Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-06-13
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
Address to the Poodle.

pie to form new Constitution is to be SUBJ
mitted TO the voters of the State on the
Fourth Thursday iM august merit.
Without intending to indicate what action
should be taken by the people upon the sub
ject, the State Executive committee of the
Democratic aud Conservative party, after ma.
ture consideration, have deemed il prOper 10
issue an address calling attention to the ones.
ton aud urging harmony and concert of ac-
ton anu noticing few of the many important
reasons why we as party should give our
united support in sustaining the call, NJ well
as urslng u full attendance at the polls on the
day Of election.
We are aware that the subject should rs
far as possible be Invested of party feeling.
aud that there should be free and unbiased
expression of opinion by the people. But
the Republican party of the State, both by
the action OF its representatives, in the Leg
lSIature and IN its public prints, have made il
party issue, and We therefore shall feel no
hesltancy in invoking the Democratic and Con.
sentative party to give it cordial support,
The party for the first time in the history
OF our State, finds itself charged with the ad-
ministratiOn of its affairs The almost nm
expected and unparalleled victory achieved
by US At the October Election last past. has
given us control of all the branches of the
State government save one. This success
betokened the fact that the people were sired
OF the gross misrulG and outrageous conduct
OF the party then in power, and that it was
their intention to have a change of rulers, aud
see 1t by such change the burthens of gov
eminent could not be greatly lesscned. The
Republican party of the State had become
corrupt and were using the whole machinery
OF the State government for the purpose of
sustaining their waning fortunes aud eudeav.
orln2 to stay the indignation Of at outraged
people The history of their administration
oil the government Is one continued story of
: prescription, injustice and wrong They had
taxed the people without stint, and vet the
great sums of money paid by them had, to a
great extent, been either misappropria,ed or
had lined the pockets of the swarms of Office
holders who have harrassed our people aud est
out their substance.
Under these circumstances, the Democratic
and Conservative party have partially come
into power, IN the State, and to it the peOple
now look for deliverance. The responsibility
resting upon us is great, and we therefore owe
II TO ourselves as well As to the whole people,
I" see to It that we be not found wanting in
this our first administration of its affairs
1t Is well TO know that our present Consti>
tuition was formed amid the conflict of arms.
ana throes OF revolution, aud while portions
OF our State were III the possession of each of
the contenCIng parties. Those who framed
1t were few in number. representing but n
small portion of our territory; some elected
by n small constituency, while others had no
constituency at all. IL was Hormed to meet
what was then supposed TO be a pressing
emergency. An GXYerIcNCc Of ciyht wears
mas demonstrated the fact, that portions of our
Constitution are uusuited to the wants of our
people-ihe sparcity Of our population aud
the character Of our territory. Our present
system OF government IS costly, unwiclly in
Its execution, and one which can be greatly
simPlItied, and with saving of large sums or
money annually, to the people 4 constitu,
'ilon should be framed for the benefit Of the peo.
pie 10y the whole people. Such was not the case
with the Constitution Row in existence in this
State.
We have but recently cufranchiscd 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 rrivi,
Icge OF saying whether the laws that imposcd
them were hight or wrong, aud without any
power to change them it wrong for the better.
Oar present Constitution never was submitted
to the whole people. The dominant marty
would not permit its merits to be canvasscd-
It's defects to be pointed out and fair and
impartial vote to lie had upon it. In some
instances 10 vote was allowed to be cast opainst
1t, because the polls were in the possession of
the military, placed there for the purpose of
putting down all the opposition to- il. We
then unheSItalngly declare that the first and
principal reason for holding a Convention. is
to form Constitution, which shall be sub.
mitted to the whole people, that all NAV be
tn ind,
when adopted, if at all, shall reflect their ex-
pressed will.
1t cannot be denied that ours is one of the
most costly systems Of government known to
any of the States. We are almost a State
Of Office holders. Our county aud township
systems of government are onerous in the OK.
tTcmc. By them vast sums Of money are coll
iectcd from the people annually, by number
less othce-hoiders, Il great portion of which
can be saved by reduction Of the number
OF officers. We Affirm that the changing our
present cumbersome system Of county orrapi.
cation, is alone sufficient to warrent the coI-
ling of Convention to alter or amend it
1t Is expensive, Intricate, and wholly uusuitcd
to our population. 1t is believed that enough
can be saved TO the people of the State in one
year, by change in this system alone, to re-
Imburse the whole outlay and ex pense of hold.
I"S StaIC convention. II TINS Is doubted,
let any one compare his tax bill under the
present system, with what he paid under the
old organization. The opponents of a Con-
vention, have Purposely greatly exaggerated
the expense of holding Que, that thus they
may brighten the people TO vote against it
Sy careful estimate of its probable cost by
the distinguished chairman of the committee
of Finance and Claims in the Senate of our
State, now United States Senator Davis, "a
copy Of whose report made TO that body is here.
to auncXed) it is asccrtaincd that the whole