The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-04-02
The Hon. John s. CarIiIe..A Re.
minlGcence Of the May Convention
nf IRRI
HANCOCK COUNTY, March ri. 1s74

HANCOCK COUNTY, March 81, 1874.
Editors Of the IntellIGencer:
l see from your columns last week that
we may expect the Hon. J. b. Carlile TO
comet to the surface during the next Con.
gressional campaign. Well, he certainly
has as many sides as dice, and it would
be hard II one Of these should not be OF
service 10 him in 1874.
But II he is an honest politician, he Is
not smart, and If he Is smart he Is not
honest. His acrobatic performances are
about equal in the political ring 10 any
thing that Dan Rice has ever performed
In his circus ring.
/ have vivid recollection Of his course
at our first mass meeting in Washington
Hall in May 1861, when he wanted to
erect an independent State from the First
Congressional District without shadow
Of constitution or law. Il also remember
some older politicians who crowded the
fence on that day, afraid Of treason 10 the
general government If they got down on
one side, and afraid Of treason to Virginia
Il they got down on the other.
l shall never forget when that assembly
adjourned ior dinner-haVing heard from
Mr.. Wiley, Mr.. Carlile, and others, and
having appointed committee Of thirteen
upon business. ze Hsgf
Hancock had some twenty.one dele
gates present, and we went, instanter, into
one corner Of the hall TO consult. They
unanimously decided TO stand by the Gen.
eral Government, and resolved that there
existed no where in Virginia the
power 10 secede from the Federal Union;
that the loyal people Of the State Were the
State, and looking 10 the result Of the
vote on the ordinance Of secession, which
we knew would be declared as carried,
whether 30 or not, we passed the tol.
lowing resolution:
I2eS0lped, That In the event OF the Ordl.
nance Of Secession being ratified by q
vote, we recommend TO the people Of the
counties here represented, and all others
disposed TO cooperate with us, toappoint
on the - day OF June, 1851, delegates 10
General Convention to meet on the -
Of that month, at such place as may be
designated by the committee provided, to
devise such measures and take such action
as the safety and welfare Of the people
they represent may demand. Each coun.
~ to appoint number of representatives
10 said Convention equal TO double the
number to which 1t will be entitled In the
next House Of Delegates.
A copy Of these resolutions was sent in
to the Committee OF Thirteen. l also
handed Mr.. Polsley copy Of the same,
and had q long conversation with him,
when he promised TO address the Conven.
ton in accordance with these resolutions,
which, coincided exactly with his own
views. This he noblyEperformed, as no
doubt you recollect, on the calling
Of the Convention In the afternoon,
and when old.time politicians and young
aspirants for political glory failed US, the
common people, whose views and ideas
sought out even then the little band Of
Republicans as the channel ot communi-
cation, making them the exponent
Of their loyalty and political affiliations,
thus bringing the band Of less than three
hundred, OF 1856 into power at once at
the commencement ollour civil war. q.