Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-07-31
@TRANsIENT BILLs-eAsH.

s.yIum or pe6iteutiary situated therein. they
are now entitled to have the capital perma-
neutly located there! And thus assumption
is based upon what is called ''the policy or
distribution" of the institutions of the State.
which, il is cravely argued, has been deiib-
era,ely adopted, and cannot now be aban--
doned. -lT -af
To all this sfrS. which is totally unworthy
of the source from which il emsnates, It is
sufficient answer to say that the people OF
West Virginia have never been such fools
as deliberately TO adapt any such system OF
distribution, as policy, irrevocably last
ened upon the legislation of the State. On
the contrary, these locations have been the
result of accidental circumstances, or induces
ments. which, without the slightest reference
to q sectional distribution, have. at the par>
ticular times, determined the location Of this
asylum. or the establishment Of that institu-
ton of learning. The object has been to
promote the general convenience. or TO cons
vert some local enterprise into y public benz
efaction. And now. forsooth. the permanent
location Of the Capital is TO be used as c bal
auce>wheeI, TO Offset the lunatic asylum. tho
penitentiary. and the university! And this
is called s'afesmdnship! l can only saw. that
if so, it is siatemanship in the last stage Of
consumption, or in the first stage Of eonyrl-
sions.
Nor, NY fellow. citizens, is this the only
extraordinary argument which has drifted
into this discussion, to the almost total en-
clusiou of the true issues involved. B. lef
The Capital, it is contsuded, should be To-.
Gated in the town whose rich men under sec.
1 of the Bill, may make the largest offer
Aud that Charleston. for example. having
offered convenient building, should be pre-
ferred This argument is of little consc,
quencr, ubless other things were equal. Tbs
Capital cannot be Put ont to the highest bid.
II so. Bank, or n Railroad Company might
bid more than the capitol Company of
Charleston"
Neither can the fact that Charleston has
been badly treated, control this question: -
Wheeling has just Us good ground OF conn
plant; aud yet no one thinks of sacrificing
the bes. interests of the remainder Of the
State to heal her wounds. The Legislature,
in the exercise of n Constitutional power, re.
moved the seat of government from Wheels
ing to Charleston, by a bare minority of one:
and by majority of one, it was returned TO
wheeling. Both cities have erected fpe cap
i,ol buildings, without expense to the State,
Yet neither place is proper for the Capital,
Neither is central; neither is accessible IN
peace, OF defensible in war. The same con-
siderations which are pleaded for the return
of the Capital to Charleston. applied with
equal force to its retention At Wheeling aud
the objections which resisted tho retention ~
Whcelrrg, apply with equal force to the re-
turn to Charleston. The people have already
decided that the question Is to be governed
Ly Ae c0mrenicnce and interest IF The yreatest
number, and not by the supposed - ch'inis"
of this. that or tho other town. When
Wheeling was abandoned, Charleston was ro-
mitted to her natural advantages, and estOpped
from tho argument nf restorative compeDss-
tim. l. she accessible lis she convenient
is she permanently a judicious seiect'onI Il
Clarksburg such. as compared with Martins
burg? II mof, we ure compelled by the Ren>
era! good Of the whole State to vote for Mar
tinshurg
But ollow-ci,izens Of Jefferson there
is for you an additional argument, not OF
generosity, but of natural affection, and
may say, of religious obligation. upon which
1 mean to insist Some Of you here present.
may remember that few years ago, there
was in Berkeley county n centennial celebra-
tion. in commemoration of the 100th anni-
ver-ary of the formation of the county OF
Berkeley. Jefferson was invited to psrtisi-
pate, and why? Because she was. ana is.
the daughter-the eldest born of Berkeley.
Berkeley is our Mother, bound to us BY .
thousand associations of history. aud indisso-
Iubly connected by the bonds of affection,
and the family ties Of a common clan JEFF
lerson is Berkeley. and Berkeley is Jefferson
Let those who propose to desert Berkeley,
beware, lest they bo set down as aliens
and strangers in the land that gave them
birth
l know that there has been occasional
spasmodic eff, rita to create conflict Of senti.
ment between the two counties, upon some
question of temporary interest, growing out
OF some local i'm prOvcmcnt, or the still more
insignificant contest of rival politicians. But
is there a man here WHO doubts that. at heart,
the people of Jefferson believe that the inter-
est of Berkeley il to be cherished as their
own. and promoted by every labor. BY every
sacrifice. by every untiring energy. which
our mutual love, our common origin. our
common history. bnd our common and iudis-
soluble destiDy, imperatiEely dictate. and de-
mand MOI no! The struggles OF our
Revolutionary fathers are not forgotten
when Dsrke and Stephens, Gates and Lee, lie
up the horizon of Firginis's Valley b. the
iIustriuu, fires Of their far flaming deeds Of
wal! Aud the memory is still green Of tho
more recent achievements Of Nadenbousch,
Colstop, an Allen. a Bolts, aud the hosts OF
other veritsble heroes, whose blood. COM
miugling on the battle fields of the late war.
cemeuted anew the natural and unfailipg
affection oi Jefferson and Berkeley! Perish
the thought. then. that any true and loyal son
OF Jefferson would prove recresDt TO these
considerations of moral duty, which plead 30
strongly in behalf of our Mother County.
Though you should no. even believe tbst
the bes, interest of Berkeley would be pro-
NOTED by giving her the Capital, yet if 10