The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-19

.Ii5. lhlsauthOrlty enabled tue Leg
stature to require of these officers, act
Ing collectively, to perform the duties
Of a Board Of Publi, Works, which in,
plies 10 new g.bce, 20 oUd ot Jtisr, 10
emoluments, test Or eligibility, except
oply, that they be officers Of the gov
eminent. IL only amounts TO a ssn,s'
less c,amor 10 say that these new duties
required Of tho Executive olhtefs,w'lh'
Oui any oath Of Office or pay, imports
another Office from that which the!
previously held As authority lor tbs
position We may with ProprIely refer
10 the old Constitution, which III cx-
prc.s terms declared that no Executive
officer shoa!i hold uuy other v6ise
during his term Of service but We all
know that Mr., Foreman, the foremost
nan 10 the body that framed that Con.
,tituliou, aud our fret Governor, &C.
cepted the pisi,ivu aud performed tue
duties Of a member d the Board Of
Publ. WORKS, as did all bis successors
even Mr. jacob himself, up to the
commencement OF his war upon the
Legislative department Vf the govern
ment. Ecouomy required it, aud the
Constitution dil n9I prohibit it. 1t
was adopted because esPcriense and
efficiency were essential requisites IL
good government. In fact, 80 con
,eisns vas the late Convention Of tue
wisdom Of the former practice and SER
vices Of experienced officers, that the
Convention inserted the let section d
the 9Th article tor no o:he. object than
to enable the Legislature to cor'nand
tic services OF competent men,, with
gu, any burihcn upon the public treas
ury.
70 the Board Of Public Works hos
always been cOu6dcd many oud imgor.
ant public duties The Ucpubhcnu
legislatures. in the infancy Of tie
State, 'inauearalcd this system Of Gu
mulatiye duties IT'S measure Of ccoun'
my, without injustice TO the incumbent
aud the democracy have not considered
1t wise to resort to u less economical 81
| less efficient system. Besides all this,
tle State has the greatest guaraniee Of
fidelity when it has placed as tie fs
ure.bead of the Board Of Pubic
Works, the Governor himself, aided
L by oil the other Executive officer,
chosen by tue people. 1t must not b
forgotten that 1t Is the official duty d
tue Governor to preside at aud pariici'
pate in tho deliberations Of oil the
meetings Of this Board, So as to moulc
aud fashion il to tue best interests o
the State, aud 30 as no, to suLsery,
private purposes. The Secretary o.
State Is required to act as ccretaIy o
the Board, aud keep q record Of its off
eial acts, without pay
II has always been tho duty Of The
Board to appoint all agent. aud Super
intendenis Of public works, VITA I'll,
single exception Of the appointment o
Directors Of the West Virginia Hos
pl,al for the Insane 1t las been mad,
tue da,y oil the Board to appoint ul
superiuIcudrnts Of canals, badges an,
turnpikes, to appoint agents to conir
with the General Government TO com
I plcio the James River aud kauawh,
Caual, to appoint agents to take eyi
deuce concerning the loss Of prupcrt!
during the wur, aud as lcretOfvr,
.taiSt. to appoint Superintendent
asd Directors ol tue l'eniltuiiary, nui
10 pafvrm many other Important p;L
lie duties. By discussion aud confer
euec-In fact. in multitude VI couu
eel, it was con,iiercd Ihs: the publ
welfare would be best subserved; aut
it is to be regretted that difiGren
policy has recently been awakened il
The public mind by the refusal Of til
Governor to lit IN council with the 9th
ur Executive officers mud cain the un
enriaJle aud arbitrary power Of also
lutte aud individual eOntigl Of all thD
Understanding appointments lleretofor,
exercised by the Governor and his ns
s.ciate members Of the Board Of Publ,
Works.
Neither should it be forgotten that
the same Executive officers, except til,
Governor, By recent net OF tue leg
stature, constitute The Commi,sioperi
vi Public Printing; and We maintain
that ii the act concerning tie llospiia
is unconstitutional, tilis net was liabl'
tie the same objections. Yet the public
records show that the Governor did Dol
nicrposu objections ~ it; but. upo.
tho contrary, approved the aci Why
he did uOt veto it.-wlicl, il uneon
,iiiuiional, his cath required lin to d,
land why he approved it, We leave tt
the Governor to determine.
We eoncede the right Of the Cover,
nor to appoint. with tho consent Of th,
Senste a Secretary Of state. Ills pOwel
over this appointment is beyond any
Legislative action
We assume, however, tie following