The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-01-10
THE LEeIsLSruEE AND ITS

WV WIN " NH"|'" Nue I've 'sAS'
tnre will ss.ep'b'e (" Wheeling, and per-
haps at that place. for the last tins, No
delibcra'ive body assembled in this State
has ever had e'ea'cr Of more Important
iu''ss to pcrfor" than the Legislature
about to assemble. TIE whole work Of
prescription has bee. roudemncd by the
people, IN the rees4t- election, pnd will
doubtless be unions, aud our people be
,gsin SET free FROM til. ,h.ckcis so un-
wisely placed upon their liberty; and
work commenced y til, people, aud for
which 'h.y Astc with such. singular una
nimisy aud cu'p''asis declared sh,ll be un-
dopc, is not likely 10 fail, aud il is not
likely to fail, anu itisho, ne;sse..sary Tor
US to stir the energy o. spur the feeling
Of their representative. to the full accom-
pli'bment Of 'l'ose purposes, So !.
Busthcre if anotters subject no.c ab-
horrsd by our people, 4ud wbish. We iin-
s:st has becp more certainly condemned
by them, tl,sn the prescriptions PLACED
upon our fellow citizens, spun which The
Legislature will be called to act. We al
lude TO the 18th Constitutional Amend
mont, Il will not b, forgotten how this
Anendnen, WAS claimed to have been
adopted during the Last hours Of the last
session VI the Legislature, without the pos
'ibili,y of.pprovalb by 'be people which
had uos en,.r'd into The CANVAS preceding
their election, was no, in the course Of or
diu.ry legislation, aud ought, therefore,
ito have been submitted 10 them. 1t viii
not be forgotten. also, that while all bills
md rs,olu,iops BY our Constitution mus
receive the affirmative vote Of, majority
Of tho members electsdt 10 Tho Legislature,
this Amendment did 10. RECEIVE such
majority but only majority Of the mem
Der. present. It, adoption va. therefore
but ! snap judgment upea ,beifovi,l.e.,
and va. .insalirly condemned by afiil-
fiurc to re.nrp ass'ngl. member rho voted
for that oLroxious m..sure-not one has
sscn, l2f,. az We arc informed, TO tclliths
tale ofithis nnpala,able disregard of the
public desire lis ,dopsion must there
fore come uadcr review, AND DO annulled.
Our people are against it, apd no man
can bc entrusted With tho confidence and
power Of a REPRESENTATIVE who would not
wipe out SO insalenl und sinister 4 propo-
sitiong -Ha ~ 70 M lfoa gai a2il
lftho 18th Amendment on1y proposed
to confer ff,,pc''i.e ,upp, tho negro, i
would b. simply 'fana,i,al; Tut i does moi
stop there, fot il enlarge. tic already over.
grown powers Of Conytcs,:,o regulate b
it. euacsnents' the question of.ufIr,ge in
the several States. nl,i' only necessar,
to examine this Gigantic stride at usnrps'
! ton to insurei' its CONFORMATION. Nothing
but the bliodness Of passion, and the
prejudics Of party ties eould ever have per-
mi.tsd the Legislature 10 tolerate its hasty
consideration, Or Or il, inpudeut sugges.
tons. Istopenls ueIessly and directly
require, each Stat. to lay its domestic
government, voluntary s,crisco ut the
feet Of Congress. to Immediate itself upon
the al..r'of Congressional u,urpa,iOn-to
contribute itself stone ID that cumbsrous
pile Of csn,ralization which is fast crush.
ing out, y its cumulative weight, the
very life of the Republic. BY its adop-
ton, tue states will actually surrender
the only remnhlh'ng vital power that Is lett
,llem-to check the eucroacbmon.s Of a
lavless ambition which is rapidly drag
ging u, from Republic 70 the chaos 81
anarchy, and binding us at the mercy ola
nlerailess and unscrupu.Ous Dc.posism.
But il is said that after a State las oncc
adopted the Amendment, It cannot with.
draw its assent. Ills cannot be Law, and
is not good logic. r.,
For, in fact. a BIZ hos been introduced
in Congress requiring Tue Secretary Of
Stale to disregard lilo action Of any lqgi.-
ls,ion revoking ALLEGATION Of an
Amendment to the Constitution. lf:lie
power of r.yocation did not exist ~why is
this Bill noccssary! For It the theory
be true, it i, only fortidding an inpossi-
biIity its presentation Is a Congressional
decision for the revocation, until finally
adopted BY the requisite thrcc.fourih' d
all tue States. Tic SAME Interpreters Of
power, walls. they deny tile right dfrcv:
oca,ion, claim tina. ,lter a state has re.
ecsed the Amendment, it may afterwards
Legally adopt it. lt'bis we're true, which
,o,,. orenar.d IN dose. the SAME