The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-04-13

in signing this Constitution.
MI. johnson, of Wood, offered the
following, which was adopted
WHEREAS, Hon. Thomas Maslin, a
member OF this body, has presented to
the Convention a pen made from a
Quill which, with his own hand, he
plucked from the pinion of the Ameri-
can eagle, with which pen be desires the
new Constitution shall be signed,
Resolued, That the Convention thank.
fully accept the pen 30 presented, and
direct that the new Constitution be
signed Herewith, and that the Secretary
of this body is directed to place said
pen in the office Of the Secretary of
State, there to be preserved among the
archives of the State.
THE BALLOT AGAIN.
Mr.. Davenport moved to reconsider
the vote by which the Convention had
agreed to adopt Mr.. Travers' motion
for submitting as a separate PROPOSE
ton, the question as to whether the
mode of voting should be by ballot or
viua voce. After sharp parliamentary
struggle, the motion to reconsider was
laid upon the table, but in the afternoon,
upon motion by Mr.. Arnett, Of Marion,
that vote was reconsidered, the vote
adopting the section was reconsidered,
and finally the Convention refused to
adopt the proposition offered by Mr..
Travers; so no vote will be taken upon
that subject at the ensuing election.
Mr.. Davenport is entitled to credit tor
his indefatigable efforts in behalf Of
the ballot system of voting and for the
success he finally achieved.
THE WORD WHITE"
Ever since the famous debate of three
weeks ago, as the result of which the
Convention refused to deprive negroes
of that eligibility to Office which they
have had in this State during the past
two or three years, some of the members
OF the Convention have been fearfully
exercised. A vast deal OF .buzzing
around was done; somebody in the
Kanawha Valley wrote letter to one
of the members; two or three citizens
Of Charleston talked frantically about
the matter; and nothing would satisfy
these fearful souls but the submission
Of the question to separate vote. Ac-,
cordingly, on Monday morning, Mr..
Thompson offered proposition looking
to that end. OF course it excited an
animated debate, debate character
lied by more bitterness Of feeling and
wider differences of opinion than any
other that occurred during the whole
session of the Convention. 1t was
alleged upon one side that as the Con-
vention had, itself, voted both ways
upon this question it had shown itself
incapable Of arriving at a satisfactory
conclusion and that it was therefore
eminently proper that it he referred 10
the people of the State. Upon the
other hand it was urged that the Con-
ventiou had already decided it in
manner apparently satisfactory to
the people; that the people had them
selves indirectly passed upon it when
voting for the ratification OF "the Flick
Amendment" and that it was unfair to
bring the subject up again after many
of the members who had considered the
question properly settled had gone home.
Mr.. Lurty said that in difference to what
he believed to he the wishes OF his con-
stituents he would be compelled to vote
in favor of the proposition, though
contrary to his own opinion. Mr.. John
son, of Wood, urged the withdrawal Of
the proposition for the sake OF harmony,
but stated that if pressed to final vote
he would vote for its submission 10 the
people and sink or swim with the Dem
ocratic party. Speeches in favor of sub
mitting the question to vote o! the peo-
ple were made by Dr. Thompson, Col.
Byrne, Judge Ward, Col. Monroe and
Mr.. Gushing. Opposed to it were Mr..
Davenport, Col. Hoge, Mr.. Faulkner
and Gen. Wheat. Major Fitzhugh
favored its submission to the people,
though, as was well known, his
own opinion was strongly opposed
to the propriety of Incorporating such a
provision into the Constitution Of the
State. Colonel Hoge made a most
eloquent and earnest speech on the sub.
ject, deprecating in the strongest terms
the impolicy Of the proposition, and
General Wheat called attention to the
fact that, even if ratified, it would not
accomplish the main object OF its
friends, in that it would not exclude
negroes from seats in the Legislature,
should any be elected thereto. In the
afternoon Col. Hoge offered the follow
ing:
"WHEREAs, The pending proposition
cannot, under the rules Of the Conven-
ton, include the entire subject it was
intended to embrace; and,
WHEREAS, This being the last day Of
the session of this Convention, many
members are absent, without notice that
the pending proposition would be pre-
sented; and,
WHEREAS, further, a full expression
Of the sentiment Of the Convention can
not now be obtained, it is
Ordered, That the independent Sec
ton proposed to be adopted AZ part OF
the Schedule, which is as follows:
(Reciting here the full text OF the
proposition) "be laid on the table
The vote resulted as follows:
The ayes were: Messrs Boggs, Camp
bell, Core, Davenport, Faulkner, Fergu-
son. Gallaher, Hsgans, Raymond,
Haynes, Hoge, Jackson, of Wood,
Lurty, Martin, Maslin, Miller, Paunell,
Pendleton, Randolph, Strickler, Thorn
burg, Wheat and Woods-23.
The noes were: Mes.rs. Armstrong,
Arnett, Bee, Byrne, Cal'ee, Grim, Cush-
ing, Dickinson, Ferrell, Fitzhugb, Hall.
Harding, Holt, jackson, Of Lewis,
johnson, of Wood, Mathews, Monroe,
Morgan, McCleary, McCreery, Osburn,
Park, Pate, Peerce, Robinson, Roberts,