The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1903-02-18
Row IT HAPPENED
Details of the Big Scrap at
Charleston
Very Warm Debate Over Augusta Bill
which was Finally Killed Members
Adjourned 10 support Their Solemn
Oaths which they Did.

The following details of the de.
bate and vote over the Augusta
county bill have been received IRON
Charleston, They will interest all
of our readers:
The proposed county of Augusta
got q serious set back when on Sec
ond reading. after a three hours de
bate, it was indefinitely postponed
by vote of 40 to rs. 1t was 1892
O'Clock before the bill came up, both
sides appearing to avoid the con-
test, but when once up, every motion
to adjourn, no matter which side
proposed it, was voted down with
out regard to the lineup on the bill
and the Ugh. ouce begun was fought
to a finish. the House adjourning at
6 80 p. IN. immediately after the
vote.
Two maps Of the proposed new
county and the three counties con
cerned were displayed, one by each
side, and there was a glaring dis
crepancy between the lines OF the
proposed new county as between the
two. When the bill was reached
Mr.. Kenney, of Calhoun, Democrat,
moved for indefinite postponement.
and Mr.. Cunningham. of Tucker,
Republican, in opposition to this,
opened the case for the Augusta
county people, presenting two old
surveys and argued that Wetzel,
Monongalia and Marion county had
sufficient territory to form the new
county aud each Of the -four have
the constitutional 400 square miles.
he presented a petition purporting
to be signed by 1900 residents of
the proposed new county asking for
it. In arguing the constitutional
requirements be said the people of
this count, were sovereign and su
perior to the constitution and all
statute Jaws, but would not advise
any member to violate their oaths,
but maintained that all constitu-
tional requirements had been met.
He said the Falrmont people wanted
to retain Augusta county people in
order to tax them for the benefit of
FairIDont and made similar charges
against the other counties it was
proposed to carve up.
Mr.. Bowman, OF Barbour, Demo.
crat, replied to Mr.. Cunningham,
declaring the old maps he submitted
were not official and offered a map
of each county involved and the Of
fetal certification thereto both from
the representative county, officials
and the Secretary of States office.
He severely criticised Mr.. Cunning
hams constitutional attitude of
sweeping away the constitution and
the statute laws, declaring it would
lay down the barg that would lead
to no one could tell. He quoted
from the constitution and code the
requirements necessary before the
formation of new county could be
considered and declared the Augusta
people had not made the notice OF
publication the official survey taken
vote or census, and maintained
that his official survey cause the Of
ficers of the three counties proposed
to be carved up had the area for
such purpose.
Mr.. Cunningham replied that a
petition was better than vote and
that they could not get a vote taken
because the officers of the three
counties concerned were opposed 10
the project.
Messrs Hughes Of jackson Mr.. Hill
of Tyler Mr.. Carlin of Braxton. also
spoke on the constitutional feature
and urged that ever. member stand
by his oath he had solemnly taken
to support the const' tuition, saying
that the Supreme court of West Vir.
ginia, as announced by Mr.. Gun
bingham, held that it would not &C
behind Legislative act, presumine
that the Legislature had acted under
the constitution and that, there be-
ing no recourse TO the courts, the
Legislature, under its oath to sup.
port the constitution, must itself al
a jury consider and decide the con
stitutional questions. They pleaded
for calmness and elaboration and
the elimination OF prejudice, com.
plimented the Warrington people
onthe fight they had made, but
maintained they had come into
court, without making their case up
according to law.
MI. Barnhard moved the previous
question and Mr.. Cunningham de.
manded the ayes nays. The result
was an indefinite postponement by
vote of 40 to rs.