The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-07-22

| islAture, and then thfee months pupllcas
lion Of the proposed amendment before
the election Of the succeeding Legislature,
so the people may vote with regard to II
and then II approved by Q majority OF the
legislature 30 elected, Il Is to be submitted
to the people. II strikes me the latter
mode e the safest and best; for the fea.
sons the proposed mode requires the peo-
pie to get a ttc0.thiriS majority oil the leg.
stature 10 concur before any specific
amendment can be inaugerated, however
much needed the amendment, may be;
and il the legislature should oiits own
motion propose one that was not needed,
II can only be stopped or disposed Of by
an election OF the people with lis
accompanying loss Of time and money;
whereas by the present mode 0 bare major.
iy Of any Legislature % competent 70
propose one OF more specific amendments.
These have to be published three months
throughout the State before the succeed.
ing Legislature Is elected, so the voters
can read and consider them, and II not
approved, can choose q Legislature that
will disprove, and this ends the matter,
without any additional expense but the
previous publication.
The permission to the Legislature To
lcstn The credit with the community oil
persons whose real and personal property
Is worth only $1,000 or less, by exempt.
ing that amount from being taken ior
debt, would not be likely to be acted on
BY any Legislature, with TIE consent Of
that class, as It Is the poor and dependent
that need credit, not the rich and indie.
pendent. l l.a.Iti
heschedule by which they propose to
put their plan in operation is equally novel
and peculiar. II after a month or two for
asCcrtaining, 1t shall appear that major.
ity voting has approved Of their instru-
mGnt, 1t is 10 take effect and DO in opera
ton IRON one tnin0ts past midnight
preceding the day of Che election. That
Is some eight hours before the polls are
opened, and seventeen or eighteen hours
before they are closed. With equal pro.
priety they could have fixed the com.
menCement OF its operation the midnight
preceding the Goth of June, 1868, when
the present Constitution went into opera.
ton, and so have wiped out entirely the
present Constitution that has annoyed
them so much. Another novel feature Is
all the offices 1t creates are 10 be filled by
choosing at the same election; and the
election OF the members OF the Legislature
is to vacate the offices Of the present
members, and as the terms of the mem.
bers elect do not commence before the
first Tuesday OF November next, between
tho two dates there will be no Legislature
and no power anywhere TO create one, nc
matter what should happen. Whose "high
and solemn duty will 1t be to guard and
protect us from encroachments on our
reserved rights" during that period? II
provides that our present courts shall con.
tinue till the first Of January next, and
requires them 10 hold their terms Of court
as now established; but provides that all
processes outstanding" the 22nd day o.
August, the day Of election, shall be re.
turned to the newly elected court TO be
organized at such time after the first Of
January as the newly elected Legislature
to convene the third Tuesday OF Novem
Der, may direct What will the officers
| w "AS ASAA oASA
which imperatively command snch officer
to make due return to particular court
on specified day? What becomes OF the
attachments, bonds, securities, SC, con
nected with these outstanding processes
l leave these questions for wiser heads
than mine to solve.
have thus called the attention OF my
fellow citizens to what seems to me grave
objections. Those touching the election
Of members of Congress, the imperfec
description of our territory, the greatly
enhanced cost, &c, &c, have already beer
discussed by more competent minds.
My confidence in the intelligence anC
patriotism Of my fellow citizens forbids {
doubt, but that the proposed Constitution
its schedule and the ring, will be over
whelmingly defeated; but if through Thu
chastisements of an inscrutable Provi
denCe it should happen otherwise,
should say, in behalf OF myself and fellow
citizens: Remember us, oh God, IN this
the severest Of Thy infections
Very Respectfully, G. P.