Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-09-30
OFFICIAL STATION.

"The next General Assembly Of
Virginia will have business Of the great
est importance to attend to, and if the
people Of the State have yet the least
regard for their interests and welfare
they will be more than particular in Sc.
leciing men to represent them in it
The last Legislature was perfect fail
ure in consequence of a large number
Of ignorant and totally unqualified men
having succeeded in obtaining seats
therein. Their minds were not suHi-
ciently comprehensive to know what
were the interests of the State, nor to
understand what were her wants. Con-
sequen,ly nothing was done to advance
tho veal OF the Commonwealth, but on
the contrary her prosperity was rather
blighted by means of the stupidity aud
folly of her Legislators. But after all
we hope the total failure of the last Le-
gisla,nre to do anything for tho advance
ment Of the great interests of the State
will yet have good effect upon the
people of Virginia in causing them,
hereafter, to be more particular in the
selection of their Legislators. Instead
of sending to Richmond numskulls and
corrupt knaves to frame their laws and
guard the honor aud interests of the
Commonwealth they should be warned
of the folly and danger of this course
by the Legislative proceedings oflast
winter, and in future select their pursst
and wisest men TO act as their law.ma-
kers. In choosing the members OF the
next General Assembly the people of
Virginia cannot be too careful. That
body will have important matters to dis.
cuss and weigh,y questions to decide
and we are particularly anxious that the
Southwest shall be well represented.
The impor,an, question Of re-chartering
the Banks, will have to be settled. the
finances of the State organized, and fur
Their provisions made for the internal
Improvements now in progress of con-
slruction as well as some important
new lines that are in contemplation
In word the next Legislature will be
most important body and our people
should see that it is composed Of the
right sort of men,"
We think our contemporary Of the
Republican goes rather too far in con.
demning the members of the late Le-
gislature. That "the last Legislature
was perfec, failure, in consequence of
a large number of ignorant and totally
unqualified men having obtained seats
therein" is true to great extent
But as to designating them numskulls
and corrupt knaves" is going too far
for us-althoagh we are not expected
to entertain as much partially for the
body as such journals as the Republican,
whose party was largely in the ascend.
ant. There were number Of good
and true men in the last Legislature,
but such was the pressure Of totally IN:
qualified men. that it was impossible for
those who had the capacity for discharg.
ing their duties to accomplish any thing.
: They had milestone about their necks,
in the way Of incompetent associates,
which was enough to sink any Legisla.
ture. We have opposed the meeting
of the same body again this winter, be.
cause we believe that no good can ever
come from that or any similar body o!
Lawmakers. We hope never to see
such another assembled in the Capitol
of tho State, but until the people see
and appreciate the Importance of Sc.
lecting the right sort Of men to make
laws for them, it may be vain hope to
look for any thing better.
1t is useless for the journals of any
party to denounce those in office as zig.
norant and unqualified" while that par
ty persists in pursuing the very course
calculated to enable such men to ride in,
j to power. The standard of official quail.
ifcation has been lowered by most alb.
jec, subserviency to party, and relent.
less prescription in the name of party.
A system Of reward for partizan servi.
ces has been established, aud the pro.
: motion Of the candidate is based not as
much upon his qualifications for getting
the post, as upon the consideration that
he has done the party some service-a,
the same time not losing sight of cape.
dieney and arailibility. The success Of
+, the party is looked TO far more than the
capaci,y Of the candidate who is to rep.
resentit. He is looked upon as the
mere representative of party doctrines,
and because he is anti Bank, anti Tariff,
and anti. Distribution Of the public lands
in short, a regular built Democrat on
questions of Federal politics, is fall.
ciously endorsed as well versed in all
that's requisite to make laws on all sub
} ject-decide upon the merits Of every
public improvement in the State, and
regulate all the State financial affairs
with the utmost skill.
And again, under the management oil
,h' party in the ascendancy, in this
: Suite, the selection of those who are
! to represent them has been virtually ia.
! ken out Of the hands of the people,
E;rr r,uc,s hos haan clo,baj ,y;tb rho