South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-02-05


The Sena'e Of Tho United States
las long been an ohjec. OF unssvors.
bic criticism o. acc ;unt OF its ap.
parent drifting away from the SIM
J piiciiv sf our American notions. Il
IL only too common tu hear from all
sorts Of sources the deris.ve appsIla.
ton OF 'Ihe American House Of
Lords. or the Millionaire iouss of
Congress. 1, Ia safe ~ assert tb.t il
really enjoys the bad dis,inc i'm of
benz he lesst ia favor si,h the peo-
pie OF any of tho branches OF our
federal government; sad though the
condition Is apparent rather than
teal, Il does seem 70 be more rsmcv.
ed from the control Of the people
than TIE o. her department OF The
govoruu ept. 80
The nat:oasi executive il only re-
moved from the people hy ihs e'ec-
torai college. " bile the Senators have
the Sta'e e2'slatu>es between them
sn'i TIE citizens. The greater Icngth
OF tbeir terms Of service. however,
dsep-ns the impressions that they are
not near enough l., The True xurces
OF authority, the citizens Of the sew.
ersl Sta.ss.
The national Jad .ciary ia twice re-
moved from the CONTROL ot the peo-
pie. the Fec oral Cole gs's and TO
Pref lent both being between The
people and the juiges of the supre m.
court and other courts Of the federal
ju5ieiary.
IL 10 rather surprisin, thing to
one who has no, thong hi of it before,
To discover that there 10 only one
branch OF The Government within thu
direct and personal inf renee Of the
voters. That single branch 10 the
House OF Represent. atiyes.
Not to speak OF the CAUSES that led
to the formation of the Goverpm Mt
on i's present plan as to the o! hor
branches, it may be q promised that
the Senate was designed to be an
of ct 10 the popular idea as exh bit.
, Ell II the constitution of the House
Of Representatives as the later bod,
~as thought 10 represent the people
| directly, so the Senate was intended
to reprcsen. the sovereignty OF the
5 ates and 1t was III ugh. by the
framers OF The constitution, thst
this sovereignty wou'd be c,n-
ven'ently represented ny the State
legislatures. Now, IL this sovereign
~ is in the people, l, can be no sac
rifice Of that soyereignty for tho peo
pie to exercLs that function. name.
ly. the ell elton o! the State Senators
Accordingly. Senator Terpie Of In
diana has introduced a resolution IN
the Senate proposing m amendment
to tie Federal Constitution. extend
ing the Senatorial franchise, as 1, il
called To The people and removing it
from the State Legislatures
In the light OF cent experiences
In various States, this avu 4 pr,vs r.
happy chang.
/ The dignity OF the Senate is pre-.
verbia. ana the most digni6ed men
In America are the mombers of that
body, in tieir high places. But
when they come dowa to the State
Capital to look after their re eleec-
tons, it Is a com ~.down cue enough,
IN many cases. Tuey open what are
called Head QIsriers' and every
principal botel, II there is a contesr
Is likely tn have one or other OF the
candid .tes AMI to be the hesdquar-
ters o. soma ore or other fsction Of
The Legislature and the business Of
le5islation is e. c:ed soms ines FL
one or more weeks, while this quss.
lion is being determined. The way
IN opened by these contests for al
sorts of corrup ion aud whether it Is
prsctised or not, the public morals
are not improved by the proceed ng,.
Nothing is more important to the
safety of our in ii III rs than the
publication of these methods.