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

the Schedule.
THE SECOND SOBER THOUGHT.
While considering tine report relative
to the Legislative department, General
Wheat moved to strike out Three and
insert -Four dollars as the per diem OF
members of the Legislature. After
very brief debate, the vote was taken
and resulted in the adoption of the
amendment; ayes 80 noes 50. Some
of the members who had heretofore
voted persistently for cutting everything
down to starvation rate, had heard from
their constituents and accordingly voted
for Mr.. Wheafs proposition. A
similar beneficial effect was displayed
when the Article on the Judiciary was
under consideration. Mr.. Osburn, of
Jefferson. moved to amend by fixing
the salary Of Judges of the Supreme
Court at "Twenty-two Hundred and
Fifty Dollars" per year instead OF the
Two Thousand that had been formerly
agreed upon. 1t seemed to be conceded
that mistake had been made by
putting the salary so low, and when
the vote was taken Mr.. Osburn's motion
prevailed; ayes 35, noes q.
THE MODE OF VOTING.
During the morning hour, Mr.. Trav-
ers offered an additional section to the
Schedule, providing that at the time Of
voting upon the Constitution the sense
of the people should be had as to the
adoption OF the ballot or the vtva voce
method of voting. The section was
adopted by the Convention, notwith.
standing the provision inserted in the
Constitution IN reference to the matter
had been held to be fair compromise
upon this subject, by allowing each
voter to use either an open or
secret ballot as he might prefer. But
this was not the end of the matter, as
will appear in the report Of the pro-
ceedings on Monday.
THE SMITH CIRCUIT.
The Sixth Judicial Circuit proposed
in the new Constitution is entirely too
large. 1t embraces the counties of
Randolph, Tucker. Barbour, Lewis,
Webster, Gilmer, Preston and Upshur,
and is about $50 miles long and IS
broad. Mr.. Blackwell Jackson, OF
Lewis, made several Intellectual efforts
to reduce it's dimensions. In Commit
tee OF the Whole, in Convention, at all
the various stages in the progress Of the
work, and whenever opportunity Of
tered, be strove to have the boundaries
OF the Sixth Circuit changed. At the
very last chance, on Saturday, when the
report of the Revisory Committee was
being considered, he moved to transfer
Preston county from the Sixth Circuit
to the Fourth, but without success, and
the Sixth still stands in all its colossal
proportions and with all its magnifi-
cent distances. Mr.. jackson is, however,
entitled to the credit Of having done all
he could to "rectify the frontier" and
the people Of Lewis should know it.
STAMPEDE.
About eleven o'clock on Friday morn
ing, Mr.. Miller came hastily to the
door of the church in which the Con-
vention WAS held and announced that
the roof was on fire. The news spread
rapidly among the members and the
scene that ensued beggars description.
A regular stampede took place, though
the President shouted "Orrr-der,
Gentlemen until some one who
was rapidly gathering up his station
ery" and other valuables, moved that
the Convention take a recess. The
question was put and the members
shouted AYE" as they rushed for the
door. 1t is said that, from force OF habit,
Farnsworth demanded the ayes and
noes, but the rumor could be traced to
no very reliable source.
The view from the street was not
particularly reassuring. A portion Of
the roof about three feet square was in
flames. The fire was burning very
steadily, there being no wind, but it was
gradually extending, and would soon
have 'enveloped the whole root, when
the colered janitor Of the building ap-
peared upon the roof, followed in a
moment by Captain Harding, OF Ran
dolph county, with a bucket of water,
by means of which the blaze was ex-
tinguished at a single dash. When the
danger was over some Of the members
became very bold and equally facetious,
and numerous jokes were perpetrated
under this inspiration. The following
resolution was offered on Saturday by
Mr.. Campbell, OF Brooke, and laid on
the table:
Resolvcd, That the thanks of this
Convention, and the people OF West
Virginia, are due to Col. Morgan, Gov.
D. D. T. Farnsworth and Major George
0. Davenport, for their efforts to save
the cold Flag when the Convention
Hall was in flames, aud that each be
presented with gilt edged copy, bound
in Turkey Morocco, of the old and
glorious song of Rally Round the
Flag, Boys! Rally one and all ~"
THE EAGLE QUILL.
On Monday morning, it being ap-
parent that the work of the Convention
was almost done, Mr.. Maslin, Of
Hardy, obtained the floor and, holding
in his hand a large gray quill, about
two feet long, said;
"Mr. President hold in my hand
a pen made from the Quill Of an old
time Gray Eagle, which measured
about eight feet from tip to tip. He
was captured by one of the old fogies
OF Hardy county, and the pen was
sent here to be presented to the Copven-
tion to be used in signing the Constitu'
ton that we are now about to put upon
its final passage-provided the Consti-
tuition met with the approval Of the
delegate from that county.
"Since the adoption OF the section o.
fsrad soma Javs since by "tbe distiu-