Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-02-08
a severe opinion 8 tne Iegi.1ntnr.

a seNeFe Oplnl0n OF the Legislature
(From the Wclsburgh Herald Of Yesterday
In common with good many others.
taxpayers in the projected State of West
Eirgintn, We have latterly expressed our
opinion pretty freely in regard to the Leg
islature that has been in session al Whee.
ling since tue FIRST of December. In order
to show that our animadversions were
made iu no captions spirit, but were prom
pied by considerations of economy and!
regard for the best interest of the people
we shall review the history OF that BODY
The Legislature assembled at Wheeling,
persuantto law, on the Pad December, 10
attend to such business as the exigencies
OF the State might require, and especiaIIy
to provide for the Convention, which was
TO be IN session at the same time, aud ratffy
Its proceedings when they were in condf-
ton to be submitted. The impression
carefully given to tho voters was that she
Convention would occupy but short time
IN us deliberations, and when finished,
that both bodies would adjourn. The
convention has already occupied quadru-
pie the allotted time, and has not vet adj
journed. For this, of course, the Lepisla-
ture is not responsible, butt is responsf-
bic for holding on for weeks when it was
evident that the business of the Convention
could not come before it. Had the mem
oers been actuated by proper motives, they
would have adjourned after transactiup
necessary business, and then. if such q
step was necessary in order to give yalldi-
" TO the new constitution, (which we can.
notsee, have re-assembled in extrn ses-
sion, at the call of the Governor. Had
there been business of Importance to trans
act, outside OF this pertaining to the Com
Tenton, they would still have been iusti-
nea In remaining IN session; but the fact
that no important bill whatever was pass
co IN tne interim and none that might not
nave lald over or been passed in a 1.-THE of
the time is evidence enough that there was
no necessity'for so prolonging the session.
When 1t was ascertained that no ,le0isIa-
ton was needed, why did they not adiourn2
we cannot reCollect of single bill Of gem.
eraL Importance that was passed. preyionsl
70 the last week of the session, though, nm
merous bills and amendments were voted
down, giving color to the allegation tbat
this is emphatically a negative Legislature,
The time was occupied in squabbling over
small matters and when things came to an
issue, small or great, they were uniformly.
almost voted down. For this, on the priT.
ctpie that too much legislation is worse
than none at all, we give them credit, but
bers.
The members throughout seem to have
Deen smltten with the prevailing mania to
get as much rs possible of the nnhIic
money. They adjourned during the hoi i
lidays aud paid themselves Sd 6er5 6sv
during the full term of their absence. and
nave not yet as body, returned the
money thus tilched from the Treasury in
to its almost,empty Golfers, thus failt5. ~
set even one good precedent.
When no other source of honor or emoI.
ument remained, they rendered themselves
ridiculous by monopoliEing an undue share
OF the petty honors Of office in the militia
Any ONCE seems to have been considere5
better than none. Not satisfied with tbe
rich harvest Of Office in their own orasn.
what they could not hold they made over
70 t9elE scnllareni fastening them also up
on tue treasury. They acted without dig
MY, sqaan5led about trifes; tongue-lash-
60 one snotner IKE yiragos, accomplished
crcdi5 upon their Constituents.
In this recapitulation of incombetancias
We must always be understood a. eyeentl
ing many OF the members, but they are4bv
no means those who made most noise In
the Legislature. 'Stee -
mere are many able, substantial men in
tue Legislature, but their voices ,-ars
drowned out by the pettifoggfnr lay ,ysFs
ana suPerannuated preachers, that the
revolution brought to the surface. and We
leas t9et THIS Legislature will go down to
poste.lty Solored by this latter class. IA
We wished 70 put the people of West Viz
gina out OF coneett with their capacity for
se!l-goYernment, we would advise them to
LetuEn me same members at every subse-
44sas slseElon, SO long as they may live.