Year: 1868

! De committee on rOauS anu lulcl'
nal improvements reported bill for
the incorporation of the North and
South Branch Turnpike company.
! Same committee reported adversely
on the proposition to require persons
under 81 years of age to work on the
roads.


RESOLUTIONS AND PETITIONS.


By Mr.. COLE-As to the expediency
of Incorporating the Hughes Creek
Railroad and Coal Company.


By Mr.. notwithstanding the
Board of Public Works to report the
amount of claims audited by them prior
to the formation of the State, and their
nature.


By Mr.. BOGGESS-Adjusting the
county lines between the counties OF
Writ and Roanc.


By Mr.. MILLER-The following
memorial, signed by nearly one hun
dred of the leading citizens of the city
of Wheeling, which was, at his request,
laid on the table until tomorrow


To the Senate and House Of Delegates Cfhe


State Of Hest Virginia.


The undersigned, citizens of the city
of Wheeling, would respectfully repre-
sent that they are advised that the
lease to the State for the buildings now
occupied for Halls for the two Houses
of the Legislature, and offices for the
Governor and other State officers will ex-
pire on the 1st day of April, 1869, aud 1T
is doubtful whether the owners of the
buildings will consent to renewal of
the lease or an extension of the term.


That it is therefore a matter of neces-
sity for the Legislature at the present,
some provision, either permanent or
temporary, for the accommodation OF
the State Government.


! We presume it is the general wish
and expectation OF the people of the
State to have its permanent seat of Gov
ernment located at some convenient
and accessible point near the geograph-
ical center of the State. But 1t is Ger
tain that the location cannot be made
intelligently until It's lines of trade and
travel are established and opened for
public use. And if a location were made
at point not accessible by railways or
steamboats, the cost of building would
be so greatly increased by the absence
of the means of transportation, that il
would certainly be unwise to attempt
the construction of capitol buildings at
such a point until the means of trans
portation are provided.
Your petitioners are further advis ed
that in addition to the ordinary expen-
ses of the State, that the State is now
engaged in building o Penitentiary at
MOundsville, and an addition to the Lu-
matte ASYLUM at Weston, which will re-
0uire large expenditure for several
years to come.


That in addition to this, the State
will be required to assume her portion
of the debt of the State of Virginia and
provide for the annual payment of the
interest thereon, ut No very distant day.


Under these circumstances we would
beg leave to suggest whether it would
not be wise for the State to make some
temporary arrangement for the accom-
mediation of the State Government, for
some ten or fifteen years to come that
time may be given to open up the chan
nels of trade and travel for the people Of
the State, so that it may b. known
what point near the geographical centre
of the State would be most convenient
and desirable for the permanent capital
of the State. This would also give time
to complete the public buildings now
on hands, and enable the people with
greater facility to pay the additional
taxes that would be required for the
construction of the capital buildings.


To enable the State to adopt and act
upon this policy, we now submit to the
Legislature the following proposition


Ii the State will agree and bind itself
to keep the seat of Government at the
City of Wheeling for ten years from the
lst day Of January, 1870, and thereafter
until the permanent seat of Government
shall have been located, and permanent
capitol buildings erected ready for use
and occupancy by the several depart.
ments of the Government, we will furn-
ish the State Capitol buildings with
suitable Halls for the Senate, the House
of Delegates and the Court of Appeals,
. suitable library room for the State law
library, and suitable offices for the Gov
ernor, Secretary, Auditor and Treasurer
of State, and the Clerk of the Court of
lAppeals-for the use of the same.