The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-09-27

constitution 10 aa many bsWocIaIll
voters as can be induced to listen 70
them. II, however, the Democratic and
Conservative party, after it's past ex-
perience under Republican rule in this
state, can permit itself to be thus mis-
led, it deserves to be defeated, II men,
pretending and claiming 10 be Democra-
tic leaders, oppose the ratification OF
the new constitution they deserve to be
execratad and driven into the Republi-
can ranks, for whose success they arc
laboring.-Take no apology from such
men! They cannot serve two mas:
tersy' They cannot be the friends OF
the Democracy Of this state, and at the
same time oppose tho adoption OF q
constitution which will secure to all
men in the future those rights Of which
they have been so shamefully robbed in
the past. This is plnin talk, but it is as
true as it is plain.
1t is admitted by all that the late con-
stitutional convention was the ableSt
body Of men that ever assembled in
this state; that they were freely chosen
by all the people OF tho state. at the
only full and free election that was ever
held in it; and they were earnest, hon.
est and capable men, determined, ii
possible, to do good work The con-
vention, thus composed OF the repre-
sentative men Of both parties, formed
this new constitution, and sent it out
to the people for their ratification. ap-
proved and Endorsed by the unanimous
vote of every Democrat and Conserva-
tive DELEGATE. II may, therefore, safely
and Justly be taken and accepted by
every Democratic and Conservative
voter as an instrument equal and Just
in all its provisionsand acceptable to q
large majority OF all the people OF the
state
BY q careful examination Of the pro-
visionH Of tha new constitution it will
be perceived that every evil prophecy
made by the convention would pursue
has utterly failed. No man will be re-
strained OF deprived Of any Of the rights
or privileges now enjoyed; no mar can
now be transported out OF OF forced to
leave the state as a punishment for any
illegal crime committed in it; no man
can now be prosecuted or tried for any
offense in any other county than that
wherein it was committed, without his
consent; the legislature can nc longer
suspend the great writ OF habeas corpus;
neither can it any longer release de-
faultin2 sheriffs, and other collecting
officers from l%iabiability from public
moneys received by them it has not
retaliated upon political opponents for
any ohenses committed by them: it has
prohibited for the future ALI religious
or political test oaths as a qualification
to vote or hold office. serve as a juror,
sue, plea or appeal in tho courts, or
pursu,a any profession or employment:
II has prohibited the legislature from
establishing any court or board OF reg
istratiou.
The new constitution secures in all
actions at common law, where the
subject in controversy, exclusive OF in
terests and costs exceeds so, u trial by
a jury of twelve men it secures to every
man a trial by a jury Of twelve free
holders, to ascertain the value Of his
property, when taken Or damaged foT
public use; it secures to every man, IN
time OF war, rs we'll rs peace, his life,
liberty and property, so that neither OF
them can be taken from him without
due, process OF Law; it secures to every
man charged with crime a reasonable
time to prepare for his defense; it Sc
cures to married women their separate
property, against the debts, liability
and control OF reckless and improvident
husbands; it secures to every husband
or father resiling in this state, and to
the infant children OF deceased parents,
q homestead Of the value of one thou
sand dollars exempt from ali debts ex.
cept such as exist on the I'D day of
August next, and except taxes assessed
and purchase money due upon 1t, and
except, also, debts contracted for the
erection OF improvements thereon, and
it secures to the same class OF persons,
for all time to come, the right to hold
personal property OF the value OF two
hundred dollars, the same amount now
allowed bv TaW,J exempt from the pay
ment OF al debts. past, present and fu-
ture. excepting only the taxes assessed
upon it, and the purchase money agreed
to be paid for it.
BY section 8, article II, of the new
constitution, the people Of this state
will be protected from all unjust dis
ordinations against them, between
through and way freight, and passen-
ger tariffs by all railroads in the state.
The system of free schools has
been preserved, and its usefulness and
efficiency increased by adding to the if.
redueible school fund che proceeds of
all taxes that may be leviedon the reve-
nues of any corporation now existing or
hereafter created, by devoting the pro.
ceeds OF the capitation tax of ono dollar
on each male inhabitant oveF the age Of
twenty>one years, exclusively to the
support OF the free schools, by
requiring all school leviesto be report
ed to, settled and recordedin the county
court, for the inapectiono OF all taxpayers,
so that every n can learn in what
manner and for what purposes the
school moneys have been distributed;
by restricting the creation OF independ-
emit school districts, useless appvopria-
tons to normal schools. Sea article u,
sections I, 10 and II.
BY comparing the frat section OF ar
ticle s, Of the existing constitution,
with first section OF article 10 OF the
new constitution, it will be aeen that
no change whatever has been made in
the system Of taxation.
The rev constitution wholly omIts
section s OF article 8 OF the existing
constitution. By the insertion Of this
section the constitution Of 1861 and
1862 undertook to compel the people Of
this state to pay the the state Of Vir'
ginia a part Of her public debt, before
she pays her own creditors, or even Il
she should repudiate tho payment Of
the whole OF it.
When it is remembered that on the
first Of January, 1872, this debt
amounted to at least ffty.one millions