The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-08-10

tnan any tndt nave pio0oooo io' "nu Ph""
ably more important than any that will
occur hereafter. Our State being one Of
the products of the war, much of our
legislation heretofore has been influenced,
more or less, by the excitemepts of the
times and the exigencies of the situation
in which we were placed. 1t was rather
designed to meet the immediate necessi-
ties which the war had thrust upon us,
than to provide for the wise government
of the people in time of peace. Its ap-
plicability and usefulness ceased with
the cessation of hostilities, and it Will
devolve upon the next Legislature 10
conform our system of laws to the
changed condition of affairs.
In addition to this, it is probable
that every county in the State will be
represented in the Senate and House OF
Delegates next winter for the first time,
by men duly elected by majority of the
LEGAL voters. The interests of those sec
tons ofthe State that have been prevent
ed from participating in former legisla-
ton will have to be cared for and the
,rtole State started afresh upon that ca
reer of prosperity for which she is so
richly endowed by nature. Much that
was hasty and i'll considered in our past
legislation much that was necessary
and proper during the war, but is unne-
cessary and injurious now that the war
is over; much that was only designed to
be- temporary in its operation, must be
abolished or changed and such measures
adopted as may be applicable and bene-
fetal to the present and prospective con-
dition of things.
These considerations will invest the
next session of the Legislature with I'M
usual Importance and render it more
than ever necessary that our legislators
should be wise and prudent men, We
need the cery best talent in the State to do
the work that must be done next win
ter. The office is not lucrative one,
neither has it been heretofore a position
of much honor Men in the enjoyment
of ease and comfort at home, or actively
engrossed in private business, or unwil-
ling to encounter the charge of being a
politician, or shrinking from public life
while the passions of men ragged so high
as they have during the past four years,
have heretofore refused to give to the
new State the benefit of their cool Wis
dom and experience and have kept them
selves aloof from any active particl
patton in public affairs As a cOnse
qence we have generally had, with
some exceptions, second or third rate men
in the Legislature. But now that the
war is over and some, at least, of the in-
tiuences which have heretofore kept our
best men away are now removed, we
trust that the Importance of the occasion
and of the interests involved will lead
these men to make some sacrifice of their
personal profit and convenience for the
benefit of the State. Their counsels and
their influence are needed. Second rate
men NAV do after a while, when the ma
chinery has been put thoroughly in or
der and well adapted to the state of
peace upon which we have entered, but
the interests of the people demand that
the next Legislature shall be composed
of the best talent the State can afford
Nearly three months are yet To elapSe
before the election, but it is time that
candidates for the Legislature were he
inc selected. 1t should not be done has
tily, nor postponed too long. The main
question ut issue in the election will he
whether the amendment to the State con-
stitutiOn which was proposed last winter
shall be passed next winter and sub
mitted to the people. The candidates
should be required to express their views
clearly upon this question aud distinctly
declare how they will vote upon it in
case of their election. So far as we are
capable of Judging at this early day, the
amendment will be rejected, but its OPP
ponents should not permit their conf
dence of success to lull them into feel
ing of security. Nearly all of the news
papers of the State have spoken in oppo-
sitiOn to the amendment aud the popular
r. Ill,