South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1893-02-03


To the Editor Of the neg steE
SIR In the Baltimore SUI OF
January 2lst, under the heading
"West Virginia legislature" ap.
pears the following:
Mr. Finley's joint resolution IA
voring the election Of United States
Senators by direct vote Of the peo-
PIE, instructing our Senator'S and
requesting our Representatives in
Congress to do SO, was taken up
yesterday and passed by the Senate
It's passage was hlstsned by letter
received by Dir. Finley announcing
that the resolution looking to this
change from the present method
had already passed the House of
Representatives, and it was deemed
important that the Senate should
act speedily"
TX this sta tement is true il is a
most extraordinary, and / think,
unheard of proceeding. The Con-
stitution of the United States has
ever been regarded by our PEOPLE 81
most sacred instrument. OF the
twelve amend ments to it made be-
fore the civil war ten were recon-
mended by the conventions of the
States when adopting it the ele-
venth was made in 1897 and the
twelfth In 1904. From that time
until aftor the civil war there was
no other amendment made. The
last three amendments grew out of
the results of that war.
The people, it will be seen, have
boen very slow to amend the fede-
raj Constitution. The Coustitu-
ton provides In Article 5 for its
amendment as follows
"The Congress, whenever two
thirds OF both Houses shall deem
1T necessary, shall propose amend
ments to this Constitution, or on
the application of the Legislatures
OF two-thirds Of the several States
shall call convention for propos-
ing amendments, which in either
case shall be voted to all intents
and purposes as part Of this Consti-
tuition, when ratified by the Legis-
latures of threo-fourths of the sew
eral States, or by conventions in
three-fourths thereof az the one or
the other mode OF ratification may
be proposed by the Congress.
1t seems cloar that this hasty &C.
ton of the Senate Of West Virginia
Is premature and unauthorized.
II two-thirds of the Legislatures
cannot even PROPOSE amendments,
but can only apply to Congress to
call conventions in the several
States to PRoPoLE them, can a Lee
gislature get around this provision
by instructing the Senator's to pro-
pose certain amendments !? Sure
ly it was not in the contemplation
OF the trainers of this instrument
or Of the people of the States in
adopting it, that the power Of the
Legislature should be brought to
bear on the United States Senators
to force them to propose an amend
mont whether their judgement ap-
proved OF it or not. Who wrote
the letter spoken Of, and whose be-
hest the West Virginia Senate has
been In such hot haste to obey, we
ars not informed.
This is most important amend
ment, making radical change in
orr Constitution and far reaching
in its effects, yet so far as appears
from the newspaper report, 1t has
passed the Senate of this State
without elaboration, or even one
reason given for it. The present
provision for electing United States
Senators for moro than eighty years
worked admirably. The Senate
was the pride of every American
citizen, and was recognized every
where as one of, If not the ablest
legislative body in the world. 1t is
true that some Of the prominent
newspapers have recently edvoca-
ted this change, and have present
ed some strong reasons for it, the
chief OF which ia that tho legisla-
lures have become 80 corrupt and
incompetent that they are no lon
ger ct TO be entrusted with the
high duty OF electing United States
Senators. There are many things
10 sustain this position. 1t would,
however, seem to be becoming IN
the West Virginia Legislature to
wait until the time arrives when
the constitution imposes the duty
upon It, before it expresses an opin-
ion. The Legislature should pause
and deliberate before laying its
hands on this sacred instrument.
The eople in electing its members
Did not have this important matter
before their minds. Better too
much delay, than too much haste.
An error committed now may be
past remedy. Wait until the ex-
citement OF the Presidential cleo
ton has completely died away, and
the mInds OF the people can calmly
and dispafsionately consider this
great question Then if no other
remedy for existing evils can be de.
vised, let it be adopted. Bat let
the people mourn If we have 30 far
degenerated that we no longer can
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