Delaware gazette and American watchman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1837, 1831-06-21
Gazette and Waterman.
We1AJf19pQp0Jpe DNAa
Tuesday, june FL, 1881.
THE CONVENTION.

Convention shall be held to revise the Constitution of
our state and as the time is rapidly approaching when
selection must be made Of persons to compose that
convention, it would to be proper that the atten
tion of the public should be turned to consideration
Q the alterations which il would be proper to make
in the constitution. With the view of calling the at
tenton of our felOw-citizens to this matter, we will
venture so lay before them few suggestions which
have presented themselves to our mind.
In the preamble and first article of the Constitution
we do not perceive that any addition is necessary, or
that there is any occasion for the use of the pruning
knife. 1t may, therefore, we think, be safely and
properly left as it is.
The second article provides for the election of the
members ofthe Legislature and prescribes what shall
constitute the necessary qualifications to enable man
to hold seat in that body This article, we think,
needs considerable alteration. Believing that too |
much legislation is far than too little and that
ofhe greatest evilswhich we suffer arises from an one
excess olegslaton of opinion that it is quite
unnecessary to provide for an annual session of the
Legislature The limited extent of our state IS such
that we should not follow the rules which prevail in
others. There is no necessity with us for so much le
DeODle
are required to pay for the support of government
for so limited an extent of territory and so small an a.
meuntot population, make it matter of Importance
to study economy. To it appears, therefore that
session of the Legislature in three years or two
at the most, would be amply sufficient, Business
would be better done; the laws would be better UNDER
stood;ther provisions would be more generally known
there would be saving of expense, and the people
would be happier, and consequently be much better
satisfied. Ifan alteration should be made to meet
these VIEWS the annual elections for members Of the
Legislature would Of course become unnecessary and
in the place Of the present provision with regard to
this matter, there be one substituted for the e.
lection Of members at intervals corresponding with the
term ofyears for which they may be required to
serve.
The provision which requires that the members
shall be freehoders has always appeared to US to be
Objectionable is aristocratc feature, and is hut
one step short of requiring that freehold shall Be ne
cessary TO enttle person to the privilege of voting
for members of the Legislature 1t adds nothing to
the wisdom Of man, and if the people have not suffi-
cient judgment and discretion to make proper selec-
ton Of persons to fill that body it is vain tc
hope for securing the election of proper persons by
any such legal provisions, Besides, as the matter
now stands, If it were really of any Importance tha
the members should be frcehoders, it is but deat
letter in consequence of the many evasons Of the pro
vision by conforming to it in the letter, while the spi
rit Of it is VIGOROUSLY violated. We would therefore
abolish this provision only useless and unneces
sary, but as improper and absolutely pernicious.
To obviate difficulties which have arisen under tn,
present constitution particular time should be xet
by clear & explicit provision for the commencement
their term Of service and that time the same as that
which they shall meet and organize their Houses; un
I'll which time the functions their predecessors shout,
continue in existence. Then in case of a vacancy ii
the Office of Governor at any time, and the Speake
of either House being required perform his duties
there would be difficulty, as there might or under thu
present constitution, in determining individual
should be, and in case Of necessy arising for the cal
Of the Legislature to perform any particular duty
any particular time, there could be no difficulty in de
termining, as there now is, who should be calle,
together to perform that duty.
there should be change in the Legislative tern
OF ofhce might be thought advisable extend tina
of the Executive also. Wecan perceive no particua
necessity for this, could not be done without ma
kiPs equal to two terms of the members of the LIE
(, Kslature. This is not however, perhaps, matte
ofmuch Importance way Or the other. But it is
matter Of some moment to consider whether or not
wsuld not be best to give to the Legislature, or q
least one Of the Houses, control in the appoint
went Of persons to fill some of the Offices which ar
left entirely to the selection of the Governor alone
Judges at last, we should think should come befor
the Senate for their approval and perhaps some
Thereof the more important Offices
We have long thought that the article which pre-
scrbeS the elalf atoms of voters required alteration
Two years appears to too long for man to be de-