The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-01-13

to deprive him of his freedom OF cnoice
is wrong, but to deprive o,n MN
of his freedom OF cnolcs
BIZ rejecting his vote, is sgreatef ane
more exsspera,ing wrong because done
under the forms OF law-the one Is 81
open act of violence, the other y cover
fraud. ..,,,
e,nressed at the polls must be respected
md obeved, and the right Of each State
~ manage its own internal affairs must
not be intringed-any departure from
these principles is we'll calculated to
awaken grave concern and anxiety
among the people. ,
This unhappy controversy can oe ue-
cided by Con gress alone, and no solution
can be had except with the consent OF
Congress; to Congress, therefore 90 Inc
people look with Confident expectation
o, ,ts amicable and Just settlement. Well
established principles and precedents
nearly as old as the government itself,
are landmarks for its guidance; and Il!
vii. do we'll to follow them, disregard
inc all bubbles and evasive suotertuges
70 march to a conclusion according to
| the very right of the matter. l will not
presume TO intimate Whist course OF pro
ceeding Congress ought to adopt; this Is
20 some extent left TO lis discretion; ana
| am unwilling to believe that it will lg-
more fundamental principles and Old
n-eceden,s, for the purpose OF declaring
! any citizen to be President who has not
been rightiully elected. | sincerely nope
therefore, that Congress, with the proper
spprscIstion of its dignity and response
| hiIi,v will reach result honorable TO
itself just IN lis bearings on all parties
| and conducive TO the best interests OF tue
country. Let this be done, and ID the
future we shall look back upon the pres,
emit political agitation as 40 epnelnerai
excitement. and shall cite 1t as sIfon g
evidence of the vigor OF our institutions
and their ability TO besr the severe
strains by which ihey were t'sted.
ROAD APPROPRIATIONS:
Near the close OF the last session of the
Legislature, bills making appropriations
Tor tn -epair Of certain roads and
BRIDGES. were submitted TO me for sp'
provsl. Nv opinion against the policy
which was the basis of these bills was so
decided, that [ could not approve them
or permit them 10 become laws, and vet
sufficient time WAS not given to return
them with objections 70 the House IN
which they originated. No course was
therefore eft open. except to withhold
approval and to file the reasons therefor
with the Secretary OF State. As
this power is liable to abuse m
defeating the will OF the Legisls-
ture when there is no remedy, 1t
should be sparingy used, and per
hsps only when sn important principle
is involved, or q dangerous precedent
about to be established.
Under the circumstances, therefore, L
deem it proper to call your attention to
! this subject, rs one Of the first moment
| 70 the State. The advantage OF good
highways to the people can hardly be
estimated, they are so marked and decld-
ed that need not specify them. If we
add to this consideration, the unquestion-
ed fact that the roads throughout the
! State are in bad condition and In great
need of improvement, the argument IN
| the minds OF many, in favor OF such APP
preparations seem to outweigh other con
| siiers,ions. The very fact OF the vast
need of good roads and bridges, is, itself,
an element to cause us to hesitate before
entering upon a policy that Will tend TO
! unlimited expenditures.
! The example OF the Commonwealth OF
| Virginia in making Improvements, that
! entaI!ed burdens that rest like an incubus
/ on that State, and that may in time seri-
ously affect us, is full of instruction and
| warning. This State at an early day
surrendered 70 the counties all OF Its IL
terests in roads and bridges with few ex-
ceptions, aud thus the policy was reached
of leaving their repair and management
| TO the several counties. Accepting this
! as the settled policy Of the State, many
Of the counties have already, by direct
taxation and loans, made large expendi.
lures in this way, while others, perhaps
from inability, have done very little.
Let the reason be. however, what II may,
il hardly seems TO be the just thing 10
call upon such counties rs have con-
struc.ed or are now constructing their
own roads and bridges, 10 contribute also
| to aid 10 their sister counties. Besides
| this consideration, il is well known
fact. that if taxes are raised in the local
| ity where they are TO be disbursed, the
public expenditures are closely watched
and more judiciouely and economically
made. 1 therefore believe It would be
unwi:e to reverse the system under
which we have been living since the
! organization Of the State. II msy be
| said that inssmuch ~ the Constitute
prohibits the creation or debt for pub
! nc improvements, there is less danger
/ than formerly in such appropriations.
! While this is true, vet on the other hand.
such appropriations will inevitably, in
me, produce increased taxation. Many
! bills were pending before the last Legis-
ls,ure. providing for such appropriations,
| some of them, no doubt, as meritorious
as those that were finally enacted; If
thew had all passed and become laws, You
would have been called upon at this ses-
/ sion to increase the taxes 10 meet the
| deficiency in the revenues. l believe It
i the part of wisdom 10 close all avenues
,hst lead 10 An increase of the public
burdens. Wnen sll the public bulldogs
are finished, or the disbursements from
the treasury are otherwise diminished, SC
that at the end of each fiscal year, q sur.
plus may be left, this surplus may then
De used to give aid TO such counties as
are the least able 10 build their own
roads and bridges.
II. however, il should be determined
to begin this system of internal improve
ments, some fixed plan Tor the distribu,
ton Of the money, sld It's proper expen-
diture, should be adopted.
The sis.ributsble school fund furnishes
fitting analogy. II this fund were lef'
to be distributed among the counties
from year to year by special acts OF the
Legislature, II would be easy to foresee
the result. The good management on
the part Of some members, and that bsne
OF American legislation known as clog
rolling would produce such inequsli'