The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-05-20

Large bodies move Slow" Inc QueS-
ton was included in a narrow range,
and of ground familiar to all, and GER
tainly ought to have been disposed of
in one half day. 1t looked much as If
members were spelling to make
speeches, perhaps to promote their
chances of an election to the Bishopric,
or an editorship, while 1t is question
whether some of them did not thereby
lessen their chances. SPIEeEI,.
congregational Canvass in the First
District.
Editors InteliiyeHcer:
In the newspaper discussion for Con-
gressional nominations 1t seems to be
assumed as q proposition not to be
controverted, that the people of West
Virginia owe quite a number of GENTLE
men Congressional honors and emolu-
ments, and the controversy Is whose
claims are the most urgent and press
ing, and whose can be postponed to
future time. / repudiate the whole
doctrine. The people of West Virginia
owe no man any office. No man has
any right to complain of their refusal
to elect him to an office. Offices were
created for the public good, and not for
the benefit OF the office holder. And 1t
is this cardinal error which fills the
Councils OF the Nation, and the offices
unfit for the positions they occupy.
Offices are mere agencies for the trans
action of the peoples business, and in
the election of officers men sh ould be
governed by the same considerations
that would influence them in the APP
pointment of an agent for the transact
ton of their private business.
One OF the essential qualifications for
business of any kind is experience. No
man would think of dlscharging
faithful and experienced agent, and
amounting u green hand unless the
one appointed had vastly higher natu-
raj or acquired qualifications than the
one discharged.
This consideration induces me to
prefer the nomination of Mr.. Hubbard
for this District. / believe il is not
claimed for any other candidate that
his qualifications are superior to Mr..
HubbRrd's, aside from the four years
experience which Mr.. Hubbard has
had. And allow me to say that no
State that is constantly changing her
Congressional delegation Will ever eX-
ert the snme influence or occupy the
same position as one who continues the
same members until they have estab-
lished u reputation for honesty and in
telliRence that can command the conf
dence of Congress ana the country.
There is another reason why should
prefer the nomination of Mr.. Hubbard.
When the members of the Thirty-ninth
Congress were elected their compensa-
ton was fixed by law at $4,000 per
annum. Before its close they raised
the compensation of members to
49, 600 per annum, to operate retro
spectively so as to make their own
compensation s., 600 per annum from
the commencement OF their term.
/ leave out out of view the question
nj n NyhafhaT 000 WAS too mnCh or
not But the members of the Thirty
ninth Congress were elected TO serve at
SO, 600, and If they bad told the people
before they were elected, that they
would increase their pay to $1,000, we
doubt very much whether the people
would have given them the opport
nifty.
Ihave never regarded this feature of
of the law in any other light than n
naked fraud.
If they thought the pay of a member
ofCongress ought to be $1,000 year.
why did they not pass law to operate
prOspectively as ali other laws do.
This would have given 1t the appear
ance of disinterestedness at least.
But this could not be done. If the
law could not benefit the members
voting for it, they would not vote for
it at all.
Practically Congress took $1,000 Cor
euCLl IleLlUeE Oll VI INC 4lGuSulJ hhN
paid it as bribe TO secure the passage
of the law.
Mr.. Hubbard alone OF all the mem
bers of that Congress refused to take
this bride, and honor him for it. i
know that honesty is an old fashioned
virtue, that is not tolerated in good
society in this mammon-worshippi
generation. But l still hope there
is enough of 1t left to reward honesty
In n public servant.
know also that Mr.. HubbaTd's re-
fusal to take this bride was sneered at
as an act OF demagogueism, done with
a view to popularity and future pro-
motion.
But there is nothing in MIR. Hub
bard character to warrant such an
imputatIon, and it is an exceedingly
harsh and uncharitable thing to al
ways attribute an honest and honora'
BILE act to a dishonest intention.
I have the charity TO believe that Mr.,
Hubbard felt himself bound in con-
science and honor to serve the term for
which lie was elected for the COmpensa-
ton fixed by law mt the time of his
election.
So believing, and honesty being q
virtue that is in especial demand al
this time, should be pleased to see
him nominated for reelection.