rapid pro
gress in dangerous encroachments upon
the lights OF the States, and that TIE
political party who committed these
usurpations, still has the control Of the
government; and, il we may Judge
the future by the past" and that party
still continues to control the govern
ment, but a few years will suffice t
completely consolidate the government
OF these States and effectually destroy
the liberties OF the people.
II the rights OF the States to regulate
their own internal affairs should be
destroyed, and these rights conferred
upon the Federal Government, with
our hundred millions of people spread
over these States, with their diversified
and somewhat conflicting interests, all
to be regulated by our government, can
any one believe that that people would
be contented, happy and prosperous
Such a government could not be main
tanned. Our fathers saw all this, and
to provide such a government as would
secure peace, prosperity and happiness
they created a Federal Governmeu,
with limited external power, reserving
to the States exclusively the power to
control and regulate the internal or do
nestle affairs thereof. And they have
repeatedly declared that any departure
from this fundamental principle was
sure to be disastrous, and, il persisted
in, would bring desolation and ruin
upon this people.
Sir, l have faith in the declaration:
of the fathers, and with the experi fence
of the last ten years, the wisdom Of
their declarations is fully proven. We
| ,oa1 brt lool, IN our sister States to sec