The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-07-11

Concerning u Convention
If the advocates of that particular
scheme have such overwhelming lnlnence
in this State as 10 control the Convention
and secure the ratification oil such con- n,
stitution as they want, the Convention VIII
be held in spite OF the Panhandle and in
defiance of all the opposition that can be
brought against It. The argument gives
10 the friends Of the internal improvement
scheme supreme and unlimited power over
the popular vote Of the State'-Isgtster.
No such thing. To be able to control
body Of delegates Is one thing; to be able
to control the popular vOteby which they
are chosen is quite another. Because the
"land sharks" would be able, by log-roll'
ing, or by other direct means which they
could afford to apply, to bend enough dele
gates 70 their purposes TO give them CON
troll ola convention, 1t does not follow at
all that they can control the popular vote
on the question of holding con-
vention. The subjects to be operated on
would be 80 much more numerous, and
more widely scattered, that there is no
comparison between the two cases. The
Register knows how easy 1t Is in any legis-
lative body for any resolute and active
clique 10 make combinations with other
interests and carry their measures al
though greatly in the minority, even with
out direct purchase. The internal i'm.
provement clique would be large one,
made up Of the shrewdest men in the
State, who have abundant means, and
would have very powerful motive to
use 1t to carry through their schemes,
This suggestion, we shall be told again.
Is ITO disparage tho honesty of West Viz
ginians." Well, we have no evidence
that West Virginians are hOnester than
anybody else. Public bodies are bought
and sold in other States, and from close
observation of West Virginia Leg.
islatures and conventions for the
last eight years, we judge there
Is about the same taste for CONNER
Cial enterprise in this State as elsewhere
Our nelghbor knows enough about public
bodies to know that the interests of State
and Of all honest people arc far more So
cure when they arc not In session than
when they are; and he knows that our
apprehension that II a Convention be held
public interests will DO sacrificed to
schemes for private advantage, is well
founded.
As to the ratification of n Constitution
II does not follow that a bad Constitution
would be rejected. 1t Is very rare thing
for q Constitution to be rejected, People
will vote for what their judgment don't
approve, after 1t Is done, rather thAn sec
the work thrown away. But II the Con-
stitution were framed as skilfully in be-
half of clique interests as VIC presume It
would be, the same kind OF combinations
that secured It's passage by the Conven-
ton would furnish powerful assistance in
its ratification.
Will our readers bear in mind just
these simple facts If no Convention be
called, they run no risks Of being Old
Virginiaized and saddled with another
internal improvement debt before they
have paida dollar on the old one. If q
Convention be called, they do incur very
great risks of these mischlefs and =Others.
Let them reflect, too, for II Is n fact, that
under the existing Constitution they are
suffering no considerable grievances
none that should for moment tempt them
to resort to Convention for remedy.
Almost everything complained Of by the
fault. finders, who make their complaints
for a specific purpose, can be remedled by
the Legislature. II the party that con-
trolls that body really wants to REFORM
abolish offices and cut down salaries lei
them 20 To work there. But that Is
virtue that parties in power seldom prac-
tiCe, and the indisposition of the Demo.
cratic legislature last winter TO practice
II, leads us TO apprehend a similar dlspo'
sition on the part Of Democratic Con-
vention.
What cannot he done Inv the Iepisla-