The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-02-06
Minority Representation.


Minority Representation.
Constitutional Conventions are the
order of the day. The people OF OHIO
are to vote at the regular election next
October upon proposition to call a
convention to revise the Constitution OF
that State, and a bill is now pending IN
the Pennsylvania Legislature for a sum
liar convention there. We have before
us a copy Of the Pennsylvania bill and
find that it contains some features
which we would be glad TO see ineoi
porated in that now being considered at
Charleston. I'D. ,'s@-.-s . ~
Itprovides for a special election to be
held on the second Tuesday OF June at
which the voters shall vote for or
AGAINST a convention and, at the same
time, for delegates to that body. The
convention is to consist OF one hundred
and forty-three members, one hundred
and three of whom are to be appor'
toned among the Senatorial DIS
tricts and the remaining forty to be
elected at large. Three delegates are
to be chosen in each Senatorial Dis
rric, each voter voting for two, and the
three persons having the greatest
number of votes to be declared elected +;
in districts electing two Senators each
voter may vote for four delegates, and
the six having the greatest number OF
votes will be chosen. OF the forty
delegates at large, each elector may vote
for twenty persons, the forty having the
highest number to be declared elected.
Ifa majority of the yotes,,6e cast n
favor of convention, the delegates
chosen are to assemble in Harrisburg
on the first Tuesday in September
They may remain in session two
hundred days, and are to be paid at the
rate Of twelve dollars per day, and are
allowed mileage as members OF the
Legislature are. The bill also provides
for submitting the new constitution to
the people for ratification or rejection.
Under the present constitution OF
West Virginia, two elections will be
necessary for the accomplishment OF
what will be done in Pennsylvania by
one. 1t is necessary here to vote first
whether or not a convention shall be
held, and should the poll resultin favor
of convention, delegates will be chosen
afterwards. -"The bill under considera-
ton at Charleston provides for both of
these elections, and, as at present
amended, fixes the number Of delegates
at seventy-eight, to be apportiohed
among the counties as members Of the
Senate and House Of Delegates are now.
Under the Pennsylvania law, both
political parties will be represented in
the convention and it will be impos-
sible for either party to acquire such
prepondeance in the convention as to
embody in the constitution any pro-
visions of purely partisan advantage.
We would be willing to have such fea-
ture embodied in our West Virginia law,
if there was any probability that Dem.
ocratic liberality in this regard would
be properly appreciated and fairly met.
We have not advocated the holding
of a convention from party motives or
upon party grounds We believe it to
he measure fraught with good results
TO the entire people Of the State and for
that reason II meets. olrlheasty concur
renee. We don't want to see it made a
party question Nor though we know, as
every reasonable E:an must admit, that
the Democracy would carry u success
fully through, we think that so import
ant matter as the revision Of the con
stitution should be held above questions
of party policy. Let US have q conven-
ton in which our citizens Of every shade
of political opinion may unite. and, q
constitution upon which all may agree,
and all questions as to the policy to be
pursued in ,the State government ander
and su5ordi,.as TO hat constitution
will be proper subjects for party
difference. The constitution must be
as the supreme Jaw with
which all mdst be in harmony. but the
utmost latitude for party difference coha
sistent with this fixed and Overriding
law, should be. allowed. We don't want
simply a Democratic convention and a
~