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

ar. Editor Presently Constitution
VIII be spread before the people for rati6ca>
ton or disapproval, and if approved a new set
OF officers will supereode the present 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 Con,
st'tutIon and tho people, recently delivered
from bondage, are disposed to endorse in
advance the action of the Convention which
was called for the avowed purpose oil. 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 woll 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 a
Political State; that is to say, they have
agreed to partition out among themselves and
their hungry favorites all the various Offices
OF cmolument 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
KIND OF succession, Inherited; as it were the
offices 1t has created : and the voters-,nere
automatons-"willd dance their puny part VI lille
great Cesar drives the car of State
The writer is in formed that this S1.TE az
far asst relates to District, reads as follows
For the Supreme Court Mr. x =
For the Circuit il dgeship Mr. s.
For Congress Mr.. * y *
4 J.
We don't object to the individuals its 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 io as untrammeed and as free as
the winds of Heaven. Thou shalt not OBJ
struct mine ancient lights" Aye we tell
those who are concocting this nefarious scheme
to look we'll to the wall above the feast, for
upon it there is an ominous writing-Bel-
chazzar teasts with his lords, praising the
Gods of gold and silver, but perchance, there
may be some exied Daniel, yet found, to in
terpret the mystic words -"weighed in the
balance and found wanting"
W eoi' taeso blaG all Gtle taleDt
of the State IS not concentercd in that con-
vention-no, not moiety of it. There are
people at home, who don't make politics
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 sons of the State whose natural
endowments and education rank them as peers
of the greatest minds of the age: Men, who
never held Office and who are now working
for bread for their children aye! and earn
ing it too ;-men, too noble, and too honest
to manipulate 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 sacred jewels to be trans
mittsd to posterity as the just earnings of
these, the sons of our neishbors 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 Virgnian, to those
who like himself were born mid these noun
ta'hs and yearn for 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.