The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-06-23
Con.titutIonal convention.

nuliOIS VI TIC rcSlstSi' @ =,
The Constitution OF our State does not
show on the face of it what counties are
within its limits. Art. l, sec. z, men
tons forty.four counties to be included
in the State of West Virginia, and then
if certain things are done, other coun'
ties may be included therein. This
ought to be changed and the territory
Of the State clearly defined. Art l. sec.
6 and 7 provide that the citizens Of the
State are the citizens of the United
States residing therein, and every citizen
shall be entitled to equal representa-
ton in the Government. The Four
tenth Amendment to the Constitution
OF the United States says. "All persons
born or naturalized 10 the United
States and subject to the jurisdiction
thereof, are citizens Of the United States
and of the State wherein they reside,
thus defining who are citizens of West
Virginia. Yet, Art. 4, sec. Q, fixes the
representation in the Legislature on the
basis of the weite population. Thus,
there is a conflict between this section
and Art. l, sec. !, which ought to be
removed. .,
Art. 7, sec. 2, requires the election
annually in each township Of Super,
visor, Clerk OF the township, Surveyor
of Roads, for each precinct, and Over
seer of the Poor, and no matter how
well satisfied the Legislature may be,
that a different arrangement might do
better, and be more economical, still
they have not the power totiessen the
number of those Offices. Take the
office of Clerk Of the Township, and |
venture the assertion that there is no
need of the office, and nothing for the
officer to do. Yet l presume there are no
less than three hundred and twenty-five
township clerks in TIE State who receive
an average salary annually Of at least
twenty dollars each, making about
seven thousand dollars annually paid
10 officers that are not needed. But
says one Republican paper, "lf the tree
school system is maintained the office
of township clerk is needed" If the
editor will refer to the laws Of our State
he will see that the township clerk has
nothing to do with the free school
system. The Code of West Virginia
chapter As, section s, provides that the
Board of Education shall elect their
Secretary and fix his compensation,
These things ought to be stricken out
of the Constitution and left to the Legls
lature, to provide what is necessary and
in the most economical manner.
Article I, section 4, makes the Super
visors the judges OF the election, quail
fication and return of their own mem
bers and of all county and township
officers. Thus, after every election, all
the Supervisors at a per diem and mile
age must come together, and unless
there is a contested election, do nothing
but hearItheir clerk announce who is
elected. This might just as well be
done, except in case Of a contested cleo
ton. by three election examiners, who
might reside at or near the county seat
without mileage, and for small com
pensation, and several thousand dollars
annually be saved to the people. These
are given as q few specimens to show
the expensiveness Of our present Con
stitution, in which and many other res
poets it ought to be amended. 5.