Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-02-21
The New Constitution.

at least scanned IL over, and made them
selves more or lesa familiar with its pro.
!. visions. Candor will constrain every one
TO admit that the new Constitution Is by
far the best one our people ever have
had. 1t comes nearer toward being a
Western Virginia document in its onward
spirit aud progressive tendencies than any
thing ne haze been accustomed to. tits
u hundred fold more of an improvement
on the Constitution of 5O-5l than that
Constitution was on the one of 1880
Heretofore Constitutions have been made
in this State, not for the people ofIhe West,
but for the East and for tue Valley. This
time the West had a potent voice. We
have relieved ourselves full IS much as
We hoped TO do in the convention of 1885,
had the whole State staid together. The
objects we looked forward to in that Con-
vention were an equalization of taxes, an
equalization of representation, aud posi-
bly, the abrOgation Of. the State internal i'm
prOyemeut system. This last We could
hardly have expected to get, for it Was as
much part and parcel of the State sys-
temas were niggers and oysters. But we
did get it much In advance of 1865, and
We LOOK upon it as one of the very largest
dpOkea in our wheel. We can contemplate
the future now without visions Of State
debt haunting us. Men can go on accu.
mulnting property with some hope of NOT
having it taxed out of their hands.
As for the equalization of taxes on
every kind aud species Of property, we
need not comment upon 1t. What else
could our Convention hare done7 We
may say the same of the equalization Of
representation. The two provisions are
cardinal ones, and sueh ones as We have
been longing for ia this end of the State for
almost bali century.
1t is not our object to-day to go into a
detailed reyirw Of the new Consultation.
We expect to devote good deal of atten-
ttOu TO it by piece.meal, according as We
have time aud space. The Convention did
their work well, as far as they did it,
they have given Us a Constitution that we
need not be ashamed of. Aud this much
we say by way of just APPRECIATION.
The people of the original new State
were free State people. A large mrjori
" of them supposed when they were cast.
ing their votes for new State that they
vera casting them for free State. With
them the former term included the latter
aud was Synonymous whit. It islikowise
true that majority of the delegates to the
Convention took their seats as free State
men. Nearly every one who had been an
earnest aud decided new State ma1 was
also an earpes, and decided free State man.
Tho opponents offs free Stale were the
opponents otM new State Kauawha Couu-
~ for instance, tho strongest opponent OF
. new State, was likewise the uncomprO-
missing opponent of free State. In her
representatives We had Eastern Virginia
among US again, and the Niger was as in
olden times AOuted over our heads By
Nr. Brown.
We have explained how it came to pass
that the free Slate project failed. 1t was
simply through the miserable buugling OF
the fres State men. They allowed them
selves TO be completely out generated and
biggsd. When they discovered their error
1t was too late TO retreat. Mr.. Brown who
dealt out the niger to the Convention had
procured them, aud they were prisoners oil
war in his hands aud were Immediately
put upon their parole Of honor not 10 cross
his path any further. And they did not.
They gave up the contest, aud 80 fell
through the free State project.
What is to be the consequence We
cannot answer, of course. 1t makes our
future full Of thorns, as well as Of perils.
AIlWould have been plain sailing, If III.
the Convention had simply done its duty
had simply done what the;peOple expected
Our Constitution would have been earned
at the ballot box, as it will be sun, and
; would have gone through Congress with.
out a doubt, as We sincerely fear il will
not now. We labored earnestly 10 show
the Convention this last peril. Tb.v
saw It, bat they did not avoid 4. The
proof that they saw it is, that they have
LEFT The power Of re-aSlembIaRe In tbs
handsiof the Commissioners appointed by
them. Aud while We rejoice that thew. did
leave that lOOp=hols OF escape from the
threatening prospect, We have no approbas
zion for The policy that made such ! pro-
vision necessary. Il will turn out to be
an expensive policy, We fear. A rejection
~ Congress ought never % haze booh
Etsksd. Il throws NJ back into chaotic
condition. Demagegaea win take aayan.
taEe Of II to inaane the people with tbs
adsa that Congress- is diotatinE 10 them
and 20 stir mp a species Of covert secession
feeling. Our condition WIN be very ppsn.
HAblo, Indeed