The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1872-07-25
ADDRESS.
OF the Democratic State Executive Com
m!ttee Of West Virginia.
%, N A. El.Ia.

The election to be held on the fourth
Thursday of August next is of great i'm
por,ance, not merely to the continued or
ipanization of the Democratic and Conser-
Vatiye party Of the State, but to the per-
petu,ioa true principles Of constitution
al government
NEW CONSTITUTION,
the careful work Of some Of The abeSt men
of West Virginia, will be presented tor
adoption or rejection by the people, and,
at the same time, all the State, county and
aud judicial officers for which it provides
are to be elected.
/ The convention by which this Constltu'
ton was framed was Of Democratic susges.
ton and assembled under the auspices OF
that party 1t accepts the full response
bi!ity Of all the provisions Of that Constl.
tuition, and claims that in the changes and
reforms in the organic Law which they pre-.
sent, the safety of the State, the liberty OF
the citizens and the prosperity Of the peo.
pie have been guarded with an anxious
care not only inspired by the time.honored
principles Of constitutional government,
but suggested by history Of wrong per.
petrated and outrage too recent to need
special repetition.
1t is not practicable within the limits of
this address to discuss the various changes
which careful examination Of the text OF
the new Constitution will discover. 1t
may be enough to say that economy in the
expenditure Of the public money and purl.
ty 10 the administration Of Office secured
by the strongest provisions; that absolute
independence sguaranteed to the judiciary,
and the courts Of the State are rescued
from the interference or control Of partisan
majoritics; that the duties of the Legisla.
ture are simpliica and disconnected from
the mass of personal and special Legislation
which has overloaded the statute books;
that system of popular education has
been made perpetual and placed under the
jealous guardianship of the State; and that
great impeachment to immigration is over
come by a system of land law which will
in due time remove the mixed and tangled
titles which have so long embarrassed the
State. In addition to these and by no means
the least important of the changes effected
by the new Constitution, is its peremptory
forbidding of the political test oaths and
disfranchisemcnts which oppressed our peo.
pie and dsgraced the State during the con-
tinuauce Of Radical ascendcucy. To this en-
umeration of certain distinctive character
istics of the proposed Constitution, it is
not necessary to add discussion of others
which will find their best explanation BY
contrasting them directly with the provis-
ions of the existing Constitution they are
designed to replace. To that coustrast We
invite the Democrats and Conservatives of
the State. 10 that contrast We challenge
the allied factions which oppose US.
THE pARKERsBURG CONVENTION
assembled upon the SOth of May last, in
obedience to the call of the Executive Com
mittce, and in accordance with iwell cstab-
lished party usages 1t was the largest,
fullest, and most thoroughly representative
assemblage Of delegates ever held in the
State. Its deliberation were marked by
calmuess, fraternity, impartality, aud an
earnest desire to adopt such expressions Of
principles and nominate such candidates as
would commend themselves to the people
Of the State. Nothing could be fairer or
freer than its action. One thousand rep.
resenta,iye WestVirgjuiaus were in council.
Every county, save one, was represented,
most of them by usually large delegations.
In fact, in many instances, not merely
delegates specially selected, but the entire
Democratic and Conservative party Of the
counties were accredited to that body.
Thus constituted, the delegates from ev.
cry section and locality proceeded to the
performance of the duties for which they
had come together. Theresoluions adopt.
ed, without dissent, are familiar to yOu.-
The candidates selected are all well known.
They need no words of eulogy or recon.
mendation. For the Office of Governor
but single name was presentcd-that Of
Johnson n. Camden, Of Wood. a man
whose services to the party are well known,
and had well deserved this recognition -
His nomination was made unanimous by the
enthusiastic reclamation of a thousand
voices, with no uttered word Of protest or
remODStranCe.
But the accord and uuanimity so mark
ed in the Convention at Parkersburg have
at last been broken. The voice of dis.
sent comes from no organization of Demo.
Gratis or Conservatives. Uttered in adj.
vance in the Radical Convention at Graf
ton, at the instance Of the willy and crafty
managers of that party, it has found its re.
sponsivc echo in the selfish and disappoint-
ed ambition Of asngle man. and that man,
one upon whom the Democratic party has
conferred the single, unearncd distinction
of bis whole life Governor Jacob, Of all
lisonnointod and ;,unAinol nnli,ioions boo