Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1846-02-07
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

HE NEW CONS Ill u llON.
The Constitution Of our State, as Re-
vised and Amended by the Convention. is
now before the people. They will have to
decide whether it shall supercede the old
Constitution or not; and in making up their
minds, they will doubtless give the subject
that calm and deliberate attention which its
magnitude calls for and is entitled to.
The alteration of the fundamental law of
the land, is no chids play; it is matter
which should not be lightly viewed, or has
lily resolved upon. Frequent alteration
of this law, impairs the stability of gov
eminent land when this is done, train Of
evils follow, countless in number, and as
harrassing as infinite, which will ultimately
and inevitably lead to anarchy and confu.
sion. Hence, without there are reasons
which are called for by the public veal
reasons which are imperious in their ma.
,ure, and apparent TO all, the Constitution
of State should be held sacred, and all
attempts at innovation frowned down.
When our present Constitution was
adopted, (ls2O) it was considered, in the
main, good one; the great fault of the
Convention that framed it was, that it was
not so arranged that the different provis-
ions of that instrument would not conflict,
when the increase of our population de.
manded an increase in the members of the
Legislature. Room was not left for the
growth and expansion of our State. The
number of counties in the State, at the
adoption of the Constitution, we believe
was fifteen. One provision Of the Consti-
tuition says the number of Representatives
shall never exceed one hundred; and anoth.
er, that each county shall have one Repre-
sentative. As our State increased in pop.
ulation, new counties were created, until
the number Of counties Appropriated so
near the number of Representatives al.
lowed by the Constitution, that but two
counties in the State were entitled to more
than one Representative each. This was
a grievance too intolerable 10 be borne
and the people demanded change, by a
vote which clearly demonstrated the neces.
sity for such change. The Convention
was called, mainly--nay, we may say, al.
most wholly--for the purpose of Equalizing
Representation. Had not the people, then,
right to expect their views would be car
ried out by their delegates7 Most certain.
ly they had. Have their views, as ex.
pressed at the ballot. box, been carried QUIT
Certainly not: the voice of the sovereign
people has been disregarded--aye, made
sport of--by those who were delegated to
perform duty which they DEMANDED!
That the Convention failed to carry out
the views of the people, all admit. The
members themselves admit this-and only
offer their work as the best which could be
produced--under the circumstances. If
the Convention had only attempted to rem.
edy the evils which they were delegated to
remedy, and failed. then, we think their
apology would have come with a better
grace. and been better received; but, they
transcribed their powers, and have inserted
provisions which are at variance with the
fundamental principles of our government;
and, provisions which must necessarily
cramp and impede the progress of our
State, and prevent her from attaining that
enviable position which an enlarged ard
liberal policy would ere long place her in
Why was this done! Why attempt more
than was caled' Was it, as has been
said, scheme on the part of those who
have ever manifested disposition to op-
pose Equal Representation, TO insure the re-
lection of the Revised Constitution, and
throw us back on the old one, with all its
train Of evils! If the peoples rights have
been thus trihed with and trampled upon,