The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-07-25

But we do want, and must have our
purest, sblest and brayest men in these
high and responsible positions. No
people can be wholly enslaved 30 long
as they have the protection Of an hon.
est, upright and independent judiciary.
Our courts are the proper guardians of
our liberties, and when they fail to be
true and faithful to the sacred trusts
committed to them, the stability and
permanency Of our government is in
danger,
Our present county and township or.
ganization also calls loudly for our
attention. 1t is by far too costly. A
system can certainly be framed much
more efficient and at least one-third less
costly. No system could be much more
onerous and less efficient than our pres
ent one. One can be framed to be ad.
ministered by one-halt of the officers,
and thus save vast sums Of money
annually collected from the people. Our
present county and township system is
unsuited to the wants and interests of
our people. 1t is too expensive and
complicated. am perfectly convinced
enough can be saved In one year by
proper change in this regard to pay the
whole expense Of Convention. To be
convinced of this fact you have only to
examine the expenses Of your county
for the years 1860 and 1870. In 1860
you had as part of your territory what
is now the county of Grant, and you
were then taxed to pay for the building
of your splendid new Court House.
Your county expenses were in 1870 sew
eral thousand dollars more, however,
than they were in 1860. No county in
the State, l affirm, had more efficient,
economical and faithful set of officers
in 1870 than we had. The evil is in
the system. 1t is the most expensive in
the Union. Our interests demand an
effective government, and at the same
time cheap one. Such q government
can only be obtained through a con-
vcntion.
The whole people Of State have the
undoubted right to pass judgment upon
the organic law of said State. The
Constitution under which we now live
never was passed upon by over a third
OF the people of the State. Its merits
were not canvassed by the people-its
imperfections were not pointed out-the
then dominant party could not afford to
permit this. This is of itself reason
enough for a Convention to form new
Constitution which shall be submitted
to the whole voting population of the
State, that all may have a voice in its
adoption, and which, when adopted, if
at all, will reflect the fair and honest
sentiments Of tie people OF the State.
Let this be done, and better state OF
teeling-"a more perfect union"-wlll
at once spring up among our people.
All will feel an interest in the Govern
ment of the State, all having partici-
pated in its formation.
have thus briefly and hastily allud-
ed to few of the reasons which induce
me to favor a Constitutional Convention.
There are, as remarked before, various
others. The question is, do these
reasons, or any of them, justify us in
incurriny the expense OF a Convention
for the purpose Of remedying the evils
complained Of? In my judgment they
or any one OF them, Gle irly do.
The cost of a Constitutional Conven-
ton has been grossly exaggerated byits
1t cannot, in my judgment,
cost over 1000 or $2S,000. This is
a very liberal estimate. What does the
expenditure Of such sum OF money
amount to when compared with the
great good that will certainly flow TO
the whole people Of the State, from the
formation ofa new Constitution, estab-
fishing a cheaper and more effective
government Absolutely nothing, in
my judgment. The little additional
tax, temporarily imposed on each indI-
vidual, will be reimbursed to him speed
lily by the cheap government a Conven-
ton will assuredly frame, and in the
end thousands and thousands OF dollars
will be saved.
In the times past, the good people OF
Hardy have never been found wanting,
when called upon to act well the part
of good citizens. | trust that in August
next they will maintain their tlme.hon-
ored position By the untring efforts
of the Democratic party OF the State,
you are all once more free men. trust
such an organization will be effected
throughout the county, as will insure
the presence Of every man at the polls
on the fourth Thursday Of august merit.
Let no county in the State show more
of a Convention than ours.
l am, gentlemen,
Nery resnectfully, &c,