Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1875-01-30
FROM CHARLESTON.
Eds. independent
CHARLESTON, Jan. q, 1875.

~CJ VIM "h"s nave dlTeduy sent
you. The members have not vet
got fully down to work, and it
seems impossible for them 10 do SO
until the exciting question of the
Senatorship has been disposed of,
which will doubtless have been
done before this reaches you.
Bills have already been present.
ed in the House for changing the
county court system in the coun-
ties of Wood, Kanawha, Mineral
and several others. 1t seems that
the people of almost every county
in the State are heartily tired and
disguised with the system. and
are disposed to avail themselves
of the provisions in the constitu-
ton for changing it. The Consti-
tutiondl provision, however, does
not admit of such change as is de-
sired, but even such modification
and change as can be made under
that provision is preferable to the
present expensive and unsatisfac-
tory system. If it could be done
by a simple oct of the legislature,
the entire County Court system
would be wiped out at once, and
by an overwhelming majority, so
unpopular has it become in almost
every county in the State-even in
those which were most clamorous
for its incorporation in the new
constitution. / presume no move
ment will be made for a change in
Berkeley county, as your people
are so deeply and overwhelmingly
impressed with its economy, come
nience and usefulness. Well, it
ought to be retained intact in at
least one codnty in the State, as a
monument of the sagacity and wis
dom of the old fossils in the late
Constitutional Convention. Future
generations will undoubtly rise up
and call them blessed.
The following resolution was Of
fered by Mr.. Spencer:
/" 1tesolUed, That the use of ar
dent spirits by any Of the men,
bers of this house at any time, is
greatly to be deplored but that
the use of intoxicating liquor in
the Hall of this House or in the
Committee rooms the display of
bottles containing such liquors,
the act of publicly drinking such
liquors, is not only unbecoming
abe dignity OF this House, but ac-
tually insulting to its members,
and persons hereafter offending in
such particulars should be deemed
guilty OF contempt"
This resolution, which being OBJ
jected to, laid over under the rules,
was aimed especially at Mr. Ma
son of Jefferson, an account Of
whose performances you have in
former letter.
The excitement and interest
here is on the outside of the legis-
lative halls. In the rotunda Of
the Hale House,and in the private
rooms of the candidates for Sena-
ter, where good cheer is dipensed
and schemes cOncocted, is where
we look for news, speculations and
intrigue. Both branches of the
legislature spend less than two
hours of each day in session, and
the remaining ones at the points of
interest alluded to. Combinations
are formed by the candidates seek
ing the " floating" vote, and are
as quickly broken by the
members who have been bartered
and sold by those presuming to
own them. Not less than dozen
meetings have been held for the
purpose of transferring from one
to another the vote not absolutely
conferred upon Camden and Walk
er. Each time no delivery of
goods" could be made by the con-
tracing parties, and the caucus
would be dissolved aud new one
organized with the same result as
before. Therefore, what was
in the first place a very
formidable caucus comprising
twenty.siX democratic votes, divi-
ded between the candidates oppos-
ed to the two leading ones, had
last night dwindled down to an in
significant minority Of seven. 1t
is said here that this skILfM man
agement of the opposition forces
was under the especial Champion
ship of the Hon. Charles James.
If there is anything certain in pc
litical movements it may be re-
garded as absolutely settled that
there will be no formidable candi-
date for the Senatorship, not rep
resented by Camden or Wake
Not withstanding the legis ~
ture has not yet fully got to work,
a large amount Of lie. islation has
been cut out, and is now in the
hands of the.several committees.
Several resolutions looking TO
change In the present liquor law
have been Offered-one of them on
the local option order. 1t looks as
If the whole matter would he
changed greatly this winter. The