The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-26
Faulkner and Price-.The New Con-
federate Departure OF the DemOc-


TacY.
As q part Of current history we print
this morning the addresses made in the
opening session Of the Convention by Mr.
FAULKNER, the temporary and Mr.
PRICE, the permanent President Of that
body. Mr.. FAuLKNER's remarks appeared
in our issue Of Monday, but this is copy
carefully revised by himself There Is not
much In either document that calls for
comment. Instead Of indicating Specia.
Cally, as we expected. addresses delivered
urder such circumstances.would, the lead.
ing features Of the policy to DO pursued by
the dominant party in the Convention,
these speeches are alike remarkable for
nothing but for their careful avoidance Of
just that thing. They arc simply the
smooth, formal, glittering generalities that
are so often uttered in similar places,
vague inanities that one party can employ
just as well as another. 1t Is as much as
to say two arc in favor OF justice,
honesty and truth "a position that
no public man or party ever did or ever
will antagonize, the real issues as TO what
particular modes VIC shall employ to
insure justice, reward honesty and
promote truth being lett in the back
ground. AS to the pretty platitudes
which these gentlemen employ about
nonpartisanship in the Convention, that
kind Of talk is too cheap to gull the most
supplemented unfortunate in the
Weston Asylum. It Is mere dema-
goguery. There never was an intenser
or narrower prescription than that which
rules the Convention. Not the slightest
consideration has been shown the minori.
ty in It's organization; and so proscriptive
Is the spirit of the hour, that the domin.
ant faction Of the dominant party
(the Confederate elemenD has pro.
scribed its fellow.partisans who were
loyal to the Union during the rebel
lion, and appropriated to themselves all
the positions and dignities which can
help give them consideration and make
their rebellion respectable.
A striking illustration Of this spirit is
found in the case Of the man who occupied
the chair of the last Constitutional Con-
ventiou, as the predecessor Of Messrs.
FAULKNER and PRICE, the venerable
JOHN HALL, Of Mason county.
When the rebellion was inaugu.
rated by PRICE and his coadjutors
at Richmond, JOHN HALL forgot that
he was Democrat and remembered
only that he was q citizen of the Ameri-
can Union and patriot. When Messrs.
PRICE, FAULKNER and their fellow con-
spirators had been whipped into subjec.
ton and disarmed, Mr.. HALL co operated
again with the Democratic party Of the
State, and was made the representative Of
the State in the National Democratic
Committee. Within yearor two past, as
the secession element resumed sway ofthe
Democratic organization Of the State, Mr..
HALL has shown some reStiveness under
Its arrogant rule, and finally he was
asSailed right and left by the organs Of
that element until lie was compelled out
ofselfrespect to resign his position on the
Committee, and indeed we do not see how
he can cooperate with his party at all
while its organization is under its present
control. We refer to this particular case
because it is . representative one, for there
are many thousands Of Democrats who
like Mr.. HALL were for the Union during
the war, that have been, are now and
must continue to be in future debarred
from all the dignitics Of leadership and
degraded into mere followers of the same
men whom they declined to follow into
the rebellion ten years ago
A single remark OF Gov. PRIoE's seems
to merit specific notice. 1t Is his refer
ence to the Convention that framed the
existing Constitution Of the State. He
says:
''They tho ConVcntionl were hastily assem-
bled together and many OF them without any con.
stItuents In particular. They were lrregularly
assembled together for the purpose OF providing
In the lrst place for tho birth OF the State, and
In Nhn Nil for In GnVnPnunont Of tho
State"
Seeing that Alt. PRICE was one Of the
first to leave Western Virginia and enlist
IN the rebellion, and one OF the last to leave
the debris Of the fallen "Conlederacy"
and come back TO his old home, it is
not strange that his information about
the early history OF this State should be
somewhat wanting in accuracy. For his
information we may say briefly that the
Convention that framed the present Con.
stitution did not "providc for tho birth"
Of the new State. That was done
by the Convention which reorganized
the abrogated, betrayed and abandoned
government of Virginia. The Conven.
ton that did this, representing the whole
State Of Virginia, assembled in this city
in June, 1861, and held IN adjourned
session inthe following August. During
the August session the counties which i, |
was proposed 10 include in the new State
were authorized to vote for or against
the division, and to vote at the same time
tor delegates who were to assemble and
frame constitution in the event the dl.
vision was voted. This election was
held on the fourth Thursday OF October,
1861; the division was carried by an over.
vhelminC majority. the roO,,l, ,roo Mo-