The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-07-25
THE CONVENTION QUESTION.
Letter from Attorney General
9prigg.

AhS SouNSutiob SoiSo w aiSSs ~
Moorefeld on last Saturday week failed
to convene, owing to the railroad meet
ing having absorbed the whole Of the
afternoon. Attorney General Sprigg
who was invited to address the meeting
sent the following letter to be read
before the convention
Thos. Maslin, s. d. Gordon, p. r.
.Shearer, S. A. Mc.Hechsn and E. s.
Alexander, Esqs.
GENrLEMEN-Your favor OF the 9Th
inst, inviting me to be present and give
my views in relation to 1.-The expediency
or necessity for a Constitutional Con.
venticn" at a grand mass meeting OF
the voters OF this county" to meet in
Moorefeld on the 18th inst, is before
me.
thank you for your kind and polite
invitation and the honor you thus con,
fer upon me. Iregret, however. TO say
that the state Of my health compels me
to decline your invitation to be present.
But will, with great pleasure, give You
my views upon the important question
your meeting is called to consider.
In August next the people OF our
State will be called upon, under an act
OF our last Legislature, to determine
the question whether or not the defects
in our present Constitution are such as
will justify US in mourning the expense
OF Constitutional Convention to rem
edy them. This, ! say, is an important
question, and should be calmly and dis.
passionately considered by the people
OF the State before taking action there
on. To change the organic law of a
State is at all times an important mat,
ter. | recognize fully, trust, the mag
nitude Of the question in all its aspects.
| have considered it with all the calm
ness and deliberation Of which l am
capable, keeping in view always the
best interests Of our State and people
| have arrived at the conclusion that
the rights, interests and welfare Of our
young commonwealth demand new
Constitution. | am therefore in favor
of the assembling Of a Convention for
this purpose. | shall vote for it myself
if well enough to get to the polls, and
trust all my friends will do the same.
You say several gentlemen who
have heretofore acted with the Demo
cratic Conservative party Of West Va,
are opposing the convention, upon the
ground thatit would be unjust and uE-
fair TO the present State officers who
were elected last fall to fill the various
positions, to thus displace them before
the expiration of the time for which
they were elected ] regret this eX.
ceedingly. do not think any Of the
present State officials desire their friends
to take such a course as this. / have
no authority, however, to speak tor
them. l can only give my own wishes
in relation to this matter, and | desire
it to be distinctly understood that do
not want any Of my friends to vote
against the convention because l may
be turned out of Office by it. | believe
the best interests of the State will be
promoted by the formation Of a new
constitution, and trust the mere fact OF
displacing a few friends in office, will
deter none Of the friends Of honest,
cheap, and good government from voting
for the convention. If the people think
that we who were elected last fall in the
face OF such immense opposition, have
any peculiar claims upon them, they
can very easily re-elect us under a new
constitutional they do not think so,
it is their right to select others to fill
our places. | trust l shall never allow
my individual interests to carry me
into opposition to what sincerely be
to be the interests OF my people.
The good Of the people should always
be held paramount to that of any indl-
vidual, or particular class Of individuals.
The interests pecuniarily or otherwise,
of the present State officials ought not
to enter into or influence in any way
the judgment Of any voter in relation
to this question. Whatever benefit the
people generally will reap from the for,
nation of a new Constitution | will
share, because ! am one Of them, and
whatever is for their good ia also for
mine.
There are various reasons why am
in favor of Constitutional Convention.
The first and greatest reason that
prompts me to advocate it is the abso-
lutte necessity, in my judgment, OF a
change in our present Judiciary system.
1t is unnecessary, know, for nae to ad-
duce arguments to convince the people
OF our county that there is something
radically defective in this branch of our
State government. am satisfied you
are already convinced of this fact. l
know you have seen term after term OF
YOUR Circuit Court occupied with the
trials of miserable little appeal and
criminal cases to the entire exclusion OF
important business. This ought not to
be so under a good system. 1t is not
entirely the fault of the judge as have
heard it said. No Judge could remedy
the evil entirely. This state Of affairs is
not confined exclusively to our county
or judicial circuit 1t is so nearly all
over the State. Our system is also one
of the most expensive to suitors OF
any within my knowledge. When
our people 60 into our courts to vlndl'
cate or seek the protection 81 their
rights OF person or property, it is found
to be a costly luxury before they get
out. Ihave frequently known the costs
\. Il
TO amount to dout;e the amountInvoived
in the controversy.
A change is, in my judgment, imper,
atively demanded in our judiciary. l
presume no sane man will deny thatit
"a weak and Insufficient Between our