Year: 1867

y
Editor of the Register:


With a view of familiarizing the peo-
pie of West Virginia with the question,


and that the subject may be thoroughly


ventilated before action is taken (as it


inevitably will be at the next meeting


OF the Legislature) we propose to give o


few, among the many reasons why the


Capital of this State should be located


in BraxtOn County aud ON the waters OF


Elk river. In the first place, this Coun-


ty is the universally acknowledged cen


tire of that portion of slightly developed


territory known as the State of West


Virginia, which for all the internal i'm


provements and other artificial in


dications of civilization, that we


have in this section of country,


might just as we'll be a territory
and for the better convenience and ac.


commodation of mankind, an uninhabited


one. AS while under the jurisdiction of


Virginia we were left out In the cold. on


account of our marginal position, now


that We are unqusstionably in the CELL


tire, the centrifugal force as regards i'm


provements, is brought to bear upon us.


Under all this, however, we have surviv-
ed and maintained our equilibrium, with


the hope that meritoriOus justice would


be done us by magDanimous and in


telligent body of legislators. That hope


We still exercise with greater or less
degree of intensity, and will continue


to manifest until it is realized, or utter


ly dissipated by the location of the
capital at Charleston. Clarksburg,


BuckhannOn, Tortletown, or some insig-


nifcant locality on the verge of the map
of the State. Such q suicidal calamity,


however, we are unwilling to believe
the present or any future Legislature
capable of infiicting upon the State.
The plain, simple and unadorned facts
in the case are all that we ask or desire
to have Investigated in behalf of our
plea for capital honors. Our pecuniary
condition is not such as to enable us to
make large private and public dona-
tiOns; moreover, were IL possible, and
could it be effected, we would not wish
to influence legislation in that manner.
Our natural advantages are all that we
have to offer or desire to put forward,
and consists in soil well adapted to the
growth of all cereals cultivated in the
State; it abOunds In minerals of all
kinds found within the same territory.
Stone and timber, too, are in abun-
and we are well supplied with
fa.l 4
springs of pure and limpid water, that
guarantees robust health when all 9TH
er appliances have failed to recuperate;
and as respects the natural facilities
for the construction of railroads, turn
pixies or slackwater navigation, no more
practicable route for a railroad can be
found within the limits of the State,
than from Weston or BuckhannOn,
the counties of BraXtOn, Clay
and Roane, down the valley of Elk Riv-
er to Charleston, which road would
develop the richest portion of the State
and open up thoroughfare that would
much Of the trade, traffic
aud travel on portion of the Ohio riv-
er. A glance OF the map of West Nir-
ginia will satisfy the most obstinate,
that this is no mere visionary OF idle
fancy to thu Imagination, but proba-
ble and possible contingency that
will happen at some future time,
when the prosperity of the whole
State is consulted by its legally consti-
tuted guardians; consequently the per-
manent location of the seat of govern
ment in this section of country is the
only hope and assurance that we have
or can expect by which to get rail
road. Were it probable that we could
get q road without the capital, we
would very readily abandon that pro-
ject, well content to get half loaf
rather than contend for the whole with
some uncertainty as to any. But as we
have ample time, even should there be
an extra session of the Legislature,
70 thoroughly canvass this question,
we will, for the present, close the
firsC of a series of articles of a similar
character on the same subject, all of
which will be forthcomingin duo season.