The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-01-18
PEOPLES PRESS.
Middlebury, JAN Is, ls49.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The convention called by the council of
censors to amend the constitution of the
state, met on the 9Th inst. at the state house
in Montpelier, and was finally organized by
the election of Daniel Kellogg president.
The vote stood Kellogg 100. Silas Fl. Jen-
ison 1o3. Lawyer Marston of Montpelier,
editor of the Vermont Patriot was chosen
secretary. Each of the resolutions recon-
mended by the council of censors was sep
arately acted upon, and after undergoing
more or less discussion generally rejected
by overwhelming majorities. The weak
est of the batch however, the election of
Justices of the peace in town meeting came
nearest being adopted. Upon this the vote
stood for los, against it ZIG. The con-
vention adjourned on Thursday last, after
weeks session. The most important
committee was that raised to make up the
debentures, which together with the ex.
penses of the council of censors, will a.
mount to about seven thousand dollars
The result of the convention will doubtless
be satisfactory to the people, and furnish an
censors not to recommend u convention to
pass upon propositions of amendment at
an enormous expense, unless they are very
sure that the people have called for them.
1t is singular proof of the falibility Of
human judgment, that the very feature in
our constitution which was calculated to add
to its stability, IS that which subjects it to
constant fluctuations. Every septenary its
sanctuary is entered, and although in few
instances it has been improved, 1t seldom
escapes without attempts at innovation
which the good sense of tho people have
happily defeated. Yet such is the strange
deformity of our scheme Of amendment,
that while it can be made to operate upon
matters of minor importance with too much
facility, it is vain to expect from il any
relief from more paIpabe defect than ex-
lists in the organic law of any state in the
union. This is the enormous inequality in
our state representation. While in Rhode
Island few were denied the right of suf
frage, in Vermont, although every man
votes, yet votes in Glastonbury paying l6
dollars tax, have equal power with six hun
dred votes in Bennington 4 town paying
one thousand dollars taxes. We are not
governed by the people but by corporations
ofpower far more odious than corporations
of wealth. The great democratic principle
that the majority should rule, is grossly in
fringed in elections to the house of repre-
sentatives. The will of the people does
not control the legislation of Vermont
The rotten borough system, so disgraceful
In the arb itrary government of England is
in full bloom in state which plumes itself
the most democratic in the union. Power
once obtained is seldom voluntarily relin-
pushed. Entrenched under the NUM-
ments of the constitution, the small towns
seem determined never to yield to the most
obvious claims of justice. The only hope
of remedying this outrageous inequality
constitutionally, is 10 be derived from an
amendment which should allow propositions
Of amendment by the council of censors to
go directly to the people, which was among
those submitted to this convention, and re-
jected by an overwhelming majority. The
people have an unalienable right to alter the !
constitution however and whenever they |
please. Every day is rendering their wrongs
more palpable. Equal rights and represen-
tation in proportion to taxation form the
basis of democratic institutions The gov
eminent of minorities is not to be tolerated
in the free atmosphere of Vermont Ii
thoso who have obtained an unjust prepon.
ierance of power will not harken 10 reason
md conscience, what but revolution remains
% yindicate equal rights. We never doub.
ed the right of a majority of the people of
Rhode Island of remodelling their constitu.
ion by force, to purge it from defects which
oud not be legally and peacibly rePudia'
ed. But the monopolists of power in
Rhode Island yielded to the popular will
10 let it be in Vermont.