Year: 1877

Passage Of the House Capital BilI.


As will be seen by our Legislative pro.
ceedings, the House Of Delegates yesler.
terdAy passed the bill providing for a
permanent location Of the Capital by u
vote Of 10 to lG


The bill provides that an election shall
be held throughout the State next August,
on the day on which School Commission
era are to he voted for, to choose between
Martinshurg, ClNrksburg aud Charleston
AZ competitive points for the permanent
seat. Votes for any other point or points
are not to be counted, and no one can
vote for more than one Of the points
named.


iamy one of these places shall receive
nmnjority Of the votes polled throughout
the State, the fact shall be proclaimed by
the Governor, and said place shall be.
come the permanent seat OF government
after the first day orDecember, 1885.


II no one Of these points shall receive
such majority, then new election il to
be held at the next general election
throughout the Stale, say in August, 1873,
and choice il nj that time to be made be.
tween the two highest competitors, and
no others.


The one receiving the majority vote
at this general election is to be duly pro.
claimed the permanent seat of goycsn.
mrmt, the same as ii it had been chosen
At the first election.


Wheeling is to remain as the tempo.
rary seat Of government until lat Deccm-
her, 1885.


As soon as the permanent seat is chosen
the Board OF Public Works are directed
to 90 on aud make contracts, either for
the erection OF u Capitol building or the
proper alteration and repair Of some
building alreiy existing at the place
chosen.


They are to have power to receive do.
nations in money or real estate for the
benefit OF the Capitol building, and when
they accept these donations the lransac-
ton is to be regarded as n contract by
which the State is to become bound, aud
which can only be annulIed in one Of
three ways: ~ by specific act OF the
Legislature changing the location, whicl,
act is TO be submitted to the people and
by them ratified; (2) or by the enactment
Of a Constitutional Convention; (S) or by
an amendment to the Constitution NJ
therein provided.


Although the bill, in its present
shape, is generally considered as almost
sure TO result in the choice of CIarksburg
AZ the permanent seat, yet it was very
generally supported by the Glarcstom
interest. Their action in the matter is
almost mystery. 1t would really seem
~ il they could not expect it to pass the
senate, and as if their present support
might be sort OF hazardous stroke Of
policy, intended to lay the CIarksburg
interest under load heavy obligations
when the final crisis comes.


Be this theory true or ialsc, there is no
question as TO the drift Of opinion in re.
gard to the probability that under the bill
CIarksburg is almost certain to be select.
ed. This district will vote for her al.
most solid, and so will many counties in
the Second district. As showing how the
vote is likely TO be cast next August in
case the bill becomes law, We subjoip
thevote OF each county ns it stood at the
tiubernatorial election last fall. 1t will
afford the public some data on which. to
base their calculations in regard to the
result next August: .