Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-08-22
VIRGINIA, No 10.
ELECTION OF GOVERNOR.
Continued

are able and do give reasons that come home to
every man own conviction of right, for thai
opposition.
In Virginia the people now elect none OF
their state officers but the mbers of the leg
ila,we and, OF course none Others are respon-
sible,to them for the faithful discharge OF their
duty. The Governor J. appointed by the leg
isla,u''. The Legislature also, by its own en-
artmpnts, creates, a call Tor Justices of the
Peace, then appoints those Justices in the first
instance then the justices composing the coun.
ty court appoint, with the consent OF the Gov
CrnOr, other justices To- fill vacancies that may
occur IN It's body, and increase their number as
that court, IN conjunction with the Governor,
may think proper. This court appoints. or
rather, grows out OF it, the sheriff and his de-
puiies, being directly the executor OF our legal
aiiairs, and Intimately concerned i'm all the
mnuu@ OF our county and state existence
lms court elects the clerk; the dspositor of
the records OF the county, and an officer init
mltcly connected with the whole business of
'ery man in The county. ltappoints the COM
missioner and all The other officers of the com-
", imposes taxes, constructs and directs pub.
llc buildings and roads, holds authority over
licenses To degree, sits in judgment on civil
cases within its jurisdiction. and takes the first
step in the tra of criminal offences. The
ton, and they appoint the precinct judges. lie
lappo,nls all militia officers below the rank of
BrigadiCr General, the others are appointed by
the legislature. The Legislature appoints the
Judges III the higher courts the officers OF state
and all others under authority.
! What Is this government, then, but revOlv-
ing wheel OF the same material, on the out
side OF which stand the people, and look upon
| its revolutions, idle spectators not actorsl-
Thcyarc out OF considerdtion-made, in gov
eminent, of no uSc-as much the irresponsible
and wltlcss creatures as the subjects of mon
archy. The people have endured this govern
ment for many years, have suffered its en-
croachment upon their rights, official neglect
OF duties, and the hahtuai neglect of their will
that almost necessarily grows ont Of irrcspon-
Slbllity. not without murmurS, it is true, but
without any concentrated effort, 10 relieve
, themselves of the oppression. Will they do
so longer! viii they longer permit these en-
croachmcns mresistingl We natter ourscl-
YES they will not. We believe they not only
ieel their wrongs but are prepared In enter
| calmly, seriously and devOtedly into the great
work OF thorough radical reform. We believe
they are prepared, orpreparing, al least to take
| their government into their own hands. re.
sumo their natural rights, and establish con
| stltuiion.under which those rights cannot BE-
irawn from them.
We are endowed with temperament as
| phlegmatic as belongs to most men, we weigh
| we'll consequences before we take any step;
| )ut having once given up our mind To a cause
which we are satisfied is a tand good one,
we are not willing TO rclinquish it for any rea-
son short of impraclicability. In the present
ase we have reflected upon the subject before
IS, state reform, long, earnestly, candidly and
ieeply, and we are confident that the people
II the Western District of Virginia are now
living under laws not adapted to the character
81 the people, under those which will retard
,helf prosperity retard population. retard their
wealth, necessarily decrease their happiness
and which are totally unworthy of a free peo-
pie. Confident of the correctness of this opin-
ION, we have commenced this work. We have
commenced arousing the public mind 10 full
sense OF our condition as people forming the
most popJlous CtIOu OF a state. We be-
lieve that our duty 10 ourselves and our pos
terity demands decisive action. We are vet
uncertain OF the result. But this we do know
and all our readers who have followed US thus
ar in our labors cannot but perceive. that we
have a majority OF the population of the state,
yet are IN decisive minority in the legisla.
turc; that though the cast may become almost
depopuIat d while the west may become popu-
lous from the force of natural causes, we can
get no greater power, politically, than we now
have, unless that. seli-willed and interested
Legislature choose to grant it to us al the ex-
pense OF their own power. We know that the
legislation OF the east is not adapted TO the
genius, character or condition of the west 1t
may do Tor men who have inherited estates
ample as their wishes and care not for their
increase, for men who live upon their estates
isolated or IN hospitable communion with
their follow men; but ii will not answer the
purposes OF those whose fortunes are to make
whose country is as yet but little improved.
aud whose enterprise exceeds their means and
needs the fostering care OF the legislature. This
Is the class for which leeisla:ion except for
the protection of life and property isiutended.
The wealthy and retired may live on the most
ordinary legislation, melting our justice be-
tween man and man; but in a new country
where every thing Is to be done and the pco-
pie have not wealth enough to accomplish what
IS 10 be accomplished they must look to the
Legislature to do IL by combined clfort-by the
public hand, the public paying for it. In an
oldand settled country the people often live
ON the past, po.itically as they do on the wealth
OF the past, and require no change. while those
OF a new country, like the young and ambiti-
Gus man, feel the desire aud see the necessity
OF keeping pace with the country in which they
live.
Old Nirginians do not feel that men are now
able to govern themselves but the people
feel that they able. and prefer eleciing their
own officers TO permitting any body of men TO
take the trouble off their hands They prefer
to take, themselves, trouble of this kind. az
they prefer activity Of mind and body TO luxu-
Tious Incidence.
The difference in these and many other
characteristics between eastern and western
vi gInians and every other people in the I'm
ION, renders the situation OF western Virginia
uncomfortable; as il inniCts upon the people
real evils that crdmp their industry and enter
prise and render their cxcrtions less available
than they would be under any other circum.
stances. at tn, same time our liberties are in
danger from The unholy and mpolitic union
oil the different departments of the govern.
mcnt.
/ a DlSPUTE.-Wc were comfortably .itua.
/ ted IN the stage. The horses were under way