The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-11-28

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
STATE or WEST VIRGINIA, !
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, !
CHARLESTON, Nov, ~, 1879. }

iiHIeEleR q H'e E"t'u'0 S""Y Wv 4A'"0'
n Dagate''
yopr session will DO one Of labor 10
,,r,,eivcs, and Of great interest 10 the
Cnle Since the last Legislature ad-
SoTrped, Constitution differing In many
io"isriiI points from tho old Constitution
~. Ir,n ratified by the people, and isnow
y !. 5n1r A Constitution u meant to de-
S.c mi preserve the rights Of the citizen
y Cersou and property, to establish his
s,uaasiIty before the law, and to guard him
.g,ins. wrongs, whether attempted 10 be
c5mmiltcl BY any one or manyi 1t so Or
,STi1c3 society that each may contribute
n share to the general good-not only
TIbOu, detriment, but with positive I'D.
v,ntsre, 10 himself. And Id so far as Il
,rrompiishes these ends, just so far has It
conlOrmed to the highest idea Of popular
government, in which NIL govern, and at
ISssano ,imo arc governed. It thus be.
COMES the expression oil peoples high
AT idea Of government and social order,
and marks their progress In civil liberty
and material improvement. 1t is not
matter Of surprise, therefore, that any
changes In II are closely sCrutinized and
shStnly criticised, and that men who are
attached, from habit or principle, to old
forms reluctantly yield their assent Ito
new or unaccustomed ones. Although,
while the new Constitution was under
examination by the people, it provoked
warm and sometimes angry discussion,
nav that it has been ratified, | have every
confidence that Our people will al yield
aCheerlul Obedience tolls commands. Its
ratification will impose upon you the
duty and responsibility Of giving to 1t
.hspe and vitality, by the enactment Of
Avs necessary to put 1t in complete op.
Grafton. In the discharge OF this duty
there will probably arise wide differences
Of opinion, but investigation and AMIGA.
Die discussion always tend to produce
correct conclusions. In communicating
10 you, rs required by the Constitution,
The condition Of the State, may I not be
permitted to express the hope that har.
mony may prevail in your proceedings,
sad that there may exist that forbearance
aud liberation which spring not from
,imlily Of opinion or indeCision in judg.
ment, but which have their foundation IN
mutual respect and good feeling?
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
One Of the first subjects that will de,
msnd Your attention will be the thorough
and complete reorganization Of county
governments. The destruction of the
nwnship system and with it the board of
Supervisors, aud the abolition of the
offices of clerk Of the board OF supervis.
os and recorder, have swept away almost
sllthe existing lawspcrtaIning TO the man
sgenicnt Of county or local affairs. The
establishment OF the county court system,
withlts office of county clerk, will re.
quire revision more or less OF all laws
relating to matters Of probate, the ap-
pOintment Of personal representatives,
guardians committees and curators, the
settlement Of their accounts, the record.
Ing Of deeds, roads, ways, bridges, ferries,
and mills, and also the laws relating to
tue holding Of elections and certifying to
The returns thereof. The President and
clerk If the county court arc new officers,
unknown to the present laws, and conse-
queGty, it will be necessary 10 prescribe
when and how they shall quality. I'll
will also be your duty to prescribe Tor the
several counties the times OF holding re.
specuvSly the county and circuit courts.
do not arrogate to myself the task of
suggesting the form or character Of legis.
hIon upon these subjects; l simply desire
10 call attention to the necessity OF prompt
seton 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 re.
suits may be eriOus-Certainly, there will
he many Inconvenience TO the public.
The trainers Of the Constitution clearly
had in view the necessity Of the revision
or modification OF these laws at an carly
LAY, when they fixed your meeting at this
time, and provided indirectly that laws
passed al the present session may take
eject from the date Of their passage.
ROADS.
ldeem Tiny duty, however, 10 call your
special attention To one OF these subjects
-lEeier 10 the law relating TO roads. No
person can travel over considerable por-
ton Of the State without being impressed
with the thought that either our road sys.
lem Is detective in itself, or that 1t is de.
lrcllScIy executed. 1t may be that the
laws themselves do not meet or arc not
adapted 10 the CXigenCies Of the case, and
also that they are not faithfully carried
out Whatever may be the cause, the
t4Ci cannot be ignored, that the roads are
abad c0ndiliOn-evcn some oil the turn
pixies HAT were constructed q lew years
ago, have been so neglected that they
aArdy deserve to be called public high.
Ways Years ago, comparatively few
roads were needed over which to trans.
port the products Of the farm, and bring
OacE in return necessary articles. The
wants OF the people were few and simple;
with the exception Of few articles, the
Ism was made to supply oil OF these
wants Many localities were so remote
itom the markets OF the country, that
there was no stimulus or motive for the
p'04nction 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
o. o. but little accumulation OF wealth.
There were few exchanges Of products to
make, AMI but lew were made, cOnse.
iNenlly there was but little money, and
Ol' little need forit Aud so long as a
similar state Of things existed III other
Eats Of the country, It relatively made
OI lille difference, SO far as tho wealth
y the people was concerned. But
images began to spring up in other
sa'cs around US; there came division Of
@aGoF, and with it manufacturing estab.
,sllments: improved means Of transpor.
AuGh and travel were made known and
sGIpIoyed, and exchanges OF the products
" Me farm and factory became con.
sAnN and rCmunerAtive. To effect
, %se changes money was needed and
,ISoney flowed in to meet this need. All
.4eSe things created a demand for labor
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