The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-12
The Third skirmish for the Capital
Moving-Progress OF Work I'm the
Convention and Legislature-How
n Feels to be Locked mp.

NOvfng-Pf0gresS Oh WORK In the
Convention and Legislature-How
10 Feels TO be Locked mp.
CHARLESTON, February s.
Editors of the Register:
The resolutions OF the Grafton Con
vention reached here on Monday morn
ing, and were presented by the President
to the Convention, who having heard
them read, Mr.. Wilson Of Harrison,
offered the following resolution
RESOLVED, That the proceedings OF the
Convention held at Grafton, in the
county OF Taylor, January %, 1872, for
the purpose of bringing before this Con-
vention the subject Of removing the
present seat Of government, be referred
to q special committee OF nine to be
appointed by the President, three men,
bers OF such committee to be taken from
each of the Congressional Districts in
this State, 10 provide that the people
may, by popular vote, select point for
the seat Of government.
Mr. Burnside, of Monroe, moved 10
lay the resolution on The table, and the
yeas and nays being called, Mr.. Byrn-
sides motion failed, and the resolution
was adopted.
On the following morning at the
opening OF the session, the President
announced the committee under said
resolution as follows: Messrs. Wilson,
Miller, Atkinson, Maslin. Osburn, Boggs,
Haynes, Warth and Thompson. The
Clerk informed me that six out OF the
aforesaid nine have voted continually
against every resolution tending to
removal Of the capital
Shortly after the announcement o!
the committee, Mr.. Wilson said that he
desired to make few explanatory and
suggestive remarks, hoping therein he
would not wound the feelings OF any
one. lie said that certain populous
portion OF his district was not repre-
scented on the committee, and he hoped
that it would be possible to make some
change, which he thought would be &C.
ceptable to a large majority OF the Cit
zens of his district. He spoke with a
great deal OF force and limited very
strongly at the previous injudlcious ap-
pointments by the President.
Mr.. Miller then offered a resolution
which was in substance as follows
That disappointment of the committee
should be left to the delegates from
each Congressional district, instead OF
being appointed by the President. This
resolution, as you will perceive, should
have been offered on the previous day.
and in my opinion was very inoppor
tune, and tended to damage the ques-
ton Of removal ard make enemies in
stead OF friends However, it acted like
a frebrand, and several members arose
10 their feet to resent what they coll.
sidered a direct insinuation Of Partially
on the part Of the President. Mr.
Mathews, Of Greenbrier, and Mr.
Ward OF Cabell, were the principal
champions. Mr. Ward thought that
this capitol question should be allowed
to rest and not be dragged into the
Convention 10 interrupt and hinder the
discussion OF more serious matters.
At the instance OF Mr.. Brown, o!
Preston, Mr. Miller Withdrew his reso-
luton in order that that gentleman
might offer one o. miider nature. He
moved that the committee might he in
creased to thirteen, as that number
would give a full representation from
each district. Even that could not
allay the troubled waters. The Presi-
dent remarked "that as far as his ap
pointment OF any more members on that
subject was concerned, he had exhaust
ed his functions" and added further,
tbat" he had appointed all committees
according to his best judgment and
sought for members who in his opinion
were best fitted to perform the duties
imposed on them Mr.. Wiley asked
the gentlemen from Preston TO withdraw
his motion, which he did, and no sooner
was the field clear, than motion WAS
made and carried to go into committee
Of the whole to take into consideration
the reports of committees. So ended
the third engagement between the
friends of removal and non-removsl.
We anxiousIy await the report Of the
committee OF nine, and the people Of
Charleston will continue to watch and
pray, fearing lest perchance their pride
and hope may be torn from them and
they be left lonely and dcsolate.
When | look around and see the i'm
provements that are being made, and
have been made, and the immense
amount OF capital expended, upon the
certainty Of Charleston remaining the
permanent seat" | think it would be
terrible calamity upon the people IT the
capital should be removed TO some
otl er portion OF the State. imagine
there are many who are haunted by the
idea that such will be the case, and are
very suspicious il they see gathering
of more than three persons, thinking
surely it is n private caucus on the
subject.
In the committee of the Whole the
report OF the committee on the Bill o.
Rights was taken up, and the whole
day was consumed in lis discussion.
There are very few material changes
from the article as it stands in the pres
ent Constitution The speech making
in the committee is not so elaborate as
| imagined it would be. There seems
to be disposition on the part Of many
to finish as soon as possible, and hope
they may be successful, for you cannot
Imagine how completely lost one feels
shut up here with no communication
with the outside world. The last
REGISTER received was OF February lst,
and it is impossible to say when we
shall see the %.
On Tuesday quite rain storm pre-,
vailed before which the snow dlsap-
peared very rapidly, but l cannot say as