Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1875-02-27
FROM CHARLESTON.
CHARLESTON, w. VA
February 20, 1875. |
TO the Editors efthe hdspendent:


10 the Editors etaie hdspendent:
The capital removal bill became
law to-day by limitation, the
Governor having neither approved
nor vetoed it, whereat there is
great Indignation. It is said that
in view OF the great interest," taken
by the people of all sessions of the
State in the capital removal mat
ter, Governor Jacob should have
come out squarely and manfully
and proved to the people that he
had the backbone and moral STAN
ina to speak his opinion on the
question. The Charleston people
are especially angry at his course,
because he is known to be strongly
opposed to temporary removal, and
so expressed himself, unofficially
though il was, in unqualified terms
to that effect to correspondents Of
the Cincinnati Commercial, New
York Tribune Cincinnati Enquirer,
and New York Times, who waited
upon the very distinguished and
very weak kneed head of the State
whereof it is said, Montdjaj Senper
Liberi. 1t does not turn out that
His Excellency is by any means as
brave and as free as his fellow
mountaineers in the matter of even
the small scare crow that he has so
recently fled from, though this alb
sence of moral bravery has long
been known to distinguish the
character of Governor Jacob. He
dares indeed to do right, and no
one denies that his motives are
conscientious, but he dares also in
his cowardIy trepidation to dodge
an issue that would bring nothing
more than common manhood into
the field, under the covering given
him by the Constitution. But the
question is now settled Tor this
time, and it is therefore unnecessa-
ry to speculate further. 1t is an
interesting fact in this connection,
however, thatthe people ofCharles-
ton came with an ace Of burning
the Governor in effigy in front of
the Hale House, after the Senator
ial demonstration of Wednesday
night. I'm old suit of clothes was
all that was lacking; the spirit was
there In large proportion to carry
the grim and very expressive pro-
ceeding into execution. NotWith-
stand all this, the Governor takes
it very complacently, seeming not
to care which way the wind blows,
whence it cometh and whittier it
goeth. He knoWeth that ii blow
eth where it listeth, and as he is
Eot an aspirant for further favors
at the hands of the people, he pays
no attention to the political wealth
err, but seeks, though unwisely, to
avoid the vicissitudeS Of double
trouble by pursuing a weak and
unambitious policy that renders
the Guoernatorial figure-head of
the State much more of a nonenity
than itshould be, limited and ham
pered as the Office is, at best, by the
Constitution.
A very important bill has been
passed by the Senate, and is now
pending passage with excellent
prospects in the House of Delegates
Its object is to settle the disputed
boundary lines between West Vir-
ginia and Maryland, distance of
about thirty-seven miles; and the
preamble to the bill contains a
somewhat startling piece Of infor-
nation. 1t says that very prompt
settlement of the question is quite
necessary to the prevention Of!
bloodshed and strife between the
citizens of the two States. The Gov.
is furthermore directed TO proceed
to prevent encroachments of the
citizens and officers of Maryland
upon the rights of the citizens of
this State. These two facts consid-
cred together give the matter a
somewhat squally appearance, tho
it really means less than the pre-
amble and bill would lead one to
believe. The forty square miles in
dispute is quite a farm, and its set
Element may bring a high judicial
tribune into the question. The bill
asks immediate cooperative ac-
ton upon the part OF both Execu-
tive and Legislative departments
of Maryland. The line in dispute
begins at a point known as Fairfax
Stone, on the South Branch of the
Potomac, and runs due north, on
line of Tucker and Preston coun-
ties, in this State, and Garrett
county, in Maryland, to the Penn
sylvania line. The area in contro-
versy is said to be valuable and
beautiful strip ofcountry and there
will doubtless be a good deal of
competition between the States to-
secure it. Fer this reason, I think
that the question will have to be
referred finally to the Supreme
Court Of the United States. West
Virginia has successfully gone to