The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-13
nn.prrsroN, W. VA, February 0.

tIHARLEhlUNI we NA@'l ~-S
tn the Editor Of the Intelligeneer.
Since the date of my last VIC have had
another episode on the flag. On the I'd
Colonel Ben. Wilson introduced the sub
iect with Whereas Mr.. Pike had moi
as vet furnished the flag voluntarily ten
dercd by him, therefore, ReS0Ived,
That the sergeant.at-arAS be In
structed to procure one at price mol
to exceed seyenty-Gve dollars, aud prem
ised 1t with a very neat littlespecch altel
the Fourth Of July style, and considering
that he had been wandering about after
the eleven stars Of a Confederate bunting
for four years, the speech was credltable
A rattling among the dry bones and then
II was laid upon the table. The apostles
putting them upon their honor and patri'
otism, did not call the ayes and hayes
But more Of this again.
Yesterday the Convention spent the
day upon the clause on taxation, part
wishing 10 retain the section as 1t stands
in the present constitution, and part de-
string TO put in an exemption clause.
Without coming to any conclusion the
Convention adjourned.
This morning, tho Chairman of the
Committee on Taxation and Finance be.
ing absent on account Of illness, the Con-
yentiou went into n Committee Of the
Whole upon the report of the Committee
upon the Bill ofRights, and after we'll
contested discussion have adopted, with.
out any essential change, all Of the first
article of the present Constitution,
The first section is as follows:
1.-THE State Of West Virginia is, and
shall remain, one of the United States.
The Constitution OF the United States and
the laws and treaties made in pursuance
thereof, shall be tho supreme law Of the
land"
Mr.. BaSsell moved to strike out the first
clause Of the section, upon the ground
that it was not necessary to put in the
Constitution what was so apparently the
intention OF the people from the fact Of
creating the State. >
Mr.. Ward, Of Cabell, wanted 1t stricken
out because it might not betrue next year,
or at some future time, that the people
would want her 10 remain in the Union,
and he was opposed to tying the peoples
hands II they wanted hereafter TO with.
draw from the compact. A few more
members expressed themselves in this
vein, but such sentiments, when express.
ed openly at least, were not approved by
some Of the more discreet. Samuel Woods
Is chairman Of this committee, and al.
though the only man west Of the Alleghe.
MES who dared to vote for the ordinance
Of secession on its first passage in 1861,
such language Of avowed secession but
made him stand the more firmly by the
report Of his committee and urge but little
departure from the old constitution. His
manly course today in repclling such dis.
loyal sentiments should certainly give the
Republican members a high opinion Of his
discretion, and his acknowledgment that
the issues Of tho war were ended should
be viewed as spoken IN good faith.
His reply to o question OF Col. Hoge,
QOts Of rebel Colonies here,) as to what he
would doproYiled Congress should pass
alaw making a different qualification for
suffrage, or deciding that officers should
take a test oath, was telling and conclu.
sivei as he slowly quoted the words Of the
section itself: THE Consultation of the
United States and the IGws and treaties
made IN pursuance thereof shall be the
supreme lao etths land" The ansWer
was solemn and fulland Hoge subsidized.
Fontain Smith shed light upon the
question Of Mr.. Hodge by saying that It
was easily answered, for II Congress
passed any law infringing upon the re.
%rrea rights Of the States It would be
void.
Raymond hoped the Convention would
adopt 1t, as 1t stood in the exact language
OF the Constitution Of the United States,
and copied into our present Constitution.
The balance of the first article was
adopted with but little debate.
In the afternoon article Cd was taken
up' The committee had reported as the
ilFst section to the Bill Of Rights the third
section OF the first article as It is in the
present Constitution, 1.-THE powers Of gov.
eminent reside in all the citizens of the
STATE, and anbe rightfully exercised only
10 accordance with their will and appoint.
ment."
Johnson, oil Tyler, moved as subsli.
,u'e the following: "That oil power Is in.
aefent in the people, and all free govern.
MentS are founded on their authority, and
instituted for their peace, safety and hap.
pmess, and they have, at all times, a right
""I'eF, reform or abolish the government
in such manner as they may think
proper"
And followed it up by speech Of the
stump oratory style, saying that II this
system Of consolidation and centralism
continued much longer our general gov.
eminent would be no longer republic,
lie wanted 10 go back 10 the language oil
our Virginia fathers asserting the reserved
rights of the State, The section rs report.
cd by the committee gave up entirely the
@'arsa'bOrn right Of resolution.
Your distinguished young delegate, Mr.
Davenport, reminded Mr.. johnson that
such language might do no harm when
spoken before an intelligent audience, but
nWould be ruinous upon the stump be-
lore the people, whileurging the adoption
Olthis Constitution.
Mr. Hoge again wanted to know why
We should not go back and adopt the Ian,
guage which had been coined nv n railical