Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-03-26
For the Esprit of JcfFerson'1
The Political Slate of the Charleston
Convention.

Nr. Editor Presently Constitution
will be spread before the people for rati6ca>
ton or disapproval, and if approved a new set
OF officers will supereede the presen, incum-
bants
Upon the same day the people are to pass
Judgment upon the work of the Convention
and decide upon the respective merits Of each
candidate for civil Office.
All the evils we have suffered during ten
years past are attributed TO the present Cons
st!tuton and tho people, recently delivered
from bondage, are disposed to endorse in
advance the action of the Con ntion which
was called for the avowed purpose oI'corrcct-
ing and providing against recurrence of these
evils. Hence, the Convention commands an
influence and yields power over public
opinion seldom obtained by Legislative body
under Republican government, and it is an
easy matter to shift this Influence from the
assembly as an aggregate, and attach it to the
individuals who compose it.
This fact, it seems, is we'll understood at
the capital and in view of it we are told that
certain chronic aspirauts for political prefer
ment have concocted what we may term
Ioht'cot State; that is to say, they have
agreed to partition out among themselves and
their hungry iavorites all the various Offices
OF cmoument and trust. In fact the cleo
ton under the new Constitution, according to
the Charleston schedule, is likely to be mere
farce, and this convention will not only have
ordained the organic law of the State, but of
a klud OF succession, Inherited, as it were the
offices 1t has created 4: and the voters-1nere
automatons-"willda dance their puny part vh;ls
great Cesar drives the car of State"
The writer is informed that this SLATE. so
iarasit relates to District, reads as follows
For the Supreme Court Mr.. * s.
For the Circuit Judgeship Mr.. j:
For Congress Mr.. * *
r X X y
We don't object to the individuals-' the
principle. And to this programme we enter
our solemn protest. We enter it in the name
OF the people at home working for living,
but, in whom, the theory of our governments
vests the choice of officers aud whose selec
ton should bo as uDtrammeled and as free as
the winds of Heaven. Thou shalt not OBJ
struct mine ancient lights" Aye! we tell
those who are connecting this nefarous scheme
to look well to the wall above the feast, for
upon it there is an ominous writing-Bel-
chazzar feasts with his lords, praising the
may be some exied Daniel, yet found, to in-
terpret the mystic words -"weighed in the
balance and found wanting"
w teii tiIeSe SSuttetueE, CnaG all the talent
of the State is not concentcrcd in that con-
vention-no, not moiety of it. There are
people at home, who don't make politics a
trade but who are esteemed by their neigh
bors, among whom they were born aud reared
we'll worthy posts of honor and trust. There
are in our midst certain native and to the
manor born Of the State whose natural
endowments and education rank them as peers
of the greatest minds of the age Men, who
never held an Office and who are now working
for bread for their children aye and earn
ing it too men, too noble, and too honest
to mani pulate and trick themselves into posi-
ton, but yet, should the willing voters of the
State dedicate them to the country. they would
win names in history, ice, will claim with
Jealous pride as sacred jewels to be trans
mittsd to posterity as the just earnings of
| these, the sons of our neighbors and friends
We will have none of their professional
politicians the nominations to Office shall
hereafter be the work of the voters, as in the
good, honest days of old before the era of
RINGS and CAUcussEs
The writer has no fish to Fry and he don't
| propose to huckster the merits of his personal
friends. He speaks, as Virginian, to those
| who like himself were born mid these noun
taihs and yearn for a return of those halcyon
days agone when the Commonwealth speak
ing through the genius and the talents of her
own sons welded an intrinsic influence in this
! worlds affairs. j. NJ. NJ.