The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-01

Of Wilsonburg, our representative In
Congress, next addressed the audience.
The Colonel is u rafting good speaker,
particularly when lie ia disposed to be
sarcastic, as the writer had occasion 10
know some years since, and his speech OF
last evening was one Of his most snccess.
iul efforts. There was a terrible din in
the crowd below when Col. Wilson got up
to speak his piece, the noise being volun-
tarily contributed to the occasion by
score or more Of juveniles, who lodged
hither and thither in the audience, much
t0'their own amusement and 10 the dis
gust OF staid and soberminded chill
dren Of maturer years, However,
Col. Ben. was equal to the occasion, and
in his stentorian tones asked il some
friend in the crowd wouldn't put qui.
etus on those boys in favor Of Charles.
ton who were creating such tempest.
Then he proceeded, and explained TO the
satisfaclion,of all present that althoughlthe
city Of Wheeling is not candinate for cap
ital hOnors in the approaching election,
yet her citizens, one and all, have great
interest in the location OF the seat OF gov
eminent. He said that il he had framed
the bill il would have been entirely diff.
ferent; he should have framed it so that
the people would vote directly upon the
question Of whether or not they desi
that the Capital should be removed from
Wheeling.
The Capital, he maintained, should be
centrally located, where the great body
Of the people could readily reach It.
Legislation ia always more satisfactory,
more beneficial, moro wise, when the
people have close communication with
the government. It is the duty Of the
people to select an eligible locality,
and where could the Capital be
more accessible 10 the people than at
Clarksburg? That town, he thought, is
peculiarly desirable; Wheeling people
could leave home in the morning and re-
turn al night, while the citizens OF all
other parts OF the State could reach their
Capital by u ride Of less than twenty.
four hours.
Col. Wilson then proceeded to show
thkt the citizens Of the First and Second
Districts pay more than 81 90 to every
81 Of taxes paid in the Third District, and
argued that upon this showing alone the
Panhandle counties ought certainly TO
have some choice in selecting \ Capital.
And as TO mileage, he said that when
the Legislature met in Charleston
the lmileage cost the Taxpayers Of
the State s., 800 more than when the Cap.
ital was located in Wheeling. Many Of
the members OF the Legislature from the
Third diStrict last winter went around by
way Of Washington City, which was the
shortest way. Some Of them, who don't
live 40 miles in direct line from Wheel.
ing were paid 81, 900 for mileage.
The speaker then exposed the widely
circulated theory that II the capitol goes
TO Charleston the State wolld have the
Tree uSe Of capitol building for FIVE
years. The same tender, he said, had
been made in 1869, when the capital was
removed from Wheeling 10 Charleston,
but the State had to pay S30,O03 for the
Eve years twas located there-more than
one.hRlf its,- actual cost. The same
trick was being tried again, and
II reminded him Of the, old
couplet about the spider and the ny.
Moreover, the Charleston Capital build.
ing was owned BY a corporation, and the
tender OF one stakeholder was not valid,
and the incorporators could not be held
for the same. Besides, the Charleston
Capital building is mortgaeed, and a clear
title could not be given TO il.