Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1871-08-12
Saturday, August, IL, 1871.
The Cost Of a Convention.
CABrLL C. H., July IL, 1877

Editor ofthe Charleston Courier:
In my remarks in Charleston, on the goth
Of June last. 1 estimated the cost of Consti-
tutional Convention, supposing it to sit sixty
days, at $685. 900, but in the items of expendi-
ture, omitted that Of mileage Of the mem
bers, and this omission has been seized upon as
an evidence that my estimate was unreliable.
1t will be remembered, however, that in
cluded in my estimate $4,000, for printing
and stationery, and $500, for contingencies,
which last mentioned item will mere than pay
the mileage of the members, and the further
investigation Of the subject has satisfied me
more than ever that $4,000, is vastly more
than the printing and stationery will cost
The publication of the report of Governor
Stevenson made to the Convention Of 1862,
which framed the present Constitution, in
which he estimated the cost of session of six
ty-fve days Of that Convention at SIC, 500, has
lead me to examine what the entire cost Of that
convention was.
The rennrt of the Governor was made, and
adopted by the Convention, on the 18th day of
December 1861, and on the 10th day of Janu-
airy, 1862, the Legislature passed an act, in
pursuance thereof, as follows:
"Be it enacted by the General Assembly,
That the sum of $l6,5OO, be, and is hereby
appropriated to pay the members and officers,
aud defray I'll the other expenses of the Con-
veution which assembled at Wheeling on the
2Gth day of November, lSGl."-lSec acts of
1862, page H..
When the Constitution framed by this Con-
vention was presented to Congress that body
refused to admit the State of West Virginia
into the Union until provision YVES made there
in for the abolition OF slavery, and second
session of the Convention had to be held which
commenced on the 18th day Of February,
1868 To meet the expenses of this Session,
the Legislature included in an appropriation
bill passed February 4th, 1868, the following;
"To expenses. of the Convention which is to
assemble in the City of Wheeling on the 18th
day of February, 1868, including the pay and
mileage of its members, the compensation Of
its officers, its printing, stationery, fuel and
other necessary expenditures, and also includ-
ing the expenses Of holding any election which
may be ordered by said Convention, $1,000"
See acts of 1923, page 5G.)
On the 9TH day of August, 1868, an act was
passed by the Legislature Of West Virginia,
making certain appropriations, and among
them the following:
"To the payment of outstanding claims for
expenses in carrying into effect the ordinances
of the late Constitutional Convention, and the
schedule annexed to the original Constitution,
including expenses Of all elections held under
and by virtue Of said ordinances aud schedule,
S2,O2s, 4s."-,See acts of 1868, page 32.)
Under the ordinances and schedule mention
ed in the said act three elections were held,
one upon The adoption Of the original Consti-
tuition, one upon The adoption Of the amended
Constitution, and one for the election of officers
under that Constitution. The members also
having 20 attend two sessions Of the Conyen-
ton, received double mileage, And now let
r us see what the whole cost Of the Convention
which framed our present Constitution includ-
ing the pay and mileage ofits members, and the
compensation OF its olliceas for two sessions,
its printing, stationery, fuel, and other necessa-
ry expenditures and including also the ex-
penses of holding the saiG three elections, was ;
First appropriations, as stated
Second ,OOO0
Third appropriations. ZOE, ,4S
Total Is, SIS, ,4s
And let it be particularly borne in mind
that the President of that Convention received
for his services. $500 per day, and the other
members each 81 per day. [See. ordinances Of
Convention Of June the 1lth, 1861, pages II