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

10 DlOW, duu ulu uOs mosSii"J "
prove his own reputation for statesman
ship or good sense. IoRlcK.
All About the Flag-A Day Wasted
I'm Convension ~ Tom-foolery.
CHARLESTON, January 25, 1872.
Editors of tho Register:
Hopingto escape from the feeling Of
goneness which supervened after the
experience which I had at the "festi,
val" 1 last night accepted an invitation
to attend the theatre at the Cotton
Opera House. The play was mick Of
the Woods" "the same which they did
not understand, which I rise to main
tain" have seen q good deal in the
theatrical line, from q country school
exhibition down to ALT Burnett, bat il
has never been nv misfortune to see q
play so completely mangled, dismem-
bered and wholly Invested of all at.
tractivenes as was that last night. With
the exception Of Harry Crane, who
played the leading character, the com.
pany was little better than stuffed
dummies, and a standing parody upon
their profession.
The Convention still drags its slow
length along, its sessions commencing
at 81 o'clock and lasting usually about
two hours. To-day little else was done
than to squabble over resolution
offered by Alphabetical Farnsworth,
directing the Sergeant-at-Arms to have
the flag of the United States raised over
the building when the Convention was
in session.
Mr.. Miller, OF Ohio county, called
the matter up from the table where it
was quietly sleeping, and then, appa.
rently satisfied with the storm he had
raised, subsidized.
Mr.. johnson, Of Tyler, excited the
visibility of the crowd and the indigna-
ton ofthe eleven elect, by moving to
have inscribed on the flag the words,
"West Virginia Redeemed from Ty-
ranny."
Mr.. Wheat moved to indefinitely
postpone the whole subject. The reso-
luton was introduced merely for the
sake of political buncombe, and while
he was and had ever been Union man,
be did not think that the mere fact that
flag Aoated over the Convention
would add to the value OF the work OF
that body. 1t would cost from 5000 to
$500, and he was unwilling to 60 to the
expense. The work of the Convention
would be priced by the people accord:
ing to the results attained. and he could
see no good to be accomplished by TAX
ing up time and expanding money on
this subject.
Mr.. Atkinson explogerrated terrifical.
w. If the Convention was afraid OF
expense, he and the eleven elect would
see that the flag ofour glorious country,
with the bright star Of our glorious
little State of West Virginia gloriously
cleaning in benignant and efulgent
glory on it, should cost the State moth
ing, &C., etc, ad naussam.
General Ward, however, made the
speech of the day, or rather speeches,
for there were two OF them. He op-
posed the resolution because he didn't
think the Convention had right to 60
aud build "saloomis" onto the top OF
the building. Heloved the old flag and
always had, indeed, he was opposed to
giving it up. He wanted to fight under
It, bat he didn't. He revered the flag,
but he didn't revere the principles which
it represented at a certain particular
time. He was willing to admit that
like Mat Osborne on the Central rail-
way bill, he had fit agin it or lodged.
But now he was "loyal," and as to the
remarks ofgentlemen on the other side
about 1861, he maintained that those
acts were barred by the statute Of limita-
tons and after keeping the house in q
roar for about half an hour, sat down
amid loud applause.
Mr.. johnson Of Tyler, who by the
way, was q Colonel in the United States
army, thought there was nothing in the
matter but buncombe. He was not
loyal, for that meant adhesion to some
prince or potentate. but he was patri.
otto and if gentlemen OF the opposition
had followed the flag as long as he had
they would not now be 30 anxious about
this matter.
Then came Daniel, and the bottled
froth OF many a long day was poured
forth. He had been incubating for
weeks and the storehouse of his mind
| was doubtless filled with grand ideas,
beautiful imagery and eloquent perora-
tons; but they came not at his bidding
and he was compelled to rehearse the
same old blood and thunder speech of
1861. He, too, loved the old flag, the
glorious old flag, the glorious little State
Of West Virginia, and he had followed
the flag as closely as any gentleman,
and he loved the glorious stars and
stripes and the glorious State of West
Virginia, &C., ad minimum, the truth Of
all OF which wholly decline to believe,
as Farnsworth voted in tine Legislature
of 1861 against the new State move
ment never was near enough to fight
10 smell powder, Was patriotic enough to
sell soldiers brandy peaches for two
dollars q bottle during the war, and in
this way, and taking up few stray
"hogs," made money enough to retire"
on.
Mr.. Price said that he had a great
deal of difficulty OF late years in prov
ing himself loyal" and in view of the
fact that the question was before the
Convention, he wanted to demonstrate
the fact beyond doubt, and therefore
proposed a resolution.
"Resolued, That in the opinion Of this
Convention the Constitution Of the
United States and the laws and treaties
tmade in pursuance thereof is the su-
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