Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-02-13

coming of money, regulating at the same
time its alloy and value Will this pa
per pass currently in other states, or
among the subjects of foreign powers?
Is it believed that it will furnish our own
citizens with the means of communication
and intercourse Nth other states Is it
not even to be feared that, with all the
guards placed around it, our own citi-
5 5aP sahgaft h, ogGsd TO take it With
inquiries, the effects produced by the
emission of this currensy will be the vc-
ry same that the constitution of the
United States intended to prevent; at all
events, different currency cannot be
created more likely to produce like re-
suits. In word, we ask the advocates
of the measure, what is a bill of credit
if the notes proposed to be issued are
not such? Should not this question be
fully and satisfactorily answered, or
should not something else be pointed
out to which the section referred to
would readily and exclusively apply, the
Council will take it as conceded that the
bill under consideration diyests its adj
yocatcs OF the only satisfactory and easy
definition which can be given to ga bill
ofcredit," within the spirit and meaning
of the federal constitution.
The idea has sometimes been sug-
gcsted, that such paper may be consti-
!! tutionally issued, because the right Of the
state to create banking interpretations,
with the privilege Of issuing notes, is not
denied, and that the state can do that
which they have the power to enable in
dviduals to do. The easy reply to this
argument is contained in the idea that the
right Of BANKING existed by common law,
and before the adoption of the federal
constitution, which is Limitation mere
y upon preexisting rights and the pro-
hibition is only upon The states, and the
reasons given for it only apply to such
| limitation.
In the opinion Of the Council, then, in
every point of view in which they can
see the subject, the bill under conside-
ration proposes TO authorize the state to
50 emit bills Of credit" It is TO answer
to this objection, that Ike measures
have been resopted to in other states.
However courts Of law may feel justified
in the adoption Of the maxim, " COM
NUNS error iacit JUS" in relation to GUS
toms and usagcs long established, where
sound public policy and the oue,ude of
society require it, the Council will long
hesitate to apply it in justification of the
violation of that constitution which they
have solcmn!y sworn to support: and al
though the Council participate with their
citizens of TIC Senate and House
Of Representatives in the strong desire
10 relieve the endorsements of the
people, they feel consolcd by the rcilec-
tion that this desirable object can be &C
complishcd without hazarding the future
fortune Of the state, and without an in
| fraction OF the great charter of our liber-
| ties. II The maxim alluded to has ever
been applied to a cause Ike the present,
j, is reasonable 10 infer that it had its orr
gin in q disposition conscious of error,
and sc; too proud to acknowledge it.
While the Council hold it more sound
maxim, that To- CIR is human, but to
acknowledge and correct the error is the
perfection Of morality, t3ev will return
! the bill 10 the House Of Representatives,
though precedent for dllsereut course
should be found even in their own acts.
ID.
MIR. Eaay last week Introduced the
| following prcanbl ant, resolution, " hich
were lost, u to l2.
Whereas it is provided by Art. 7, Of
! the constitution Of the state OF Illinois,
that whenever two thirds Of he general
| assembly shall think it necessary 10 al
ter or amend said constitution, they snail
recommend 10 the electors, at The next
election of members Of the general as
semoly, to vote for or against conven-
ton, in order, that if it should appear,
that a majority Of all the citizens OF the
| state, voting for representatives, had
voted TOR convention TIE general as
senbiy, al their next session, should call
one.
And it seeming necessary, to this ee-
neral assembly, that the said constitution
requires alteration and amendment,
|. ntiat part thereof which limits the
Eight OF the people to choose senators and
representatives., the latter TO periods of
two years, and the former to periods of
four years, apart from each other:
2. In that part thereof which establish
cs biennial sessions ofthe general assem-
bly,:
5. In that part thereof which makes
the governor elective every four years
only, and to be eligible only once to tho
Office in any period Of eight years