The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-02-20

for the reason that the former one, W6lc
was conceded on all hands to be gooC
was made by Republicans when they (th
Democrats) were engaged in the late "or
pleasantness" fighting for their rights
For this unRise step they are now reap
ing the. pleasures Of sin for season" Il
irving to conform the laws Of the State I
this new Constitution. In this undertak
ing they find two difficulties in the way
First, the Constitution has been 81
framed that II is utterly impossible (
legislate under 1t. And
Second, In trying TO get around the i'm
Projections in the Constitution 1t will tax
double the number Of laws that we nov
have, and more than that many more thar
we ought TO have on our statute books.
The Democratic chariot Is stuck in tn
mud, and will have 10 remain there unit
they are displaced from power and elias!
OF men put in who will move to amend
the Constitution by substituting the ole
one in place OF 1t and giving US our ole
laws, under which we have prospered anC
may prosper again. LISA clear case tha
we can't live under the present regime
much less prosper. This Is no idle talk
When l say we must have the old Constl
tuition and laws, / speak the sentiments o.
nearly every intelligent Democrat as vel
as Republican citizen in the Kanawht
Valley region. They are all supremely
disguised with the selEstyled Democratic
reformation that was 10 be given the State
when that party got into power. They
now see that pr0mISed reform and red
reform are entirely two different things.
And those who were so anxious To have 9
change Of base in the political affairs Of
the State, arc now even more anxious tC
get things back where they were. In my
opinion there will be worse revolution
in the State Of West Virginia in a short
time than is now going on in Spain. But
l must 90 on to another theme.
1t Is generally conceded that party
can legtslate themselves out OF power
quicker and more eifectuallY than the
same can be done in any other way. II
this premise Is true, the Democratic, par.
" is gone where the wood.bine twineth,
for an instance, read the road law. Such
q consummate piece Of fraud and villainy
was never before attempted 10 be forced
upon the poor class Of people in this or
any other State. It Is an aristocratic
measure gotten up by old fogies to tram
pie upon the rights Of the laboring class
Ofmen. 1t is expressly intended to make
the rich richer, and the poor poorer. The
tax law Is another piece Of fOgyism that
ought to hang curse upon the men that
gave their votes to enact 1t. Talk about
I'D UalOrem tax, specific taxes, income
taxes and all other kinds Of taxes, the
tax bill now before the Legislature beats
them all. Everything is to be taxed,
from the old setting hen in the barn oit
10 the twin babies In the cradle. You
can't think OF anything but what is taxed
In the original bill. The pruning hook
has been literally used in 1t, and by the
time it gets through It will be much
though Il will never be rea.
Ionable or consistent, "High taxes" was
the Democratic howl 10 this State, for o
number of years, but II this bill Is passed,
the people will, Tor the first time Ieel the
burden of taxation. ..-.......
The skin flint Fec Bill law is another
instance worthy OF notice in this connec-
lion. Several amendments have been
made to this bill or act rather, that makes
It little better for the Circuit Court
clerks and Sheriifs. As II now stands, In
good counties, they can made out to bare.
" live off the tees and "stealage," but in
small Counties all of the County officers
will have 10 resign or starve, and ! might
add steal also. Il was hoped for a while
that the Legislature could be induced to
repeal the entire Act, but It has since been
that they will not do It.
Still another bill that ought to kill the
party that enacted It, Is the one relating
10 those citizens who participated in the
rebellion. 1t provides that all suits decid-
ed during the war, against parties in re-
bellion either formally or informally
touching upon their relationship to the
''lost cause" may upon affidavit Of the
party 80 engaged, related &c, be reopen
ed In the civil Courts oil tho State. II
this bill becomes law, which It will, as
sure as fate, o, what feast for lawyers
There will not be less than q thousand
suits brought within 90 days after the
bill Is passed. And such ashaking up Of
the old dry bones as have not been
heard since the days of Ezekiel will
follow these suits. Look out for
pistols, dirks, swords, broad axes, jack
knives, &c. 1t Is a difficult matter to re-
verse law suits and take money and prop.
erty from men.aiter they have had peaca'
bic possession Of them for years. In my
opinion, 1t isa matter too dangerous to
undertake. There can be buttwo objects
in passing such q law. First, the man
who introduced the bill probably has q
friend, who, II such law is passed, might
be made wealthy by reversing the decis-
ion on account Of some inlormality in the
trial Of the case whom the country was in
q state of excitement and war; and sec.
ondly, 1t will produce feast for the legal
fraternity in the State,
I might name many other unwise acts
Of the present Legislature, were 1t neces.
sary to establish my proposition. But l
proceed upon the hypothesis that the pre-
mise Is true, and consequently must con-
clude that when the acts Of this Legisls-
ture are known TO the people, that the
next general election will decide that the
poor old Democratic party legislated itself
TO death.
Three members OF the House Commit.
lee on Printing, sc, to whom was refer
red the investigation Of the charges against
q. y. Walker, have sent into the House, l
won't say q report, but plea or pleading
for Mr.. Walker. The affair coves 81 pages
of foolscap, and was written by Mr..
Walker and Judge Ferguson. Alter it
was put In shape 70 be sent into the House
Messrs. Ferguson, Bridges, and Robinson
signed 1t; and Messrs, Foley and Baker re.
fused to stulhfy themselves by afllxtng
their names to such paper, and conse-
quently sent in a minority report. No
action has been taken upon either oil the
reports. One Of them (of course the ma
jority reportl will BIO adopted on Monday