West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1883-02-14

been given that the Amendment
would be called again on its pass
age this day. | have already tele-
graphed you the result in the
House; but perhaps fuller &C
count of this contest between the
People and the Liquortraffic would
be interesting to your readers.
Our friends were a little demon
allied on Friday, when reconsid-
Grafton was had, and another delay
occasioned but they were only the
more determined. Said one of the
Delegates from Wood, 81 had in
tended to go home yesterday to
LOOK after my sheep; but every
young lamb on the place may
freeze before III miss my vote on
this question" Because a few of
our friends advocated Judge
Browns amendment, to prohibit
absolutely for all purposes, it gave
the enemy some hope, and it has
been amusing to observe their zeal
now for "practical Prohibition
something that pih prohibit, and
not simply transfer the liquor
business to irresponsible dealers"
Even the liquor dealers in the lob
by are Jealous for this amendment.
To-day brings again great
crowd, and of ladies not few,
Again the hour of eleven o'clock
comes round. "The question is,
shall the resolution be agreed %"
says the speaker after the amend
mont had been again read.
THE SUPREME MOMENT
has come, and the anxiety is al
most breathless. Such silence has
seldom marked the proceedings of
busy, boisterous Legislative body.
But the gentleman from Pendleton
cannot let the opportunity pass to
insist, once more, that he is a
practical, lifelong, temperance
man" and not a fanatic. He sent
to the clerks desk some patent
medicine advertisements, illustra-
ting eight stages of drunkenness,
and had them read and exhibited,
claiming that some fanatic" laid
them on his desk. This was in
tended to have an effect, but it fell
fiat, and the gentleman soon sub
sided. Mr., Davis, of Richie coun-
ty, strangely enough, sent to the
desk some interrogations to be read
aimed against the amendment,
which he followed up with some
remarks in the same strain. Mr..
Isbell, of Fayette, spoke in favor Of
'practical prohibition, but against
the amendment, But all these
speeches do not evoke from our
side one word in behalf Of cause Sc
righteous and just that it needs
not an advocate. The opposition
despairs Of fight of words and
THE ROLL-CALL BEGINS,
amid profound silence. GAS. H.
Adair?' "Aye," was the hearty
response. "Albert Allen?" "No'
came just as positively from my
old friend who had said he could
not support it without the "wahoo
amendment" attached. But on we
60, losing as yet the vote of no one
on whom | had counted. Mr.. Da-
Wis votes AYE" Notwithstanding
his speech, and my heart lets up
cheerfully. Mr.. Hall, Of Wetzel,
votes AYE" and [ am surprised,
because while | knew nothing
about it, yet as he bad been coun-
selling with the opposition, and
voting with them on amendments,
| mad put him down as against it.
Mr.. Timms, of Putnam, votes ''No,"
and again an surprised. Others
vote aye" that [ had counted as
doubtful at least, and SO the end is
reached, and before the clerk can
count, | find we have
FORTY~NINE AYES
five more than were absolutely
necessary.
That enthusiastic temperance
woman, Mrs. Warren, sitting some
distance from me, can stand it no
longer, and whispers over loud
enough for the Speaker to hear, I
fear, to know if we have enough.
And it was worth a lifetime of