Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1843-07-29

MonFs OF REVISING TItE VARIOUS STATE
CoEsrirurloNs.-a'his week our readers viii
find iii our columns the anendatory articles
Of the constitutions OF all the states, except
ArkanRas. We have placed them there for
tho pufposo of comparieon--that the louisi-
ana reader may look carefully over them, and,
comparing one with another, determine wlle-
thor the constitution Of his own state il the
work of d more bigotcd, more preindiced and
nafrow-mindcd set of men than the trainers
of the Constitutions of other states whether
the Marigny's, the HenderFons, the GnIechardf,
the Htriarts aud porters Of Louisiana, were
M some would have us believe, babes in IN
telligence, and tyros IN political science, CT
Intelligent, sober-minded men, deeply i'm
pressed with the Importance Of their duty, and
fully competent to its discharge.
The amendatory article Of our constitution,
IL will be observed, is almost, If not literally
the same MS that of The Constitution OF Ken
tucky~-the latter having been made a part OF
,he constitution Of Louisiana, by the convention
of 1912. 80 that the gallant hunters of Ken
lucky have placed themselves under the same
restrtctionstin regard tothe au,endncntof their
Constitution, that bear upon Louisiana, while
there is hardly a state in the Union of which
the people in their fundamental law, lave not
ilanosct on themselves certain forms and re-
strictions TO be observed and obeyed | in the re-
vision Of that law. This is particularly the
ease with all those states which have sprung
into existence since the Revolution. while the
only exceptions to the rule are found among
tAe old statos--states over which European
customs and preiudices exercised no small in
fuence at the time their constitutions were
framed. Virginia, North Carolina, New Ter
sey, and Che keystone of Deusoeraeyl Penn
s~vlvania, have made no provision at all for re.
,ising their constitutions. The occurrence is
left TO chance or revolution, or may. perhaps,
pcver take place. This shows what faith the
people are TO reposc in the words of those who
asser. that the constitutions OF a majority of
b8G S4dttS IT iiSi5 aaitSAti Ihs - l4fS SJtii-
mon Law Of England. The wider time sepa-
rates us from o Ut connection with that coun.
try the, moreeircaMsPect do we find ourselves
becoming iaspecifying the rules that shallgov-
ern us. Not one IT the, STAKES formed since the
revolution Is without an ~amendatorv article in
her Constitution /, and all these articles concur
in prescribing a method Of proc ecdiag which
cannot be violated without haxardingihepeace
and good veal Of the state.
IL viii be remarked, that in certain states.
after the constitution has gone through the
critical hands of a convention, it is submitted
again to the people. for their ratification Of
the amendments made, II ratified hy them.
the, changes made by the convention staad
if rot, they ase null and yoid. En- Other states
il will also be remarked a different system |
obtains. Faat conventions shoaid. nat be-
called lightly or on chimerical views, the !
resolseSssaat ali those kaying altera
sie4es or amendments ID propose to their con-
sutaaon, should makettfem public, and obtain
the vote OF Inc people dst9 NelE necessity OF
expsaiency before a convention should bel
callsd. This is ths case in Kentucky and
Louisiana, where the consention is distracted
50 particularly what 10 do, that It's work whsn
done, is not even submitted to the people for
heir approbation. But we shall recug. to HIS
'eataFe of Our state constitution again, cur
present Object beidg simply 70 invite to il the
attention Of the reader. i