The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-07-21
40 the People OF the State Of West
r' virginia.
Tho subject Of this brief address is to

Tho subject Of this brief address is to
present few facts bearing upon tho
selection Of q permanent seat OF govern.
snent with particular reference to the
town CT Martinsburg, its accessibility,
licalthfulncss and nearncss to political
and commercial centres, &c.
Those counties Of Virginia which
constitute what fer twelve years has
been known, politically rul gcogvaphi.
'caIly. rs NEST FIEilNla, were erected
into State during tic peudcucy Of
civil conflict. Regard fer natural
boundaries vas necessarily impractical.
bic at the time Tie new State was
established ; aud it came into the Union
with its limits defined by the chances
and cxigcuciCs Of varying war, and no;
controlled BY tho laws which govern
more fortunate States in determining
the extent Of their Jurisdiction, y
consequence Of this has naturally been
difficulty in the establishment Of 4
permanent scat Of government. n
first ut Whccling-thcn removed so
Charlcston-thcu again restored to
Nhccling-thC question Of TIE perma.
nent location Of the capital remains
undecided.
1t is no purpose Of this paper IL
discuss the details Of that much vc=cl
question or recall its legislative history,
AL ADMIT the necessity and propriety
of its speedy and fua! determination
It has entered into and injuriou:ly
complicated many subjects Of grave
State policy to which it has borne no
logical relation. It has arrayGl differ.
cnt sections in opposition, and stimula.
ted into bitter antagoui5m feelings
which should have never gone beyond
the limits of friendly and generous
rivalry. These aud other coHsidCra- :
tiOns have constantly suggested the ex.
pciieucy of disposing, finally, Of a
question so disturbing to the unity Of
our people; and it is presumed tie &c.
tion Of the Legislature, last winter, Gas
prompted by purpose 10 cntru5t its
determination 10 the people aul thus
remove from the two Houses trouble.
como aud exciting subject interfering,
Us VIC have said, with other cad most
important legislative duties.
Martiusburg is tho couaty.scat Of
Berkeley county, and now contains n
population, in number, nearly 1000.
Both the county and the town wero or
gained under Colonial authogity,iu the
reign Of George III; tue first court
having been held on the 9;h day Of
May, 1772. For a long time, it was a
village aGOrding, simply, occ'mmOaa'
tions for the courts, and business, and
facilities for the local trade Of thrifty
and populous neigh bOrhcol.
a prosperity, commenced before the
var, after its termination, followed the
enterprise Of its citizens with renewed
evidences Of its permanent and sub
stantial character, and the town has
grown into an importance recognized
throughout tho State, rs is shown BY
;hO fact that it is nov the largest Of
The three towns which are presented by
The law as rival claimants to the dis.
tiactiOn Of securing the permanent seat
Of State government location.
The two conntics-JrfFerson and
Dcrkolcy-mal;ing the northern tier Of
those counties which constitute the
historic Shenandoah Valley. Belonging
to West Virginia, they contribute NO
uncomfortable addition to its wealth.
and taxable basis. Originally the
county seal ola county embracing both
the present county Of Jefferson and
most Of Morgan, it has for a century,
maintained the most intimate conncc-
uon with tho people ola territory,
which, at the prcscut day, is styled the
eastern Panhandle" Whatever
advances its interests, therefore, cuurts
to tue advantage, directly. ofthe coun.
Try cast Of the North MouuI4in inli-
rcctly, but not remotely, Of all the re-
giou east of the AIlcghnnic7.
1t is no design Oftho people Of Mar.
tiusUurg to dcprGci4to the merits and
advantages of Clarksburg or Charles.
ton, All that gives character AM iu..
portanUc to town must lie pln;Gly ap.
parent. and each voter knows enough,
generally, to DO able easily to deter
mine the relative merits Of rival claim
ants in contest like this. But look.
ing a. the nap Of West Virginia and
the eccentric outlines Of the State.
It is manifest that no central point can
l. IL