Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1882-01-10
OUR NEXT U, s. SENATOR.

n.
Henry Q. Davis will not offer for reelection
to the Senate. quite an array of candidates
nave entered the field, with only few couu>
ties heard from. As we scan the list. we in.
Ter they hays pranced upon the course of
their OVID motion. and have not waited any
popular call for their appearance. Some are
handicapped oy previous defeats, others are
new entries for this race. 1t is premature to
discuss individual merits, for many months
yet intervene before the Legislature is Sc
leoted, and every change of moon will add
new candidate to the list. This might inn
ply superabundance of senatorial timber in
West Virginia. We fear it implies a plen>
stiful lack Of fit men, and only superabun>
dance of senatorial aspirants among the unfit.
Il seat in the Senate is an exalted position.
~hnd to ill it with credit to ones self and
ones State requires ability, character and
Eigh attaiumen.s. The States there meet on
footing of absolute equality. West vir.
GINA has the same representation as New
York. Every Senator has an ample arena
on which to prove his craftsmanship and ca
Pacity, and likewise an unequaled field in
which to display his weakness and inoompe>
tence. The really able and we'll equipped
men Of the Senate, tie Bayards aud Besks,
are tsfV in number their associates fall into
may classes, at the bottom of which we NAV
mention that present fungus of our political
System, the mere parsy boss like Don Cams
eron or Malone, and that more serious ex>
erescence, the nero man of wealth, whose
hsaPed up riches have allowed him to indulge
the fancy of buying seat in the American
Senate. These latter are Legislative dummies;
Jaekdsws strutting in stolen Cor puruhased)
Plumage; asses masquerading in lion skins.
No amplitude of senatorial robes can cover
their mental, moral and political nakeduess.
They are the bane and disgrace of current
politics, conspicuous stigmas upon any State
shey may claim to represeH:.
State pride, therefore, should combine
with other motives to make US put our best
foet foremost in choosing a Senator. I, is
not in the power of the State which commits
sions, nor of the Senate which admits, to add
to the ststurs of pigmy or dwarf that of a
giant. If Alaska were State and repro>
scented by Samuel J. Tilden, Alaska would
mould the councils of the Senate, willis New
York. with her half>breeds, would lapse into
Obscurity.
80 West Virginia can honor or diseredit
herself by the choice she is to make. As
to the general tests of fitness, all will agree
that Senator should possess personal probity,
which implies freedom from ring, or boss
methods =; good abilities welded to Industry
and application thorough knowledge of our
political and constitutional history; a famil>
iarity with those fundamental democratic
principles, which the vast majority of our
people, irrespective of party approve, and the
power toapplJ them to new questions of pub
lie policy which constantly appeal to states>
nanship for solution. Surely we have not
'ketched an impossible candidate, or one
whom We should despair of finding. It is
certain that no man without these qual:foa-
lions will make even respectable Senator
Meta man possessing them, in fair measure,
pointed out, and we believe-perhnps our
nth is extravagant-that the honor will seek
him, and We may be saved that indiscrini-
nse scramble now -foreshatdowad, and more
yet, thatfneVitable parturition If the ridio>
uious mouse, from the labor of on; grooming
mountain. But while We say this We oepfess
we hope it more than We expect it. Webave
seen too many such contests not to ksov
shat however high the hope we may eberis,
IN the beginning, for some result. credi,able
to our young State, We are only too glad. be-
fore they end. to escape without marked and
public disgrace.
We hope that the psesen session of Con
gross will not pass BY without soma 4dssoss,sdi
action being taken in regard tospgosiafae :
proper fsh-way JSvsf the Great FslIs ofs he
Potomac. Wf:h such contrisanfas. shsd
-1 O'"e Fishing might be enjoyed as we'll
- Stpper waters as below This is a sub,
Sot which is of great interest to the con.
setituents of our w Va, Virginia aud MARYLAND
members of both houses of Congress. and i,
should be given their earnest attention We
also hope to see our contemporaries Of tho
press In the counties bordering on the Poto.
mao aud Shenandoah, and their tributaries
call the attention of their congressman to
the matter, and use their influence to have
something done in regard to it. Col. Nc.
Donald, Fish Commissioner of Virginia. wa
understand, says the undertaking is mos,
feasible one, aud We are sure he will do all
he can to accomplish the object.
We extend thanks to the Baltimore Sun
Tor one of its handsome and valuable Alma.
nacs for 1882, which combines within i. a