The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-14
DIPkRFURG oVTRAIRs
GtleQ11tettfia( etreeS
a.,zss2 .ssats-4A - tas,nr.G
The Old Constitution VS.. the New.
Remarks Of Senator o. r. SCOT, o. Richie,
made IN the Senate Of Wet Rlfgf1sd,
December 10, upon The proposed AMslad.
a1ay,t N 1bs u I'm Z; t,tfio,, NJ 16s CJ11s.

December 10, upon The proposed Amend.
n1ent to de -CoHstitutioR Of Ne Stdte:
MIR. PREsrDEaT-The action OF the
Senate in. adopting the resolution Just
offered, limiting Senators to two speeches
Of ten minutes each, has the effect, per.
hsps intentionally, Of embarrassing me
greatly in properly presenting to the Sen.
ate the purport OF the amendment offered
by me, and now under consideration.
cannot hope to more than allude in gen.
eral terms TO the Constitution and then
to the amendment proposed. do not
presume 10 offer so important an amend.
ment as my own production. II is in the
main the Constitution Of 1859 as amend.
cd by the Flick Amendment. 1t Is the
production oil such men as Lamb, Wiley,
Brown, Smith and others, with some
slight notifications 10 adapt It to the
present time and circumstances. II is
proposed to insert II after the first section
Of Article l, and to take the place Of all
the balance Of the present Constitution.
1t Ia 10 be submitted at the general cleo.
ton Of 1874, and thus save the expense Of
sispecial election. II does not propose to-
declare all the offices in the State vacant
and attempt to fill them on the morning of
the day it il 10 be voted Tor. It does not
ask that upon certain conditions, 1t shall be
regarded as adopted before there has been.
vote cast for il. It asks not the aid oil
candidates, from the executive down to.
the lowest district office to become off. :.
GERS by virtue Of its own provision. I ask
nothing Of this Senate for 1t, but simply
10 submit 1t 10 a vote Of the people on itsi
merits. II the Senate is willing the peo-I
pie should have the chance TO act upon
1t, Of course 1t will submit it to vote Of
the people. If the Senate lear the peo-,
pie will adopt it OF course they will re-
fuse TO submit It. II submitted and
adopted by the people it will be a just re.
proof 10 the men who In Convention as!
sembled had more care for providing the
ways and means Of getting into Office
than anything else; well merited re.
buke to said Convention, which transcen.
ded the provisions and purview OF the
statute under which its members were
called together, by assuming the anoma1
lous and monstrous position Of vacating
the offices Of the State and rehlling
the same in manner without precedent
In civilized governments. II sub
mitted and adopted 1t will not require q
session ofthe Legislature OF seven monthS
duration, costing the people, just for leg.
islative expenses, say nothing Of other ap.
preparations, over eighteen thousand doll
lars per month; but instead. of this useless
expenditure and waste oismnney, II the
ornandrnanS In adnY,kad a ani,lo o., -
meeting under Its provisions can, In thirty
days or less, adopt the code Of 1858, and
go home with q system Of laws that the
people are acquainted with and will think
better Of the more they see the present
disjointed and incongruous mess. / de-
sire to call the attention OF the Senate 10
some Of the impertections of the present
Constitution, and the reference must me-
ceSsarily be very hssty, owing to- the linz
tied time allowed me. The second eec+
ton Of the first article contains the germ
Of future trouble, and an apology for rel
bellion committed. The third section
sounds well, and so do thinking cymbals.p
Surprising Il to be true as Get lfor ID
the section, how utterly useless Is such
provision in our Constitution
Are not It's provisions departed from
and violated constantly Do the provi.'
sions relating TO the executive contfavene
some iavorite scheme, legislative enact +
ments In time OF peace, under the burning
plea OF necessity, melt said provision with
the facility Of tablipg, unread, q veto
Vided for in the Constitution Not %
day passes, but records, the violation Of
the 10th section Of article Ill. Of the Con.
stituton, under the plea Of necessity, and
thus Is good government subverted. A
bill has passed this body and Is now
pending in the House Of Delegates, which
isinVi violation OF the 4th section Of this
first article. Instead Of redistricting the
State so that the Congressional districts
shall be In territory contigd ons and COM
pact, and IS nearly equal as may be In
population, the patrons OF this BILL an.
nounced In advocacy Of tho bill that the
object In. passing Il was to secure party
supremacy, and It passed by the votes OF
Senators who solemnly swore to support
the provisions OF the Constitution, which
provisions the second section Of this same
article declares fare operative In time Of
peace, and any departure therefrom, UNI
der any plea, Is subyersiye OF good gov.
eminent, and tends 70 anarchy and des.
potism,", Thus hastily have I reviewed
the first chapter, and shall j 60 further
'Aapopished that my first ten minutes q
about TO expire, will have toS0bey the
arbitrary rule Of the majority and sit
down. .sEguyO p