The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1875-08-05
SPEECN or u. s. EGAKEB

.,s,, ..aere to-day rs o citizen OF q
neia h6oring State simply tovisit this
magnifSent demonstration, not to
participate in its discussions or to
darken. council,by the multiplying Of
words. Deferring to the original de-
Sire of those in authority here that
something should be said in testimo-
ny of the interest felt by Virginians
in the Ohio struggle, | yet feel the
inadequacy. of any language of mine
ftly to express the deep anxiety, the
concern with which they will watch
the progress of the struggle and wait
for its successful issue. Theimmense
concourse Of Virginians here assemb-
led, coming from village and noun
tain side, from valley and hill top, is
u better expression Of that interest.
Kanawha has sent forth her people
from her farms and forests, her fur
naces and her mines, from Hawks
Nest to the Point. The eastern shore
of the Ohio has gathered her popula-
ton en- masss, sending them here with
y thousand God speeds for William
Allen, whose white hair, like the
white plume of Henry of Navarro,
inspires to fierce onsets of valor; and
their banners, their shouts, their en-
thusiasm, are eloquent, surprising
the eloguence of words, of their adj
miration for his person, their sympa-
thy with his struggles, and their So
licitude for his success. Applause.
In themountain region from which
we come we are more or less familiar
ly known to our Ohio neighbors.-
Nevertheless, our mountain home is
sort of terra incognita to many por-
tions of the country claiming to be
civilized and intelligent. 1t is true
that VIC have fine railroads travers-
ing our territory and giving US COM
munication east and west -andcarrs'
ing sight Seers through our country
bv thousands, but of these few tarry
to cultivate the intimacy of our per-
sonal acquaintance.
The tourist dismisscs us with a
passing paragraph. The newspaper
correspondent photographs US with u
jest at our bouncing babies, or our
mountain dew whisky, the temporary
character of our seat of government
of West Virginia, or the frail and
auttcring character ofour habiliments
The !ightning-rod man seldomstrikes
us, and when he does he wishes he
hadn't. Laughter. We make our
own wash tubs, have domesticated
the sewing machine as home insti-
tuition, and leave patent medicine
people to starve to death. Renewed
laughter.
You Will therefore perceive, sir,
that so far as the ordinary facilities
for intercourse with the external
world are concerned, our opportuni-
ties are somewhat limited. Those
evil communications which corrupt
good manners dous little damage and
give us little uneasincss. The pure
and bracing atmosphere Of our val
levs is the fit type, trust of the NOR
ais of the people, while our majestic
ranges, which here interchange the
cbb and flow of centuries, and as
Justly cmblematic Of the serene and
Symmetrical democracy of our people.
[Applause.]
West Virginians in their compar-
atively isolated condition make few
pretcnscs to wisdom or great exper-
iencc in matters public or political.
They have simply mastered . few old
fashioned principles, and by apply
ing these in u plain and practical
way, they try to do their duty as cit
liens in thst state in life in which it
hath pleased God to call them. In
the application OF the principles, sir
to many Of the leading measures OF
prevailing governmental administra-
ton, they fail to reconcile them with
their old-fashioncd ideas Of truth, de-
cencv, liberty, the Golden Rule, the
Ten Commandments or the Constitu-
ton of the United States. Cheers.
For example, sir we can under
stand readily why the people of this
country should spend their treasure
like water and shed the blood Of their
best and bravest to preserve their
territory intact and to transmit the
Republic unimpaired to posterity.-
But We cannot understand how, when
the treasure and the blood have been
successfully expended, subjugation
and ruin should be brought upon the
very States which have been sought
to be saved to the Union. We can.
not understand why the bayonet
should be established as the supreme
legislator, home rule overthrown.
governments set up in which the un.
scrupulous carpet-bagger, the worth
less scalawag, and the Ignorant ne
gro, with the ten thousand clustering
infamies Of their administration, are
made supreme over the people o.
those States. We can understand
why, without material effort as one
of the legitimate consequences Of the
war, and in accordance with the pre-,
vailing belief that the Republic coulc
not continue one-half slave and one