The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-06-06
The Constitutional Convention
TO THEPEOPLE
To the Voters Of the State Of Yves
Virginia.

Constitution IS 10 De SuUmltteu 10 tnt
voters of the State on the Fourth Thurs
day in august nert.
Without intending to indicate whar
action should be taken by the people
upon the subject, the State Executive
committee OF the Democratic and Con
sentative party, after mature considera
ton, have deemed it proper to issue an
address calling attention to the question
and urging harmony and concert Of
action and noticing few Of the many
important reasons why we as party
should give our united support in sus
tanning the call, as well as urging full
attendance at the polls on the day o.
election.
We are aware that the subject should
as far as possible be Invested Of party
feeling, and that there should be a tree
and unbiased expression Of opinion by
the people. But the Republican party
Of the State, both by the action Of its
representatives in the Legislature and
in its public prints, have made it party
issue, and we therefore shall feel nc
hesitancy in invoking the Democratic
and Conservative party to give it a cor
dial support.
The party for the first time in the
history Of our State, finds itself charged
with the administration of its affairs,
The almost unexpected and unparalleled
victory achieved by us at the October
Election last past, has given us control
of all the branches of the State govern
ment save one. This success betokened
the fact that the people were tired Of
the gross misrule and outrageous con,
duct of the party then in power, and
that it was their intention to have q
change OF rulers, and see if by such
change the burthens of government
could not be greatly lessened. The
Republican party OF the State had be-
come corrupt and were using the whole
machinery of the State government for
the purpose Of sustaining their waning
fortunes ani endeavoring to stay the
indignation Of an outraged people. The
history Of their administration OF the
government is one continued story OF
prescription, injustice and wrong. They
had taxed the people without stint, and
yet the great sums Of money, paid by
them had, to a great extent, been either
Incorporated or had lined the peck
cts of the swarms of otfice-holders who
have harassed our people and eat out
their substance.
Under these circumstances, the Demo
cratic and Conservative party have
partially come into power, in the State,
and to it the people now look for de
liverance. The responsibility resting
upon us is great, and we therefore owe 1t
to ourselves as well as to the whole peo-
pie, to see to it that we be not found
wanting in this our first administration
of its affairs.
1t is well known that our present
Constitution was formed amid the con.
flct of arms, and throes Of revolution,
and while portions Of our State were In
the possession OF each of the contendlng
parties. Those who framed it were few
in number, representing but small
portion OF our territory some elected
by a small constituency, while others
had no constituency at all. 1t was
formed to meet what was then supposed
to be pressing emergency. An exPerl,
ence OF eight years, has demonstrated
the fact, that portions of our Constltu-
ton are unsuited to the wants OF our
people-the sparcity of our population
and the character OF our territory. Our
present system OF government Is costly,
unwieldy in its execution, and one which
can he greatly simplifed, and with II
saving oflarge sums of money annually,
to the people. A Constitution should
he framed Tor the benefit OF the people
by the whole people. Such was not
the case with the Constitution now IN
existence in this State.
We have but recently enfranchlsed a
large class of our people who have
hitherto been denied all voice in the
government Of the State. They have
been made to bear all the burthens OF
government, without the privilege OF
saving whether the laws that imposed
them were right or wrong, and without
any power to change them If wrong
for the better Our present Constltu'
ton never was submitted to the whole
people. The dominant party would not
hermit its merits to be canvassed-lts
defects to be pointed out; and fair and
impartial vote 10 be had upon It, In
some instances no vote was allowed to
be cast against it, because the polls
were in the possession OF the military
placed there for the purpose OF putting
down all opposition to it. We then
unhesitatingly declare that the first and
principal reason for holding Conven-
ton. is to form a Constitution, which
shall be submitted to the whole people,
that all may be permitted to pass
Indictment upon it, and which when
adopted, if at all, shall reflect their
expressed will.
1t cannot be denied that ours ID one
of the most costly systems OF govern
ment known to any Of the States. we
are almost a State Of Office holders.
Our county and township systems OF
government are onerous In the ex'
IRENE. By them vast sums OF money
are collected from the people annually,
by numberless office-holders, q great
portion Of which can be saved by re-
duction Of the number of offices. We
affirm that the changing our present
cumbersome system of county organiza'
ton, is alone sufficient to warrant the
calling of a Convention to alter OF
amend it. 1t is expensive. intricate
and wholly unsuited to our population
II is believed that enough can be saved
to the people of the State in one year
by change in this system alone, to
reimburse the whole outlay and expens'
hll; S,o,o Convention. If thi