The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-09-11
CANDIDATES FOR THE CONVEN.
TON.

CANDIDATES FOR THE CONVEN.
TION.
A very deep interest is being mani
tested throughout the State in reference
to the approaching Constitutional Con-
vention, and many candidates for mem
bership in that body are being brought
forward in the several counties. We
believe that as yet no actual nomlna-
tons have been made, but number OF
county conventions will be held within
the ensuing two or three weeks and a
majority of the members of the Con-
vention will soon be named. We had
some fear, in view of the apathy that
seemed to prevail among the people
prior to the call, that the same indiffer-
ence would continue to exist and that,
through the negligence OF the voters,
many inferior and improper men might
foist themselves upon the Convention.
But the popular mind seems to be now
more actively awake to the importance
of the step about to be taken than it
was before the Convention became a
fixed fact Many persons who seemed
10 have no proper realization Of what a
Constitutional Convention is and what
it may do, are now beginning to appre-
ciate the graveimportance Of the action
about to be taken.
We are glad that it is so. We are
glad to find that popular interest in the
Convention is deepening every day, and
that truer sense Of the Importance Of
the work at hand is beginning to be
felt.
By the nominations to be made with
in the next few weeks, the character Of
the Convention will be determined.
The present is, therefore. the most crit
ical period in the whole history of the
movement. If the proper spirit pre-
walls now, and proper selections OF
candidates be made, the Convention
will prove success and blessing to
the people of the State, but, if other
wise, it may be full Of disaster. We,
therefore, most earnestly urge upon our
readers the exercise of the utmost care
in the selection of the men into whose
hands affairs OF 20 great moment are
to be entrusted. Wewan the best and
ablest men in the State; not mere poll
ticians; not mere partisans; but men
of another and highly different class.
In nearly every county in West Vir-
ginia are to be found some men in
whose mental ability the people have
confidence, and who have had some
experience in the conduct Of public az
fairs. They may not be active partisans,
and some of them may be personally
unpopular, but when the question is, as
it is now, Who will make the best con-
stitution for the government OF the
State?, all minor considerations should
be laid aside. 1t is well enough for
US to regard our personal likes and
dislikes in voting for candidates for
Offices whose duties are purely execu-
tive, and it is well enough to reward
party service by bestowipg places Of
profit upon those whose labors may
have entitled them thereto; but, in
choosing members Of the highest legis-
lative body that the State can have, the
only thing to be regarded is the fitness
of the individual to take part in the
important and difficult work there is to
do. The Constitutional Convention is
NO place for mere ward or township
politicians; and the pecuniary profits OF
membership there are not sufficient to
make it a fat place for the reward Of
party work: We trust therefore that
the people all over the State will bid
the mere local politicians STAND aside
for the present and bide their time;
while able, prominent and conservative
men are. chosen a. members of the Con-
ot;trt;onal Conyention
tits, Of. course, desirable that ma
jority of the members Of the Conven-
ton should be men who see the peces-
sity of making some amendments 70
the present Constitution and who IA
vored the call, else the>xpressed desire
Of. the people for change may be DC.
'fsstsd ,by an adjournment of ,sthe'
Convention without accomplishing any