The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-20

Inc nalI ~ the hdIe 1Ouse- hc
Public Printing Investigation
Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad
Bill Passed-Debate I'm Convention
on the Tax Qualification for suf-
frage.
CHARLESTON, February Is.
Last night a grand ball was given at
the Hale House, and while ! always
feel reluctancY about saying anything
that may not be entirely pleasant, it is
but repeating what all who were pres
ant will admit to be true, when l say
that it was most horribly managed.
The music was good, the hall excellent,
the ladies, (God help 'em), handsome,
the men all brave, and the supper ele'
gant-but OIL that supper. We
danced in the dining hall, and at liz
o'clock we were compelled 10 vacate it
to have the tables set, and we wan
dered around over the immense house,
the ladies looking in their brilliant
dresses like lost Peris as they traversed
the long, gloomy halls, except that you
could always see the shadow Of a sharp
tailed coat and white kids in their i'm
mediate vicinage. Well we walked,
and walked, and walked, and we
talked, and talked, and talked, until
our oh ysical powers were exhausted and
marks of mental imbecility showed
themselves on each face in a fixed,
sickiy grin, and just as we were about
to give up the ghost, at = o'clock, sup
per was announced. This being dis.
patched with a voraciousness born Of
long fasting, another weary time OF
waiting eusued, and the room was not
cleared for dancing until four o'clock.
With all due Difference to the gentle
manly managers, l submit that such
long waits are producers Of bad results,
and tended, in this instance, to mar the
enjoyment which the otherwise admi-
rable arrangements would have insured.
In the House, the bill allowing your
city to subscribe to the capital stock Of
the Lake Erie Railroad, and nineteen
other bills Of little general interest were
passed. An immense amount Of work
| is being done, and the House bills now
number $50. You will see from this
how futile it was to talk about an early
adjournment. And yet, if the policy
which / indicated in the beginning Of
the session had been adopted, and all
special legislation dispensed with, the
members might now be flourishing IN
the rustic shades they are wont to
brighten with their presence, and the
interests of the State would not have
suffered by their action.
The resolution relative to the Public
Printer, to which | referred on yester-
day, came up to-day, and was referred
to the Judiciary committee. Mr..
Walker was allowed to make personal
explanation, which be did, disclosing
the facts as gave them to you yester-
day, and demanding thorough inves-
tgation into his action. The whole
matter will now be thoroughly siited,
and the originator Of the resolution will
be found in worse position than
the object of his malevolence.
The Convention spent the day in the
discussion of the report on bill Of
rights.
Mr.. Travers proposed to make an
additional disqualification from voting,
the failure to pay any capitation tax for
school purposes.
He could not give his assent
to the principle announced by some
gentlemen upon the floor, that
the right TO vote was heaven
born" The gentleman from Kanawha
Judge Ward) had demonstrated that
such rights were in the people, and they
alone had power to decide who should
exercise the right to suffrage. 1t was
not natural right, or indeed, a right
at all, but an acquired privilege con-
ferred upon the individual for the pur-
poses of society. If it was, as some
gentlemen insisted. a "heaven born"
right, how did we refuse it to citizens Of
other States until they had resided here
for one year? Why exclude those
under p years? Why debar those
fair ones, the ladies, the flowers which
wreath the earth in beauty? The pro-
posed amendment did not deprive any
of their rights, nor did it degrade them.
On the contrary, it tended to elevate
them, to make them feel an interest in
the State which they helped to support,
He cared not to inquire whether it was
popular or not. 1t was sufficient for
him to be convinced that it was right,
and when this was done, no fears Of its
unpopularity would deter him from
doing what he believed to be his duty.
Mr.. Woods did not expect to soar so
high in the scale of oratory as some Of
the gentlemen who hsd spoken, but he
did expect o fly at once to the fountain
Of truth, and, so far as in him lay, see
that its pure waters were not contami-
mated by aught that was pern;cious or
dangerous. He would not in what he
should say strive for victory nor glory
in success, but simply desired the atten.
ton Of the Convention while be endeav-
ored to trace the principle sought to be
engraf(ed by the proposed amendment
to its origin and effect. 1t was so often
sive to not only the poor, but to all lib
eral-minded men, that, il inserted, it
would raise such an Indignation as
would force gentlemen to remember
that they were the servants of the peo-
pie.
He referred to the remarks made on
Yesterday by the President (Mr. PRICE,
in favor Of the amendment, and said he
was surprised that the distinguished
gentleman who presided over the DELHI
erations OF the Convention, who had
filled so many positions of high honor,
| and of so much experience character and