The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-26
er Of this BODY In nv short intercourse

with II, their practical good sense, intelll'
gence, experience, aud ability, that 1t will
discharge that high trust Which has been
conflded OFT 10 the salialaction of those
VINO sent you here. Let OBJ her, proceed,
gentlemen, "a, the ietmanent Organization
OF this body-let Us elect us President Of
this body, q man who Is known and dis.
tinguished throughout our State for his
ability and experience, bis personal honor
and high integrity. And, gentlemen, II
you will permit me-one who has had
some experience in legislative bodies, to
assume the liberty Of making suggestion
which do In all possible kindness-I
would say, let discussions be free, earnest
and exhaustive; but let 1t not degenerate
into that vapid debate too common in the
dellberative halls Of our country, which
survives the interest Of the hearcr and the
patience ofthe public. The people Of this
State expect that great work which they
have conaded to your hands TO be well
done. They also expect Il "a. be done
promptly, without any unnecessary con.
sumption Of time and money. 1 wl
Gentlemen, asking pardon for the OK.
tended remarks haze made, and thank,
ing you for your courtesy and attention,
we will now proceedto' the permanent
organization oil this convention. Zap.
plausc. -...l.Fr.ts ur. EF- +.
MR. PRICES SPEECH. .....
The following remarks were made by
Hon. SAMUEL PRICE on taking the chair
Of the convention as its President
Gentlemen Of tie Convention E..
! thank you Tor the honor you have
conferred upon me in calling me TO pre-.
side over your deliberations. II Is an
hOhOr which the ripest statesman might
be proud OF, and assure you will cher.
ish the honor as longa as live, of being
called upon by tho ilattering vote which
! have received, topresilc over this Con.
stitutional convention.
Gentlemen, shall need your support at
all times. shall have to throw myself
upon your indulgence and your generous
support. 1t will be my purpose, gentle
men, TO administer such rules as you may
adopt for our government firmly, but so
gently as to wound the scnsibilities Of no
one. 1t will be my purpose, gentlemen,
TO administer the duties Of this office to
the best of my skill and ability, so as to
accord 10 every member Justice, fairness
and impartiality. l feel embarrassed,
gentlemen,-and you may well imagine
that do-under the circumstances Of this
call which has been made upon me, and
you must not expect an elaborate speech
from Inc; but, with your permission,
will saga word upon the subject before us.
We have been delegated here by our
constituents to amend the State Constitu-
ton, or to frame a new one. A higher
trust could not be imposed upon any
delegate 'body-to amend tho great funda.
mental law OF one of the States of the
United States.
We, gentlemen, have an advantage over
our predecessors. They were hastily as.
semblcd together, and many of them
without any constituents in particular.
They ware irregularly assembled together
for the doublepurpose Of providing, in the
first place, for the birth OF a State, and in
the second place for the government of
State. Wehave nothing to do with the
birth OF the State. This State has been
aptly called "the child OF the tempest"
and we may say she was brought into be.
ing by means Of the Cesarean operation,
and it was uncertain for some time wheth.
er she would live or not. But she has
lived. She has been nursed into strong
wOmanhood, and she now takes her place
among the great sisterhood of States.
We have nothing to do now with the
birth \Vn ora OroI,i1;ncr for l,ar r,o,,n,.
ment And, gentlemen, in addition, we
have the advantage of our predecessors in
this. We have had the experience Of the
last few years. We have had the consti.
tuition upon trial for eight or ten years.
Experience has pointed out its defects,
and il is our duty, as the delegates OF the
people, to remedy those defects. Let lis
do ii, gentlemen. Let us do it fairly, i'm
partially and justly. Let us make con
stitution without regard TO party, without
regard to section, without regard to de-
nomination. Let it be so fair, so lust, so
equal in its operation that it will effort
tho appreciation of every fair.minded
man, without regard 10 his party affinity
or his local residence.
II had it in my power, | would scorn
to make constitution for party. Par
ties are IN to-day and down tomorrow.
That might be one reason we should not
make partisan constitution. Another
reason is-and better one-intrinsically
1t would not be right. Applause.
Let us unite our best efforts, therefore,
in making such constitution as velour
selves will be willing to live under, and
that we can transmit with confidence 10
our children and our chidren's children,
TO the latest generation. Let us do it ut
once.
Gentlemen, il we go 10 work at once
and | am q working man-if we go to
work at once and unite our labors in an Of.
fort, sincerely and earnestly-and such l
believe will be the case-I hope gentle
men, we will falsify the prediction Of
many out ofthis body that it is to be o per-
petual body. In my opinion, six weeks
ought TO be sufficient to- do the work
properly which may come before the con.
ventiOn, and in such manner that the
results Of our labors may commend
themselves to the most favorable consid.
Grafton of our constituency.
We have two objects 10 accomplish:
We have in the first place, gentlemen, TO
make good Constitution, and in the
next place, we have to make Constitu.
ton that the people will believe is good I;
because, alter ii passes from our hands, it
will have no validity until it is adopted by
them, Let us, whilst we are steering
clear of Scylla not run aIonl OF Charybdis.
Let us consider well our action, that we
may make u fur, elevated, impartial, just
Constitution for ourselves, and such one
as we can transmit 10 our posterity.
Gentlemen, l fear, very much fear, and l
am embarrassed with the fear, that
shall not be able TO realize the great
confidence which you have reposed in me.
But, gentlemen, whatever talent have,
whatever administrative ability may
| 70, 4 Al