Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-12-03

Delegates
Your session will be one of labor to your.
selves, and of great interest to the people,
Since the last Legislature adjourned, Con-
stitution differing in material points from the
old Constitution, has been ratified by the peo.
Pe aud is now in force. Constitution is
meant to define and preserve the rights of the
citizen IN person and property, to establish his
equality before the law, and to guard him
against wrongs, whether attempted to be com.
mltted by one or many; it so organizes society
that each may contribute his share to the gen>
eral good,-not only without detriment but
with positive advantage, to himself. And in
so far as it accomplishes these ends. lust so far
has it conformed to the highest idea of pop,
ular government, in which all govern, and at
the same time are governed. 1t thus becomes
the expression of peoples highest idea of
government and social order, and marks their
progress in the principles of civil liberty and
material improvement. 1t is not n matter of
surprise, therefore, that any changes in itare
closely scrutinized and sharply criticised. and
that men who are attached, from habit or
principle, to old forms. reluctantly yield their
assent to new or unaccustomed ones AL
though, while the new Constitution was under
examination by the people, it provoked warm
and sometimes angry discussion, now that it
has been ratified, have every confidence that
our people will all WELD cheerful obedience
to its commands It's ratification will impose
upon you the duty and responsibility of giv>
ing to it shape and vitality, by the enactment
of laws necessary to put it in complete opera.
ton. In the discharge of this duty. there
will probably arise wide differences of opinion.
but investigation and amicable discussion all
ways tend to produce correct conclusions. In
communicating to you, as required by the Con.
stltution, the condition of the State, NAV
not be permitted to express the hone that har
mony may prevail in your proceedings, and
that there may exist that forbearance and toe-
ration which spring not from timidity of
opinion or indecision in Judgment, but which
have their foundation in mutual respect and
good feeling?
COUNTY oRGANIZArIoN
One of the first subjects that will demand
your attention will be the thorough and COM
plete reorganization of county governments.
The destruction of the township system and
with it the board of supervisors, and the abo
lition of the Offices of clerk of the board of
supervisors and of recorder, have swent awnv
almost all the existing laws pertaining to the
management of county or local affairs. The
establishment of the county court system, with
its office of county clerk, will require re-
vision more or less of all laws relating to mat.
ters of probate, the appointment of personal
representatives., guardians, committees and
curators, the settlement of their accounts. the
recording of deeds, roads, ways, bridges.
ferries and mills, and also the laws relating to
the holding OF elections aud certifying the re-
turns thereof. The president and clerk of
the county court are new officers, unknown to
the present laws, and consequently. it will be
necessary to prescribe when and how thew
shall qualify. 1t will also be your duty to
prescribe for the several counties the times of
holding respectively the county and circuit
courts. | do not arrognte to myself the task
OF suggesting the form or character of legis-
iatlon upon these subjects; I simply desire to
call attention to the necessity of prompt action
in reference to them. On the first day of
January the present system will practically
expire, and unless necessary laws are enacted
in the meantime, the results may be serious
certainly, there will be many ineonveui>
ences to the public. The trainers of the Con-
stitution clearly had in view the necessity of
the revision or modification of these laws at
an early day, when they fixed your meeting
at this time, and provided Indirectly that laws
passed at the present session may take effeot
from the date Of their passage.
ROADS.
/ deem it my duty, however, to call your
special attention to one of these subiects-I
refer to the law relating to roads. No person
can travel over a considerable portion of the
State without being impressed with the thought
that either our road system is defective in it,
self, or that it is defectvely executed. Tt
may be that the laws themselves do not meet
or are not adapted to the exigencies of the
case, and also that they are not faithfully
carried out. Whatever may be the cause, the
TACT cannot be ignored, that the roads are in
bad condltion-even some of the turupikes
that were constructed few years ago have
been SO neglected, that they hardly deserve to
be called public highways. Years ago, oom-
parat'vely few roads we're needed ovor which
to transport the products of the farm. and
orlng back IN return necessary articles The
wants OF the people were few and simple ::
with the exception of few articles, the farm
was made to supply all of these wants Many
localities were so remote from the markets of
the country, that there was no stimulus or
motive for the production of anything except
to supply Immediate wants at home. Under
this condition of things, the great mass of
the people consumed what they produced and
produced but little more than they consumed.
and consequently there could be but little ao-
eumulation of wealth. There were few ex>
changes of products to make and but few
were made, consequently there was but little
money, and but little need for it. And SO
long as similar state of things existed in
other parts OF the country, it relatively made
but little difference, so far as the wealth of
the people was concerned But ohanges
began to spring up in other States around us;
hnf 0ar ~
manufacturing establishments improved
means of transportation and travel we're made
known and employed, and exchanges of the
products of the farm and factory became con.