Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-11-03

good viii between all parts of the country
And this, too, is Of the greatest consequence
to our future welfare; and especially as our
people now know there is no hope of escape
from it by appealing to the principles of
State sovereignty and the right Of secession.
IF the State will accept this policy at once.
it will attain the great ends heretofore men
toned, and it will save Its own people from
years of painful strife and agitation on these
questions which would at last, probably after
years Of contention, be found to be the only
means of bringing it to an end even if it lead
to nothing worse How infinitely better it
viii be for you, for both races, for the present
and future, for the whole country, if you viii
unhesitatingly recognize the unalterable
facts as to your condition and the inevitable
logic of events; and hasten as it is In your
power to do the return of the blessings of
civil government and constitutional liberty,
and avoid as it is in your power TO do the
fearful perils which now lie before you. I
know the painful struggle against education
and habit and policy and tradition and pref
udice which such course viii require you
to encounter, and how hard it is for human
nature to overcome such difficulties But
my sincere prayer is that God in His good
ness and mercy may enable you to exhibit
this last crowniDg evidence In the midst of
your calamities and sorrows of your great
ness, wisdom and goodness as people
lido not know how far it may be thought
necessary or wise by the convention and the
succeeding Legislature to change the general
frame Of the State Government; but if you
win pardon me, here is a subject in this con
naetion to which would call your attention
For many years past 1t has been my op n
ion that we had carried our system Of popu-
lar government to a vicious extreme which
developed sad evils and which required cor
rection / refer to the frequency of the oc-
currence OF popular elections to the great
number of officers filled by the popular vote
and to the shortness of the terms of Office
As our laws now stand all offices, executive,
legislative, judicial, ministerial, corporate
and military believe with the exception of
Secretary of State, the Governors S Private
Secretary and the Clerk of the Supreme
Court are elected by popular vote of the
people And with the exception of thejud-
| ges and Clerks of the Supreme and District
Courts and of State Senators for the short
term of two years. And the elections are
SO arranged that partof these are electedin
one year and part the next or alternate
| year causing general popular election every
year.
To this there is, it seems to me, several Sc
rious objections:
/. 1t involves the too frequent change of
officers and often the loss of skill and expe-
| rience' and these changes produce also un-
necessary expensive and inconFenient chan
ges of business to a great number of people.
| 2 1t involves too much expense and loss
Of time to the public generally and especially
| to the large number Of candidates with no
eompensating benefit.
And tkird Which is the main and most
serious objection, annual popular elections
keep the country in an almost continual can
yass and cemmotlon and produce, and keep
up unnatural and injurious public excite
ment, for which there is no necessity and no
compensating benefit. And for many years
| before the commencement of our late trouble
| these might well have produced the impress
| sion that the carrying on of eanvesses and
| holding of elections were the principal bust
ness of the country. While the carrying on
| of the various industrial and professional
pursuits, the rearing and education of fami-
| hes and the support of the government were
| but incidental matters. The remedy for
these things may be easily found and as easily
applied with very great benefits to the public
and with greatly increased credit of safety to
our system of free popular selfgovernment
The one would recommend would be:
First. To lengthen all terms of Office,
which are now two, to four years.
Second. To require all general elections,
as far as practicable, to take place during
the same year, and at the same time.
And Third, To provide: lst. That the
| State Treasurer, Comptroller, Attorney-Gen-
eral, and Commissioner of the General Land
Office, shall be appointed by the nomination
| of the Governor, and confirmation OF the
| Senate, as the Secretary of State now is
Cd That the Clerks of the District Courts
should be appointed by the several Judges,
as the Clerk of the Supreme Court is by the
Judges of that Court. Sd. That the Coun-
ty Courts should appoint their Clerks, and
and Sheriffs, Coronors, Assessors and Col
lectors of Taxes, County Treasurers, County
| Surveyors, and the Constables for the vari-
Gus precincts of their counties 4th. That
the Mayor and Alderman, or Councilmen, OF
all cities and towns should appoint their
Clerks, Marshals, Treasurers and other
officers
This would withdraw the appointment OF
this vast number of ministerial officers from
| the scramble, excitement, expense, loss OF
time, and c0mmotion OF popular elections.
1t would confer the authority for their APP
pointment on responsible, intelligent men,
who would have been elected to Office by the
people, and would be responsible to them:
and it would secure their appointment on
account of their qualifications and fitness fol-
their several duties, rather than for political
considerations, or on account of mere per
sonal popularity, without reference to these
qualities. And it would give great dignity
and importance TO our county courts, which
! they never can have to properextent under
our present system.
| 1t would at the same time retain to tht
people the election by popular vote of the
Governor, Leutenant-G Governor, State Sen
ators, and Representatives. Judges of tht
Supreme and District Courts, District At
torneys, ChiefJustices, and Commissioner
of the County Courts Justices of the Peace
and the Mayor and Aldermen or Councilmel
of cities and towns; embracing the Chic
I Executive officer of the State, and all thos
who have the power of making laws or 0
expounding them, or Of imposing taxes Oh
other burdens on the people.
And, what's of most value, it would ren
der the elections so infrequent, aud so tal
apart, as to suspend all excitement abou
them for long intervals, and allow the peo
pie to pursue their ordinary vocations fire.
from the repeated interruptions and excite
ments to which they are subject under GU
: present system and it would put an end t.
the corrnpting and debasng state OF politics
which was created, and is being nourishe'
and strengthened, blythe number and FIRE
quency OF popular elections.
/ ann persuaded that some such change a
! this is essential to the public welfare, as t