Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1846-02-11
Our New Consultation.

tai importance Of this subject 10 The pecpl
OF Iowa, we have not heretofore felt Gale,
upon to &c, 3 e. any considerable portion
ofour columns to an exposition Of tie lead
ing features which should be incorporates
into our constitution soon to be formed
Indeed, 50 far az relates 10 the genera
principles npon which The delegation 0
powers should be based : TO the provision
Of adequate safeguards for the rights Of TIL
many, against encroachments of the few
rendered formidable by being armed will
capital. either real or Gcti,ious-and I.
the proper checks and restraints which
should be imposed upon the Legislative,
authority. as the only adequate securit,
against proAigate legislation our view.
are already well known 10 the public.
One draft Of constitution has previous
" been made, which, defective though i
may have been, in some respects, wa.
nevertheless, in strict harmony with ths
progressive spirit ofthe day, and emhodi.
ed those great principles Of human liberty
which recognize the people as the only
legitimate source Of political power, and
which repudiate all distinctions between
different classes Of community and all
grants Of exclusive privileges and immu-
mites to any member or'members thereof
as anti-democratic in the highest degree,
and as striking at the very root Of our
boosted freedom and republican equality
That in this particular, that draft present
ed model for the fundamental law of a
state, is clearly proved, not only by the
high encomiums passed upon it BY some
Of the frs: statesmen and public journals
in the Union, but also, by the fact that
several states, in remodelling their con-
stitutions, have already adopted, and thai
some others, among which is numbered
the great empire state, are unquestionahly
about to adopt, those Of its provisions which
were then peculiar and regarded by many
as being far in advance Of public senti-
ment, and by some, even, as gross inno-
vations, at war with the spirit of the age.
But they were SO regarded by those, only,
who cherish feeling Of veneration for the
old established order Of things and a con-
sequent repugnance TO change, who can
not bear to associate the idea of prcgres-
sion with that Of civil liberty, who are
ever tagging behind,he spirit and tenden
cies Of the age, and who stand still while
all the world about them is moving on.
ward. Had the cause Of human liberty
and the sole ordering of things been conf
ded to such men, on our emerging from
the revolutionary struggle, 9 kingly form
Of government, modelled after that Of
Great Britain, whose CALLING yoke we had
just east off, would in all probability have
been reared over the American people;
for no other would ever have suggested
itself to thesezmen, as suited to the cond.
ton and capacity Of the populace. They
could never have tolerated the idea Of
change and progression, or, as they would
designate it, "nnouation.'' 1t is scarcely
necessary to observe that the view. OF such
will find but little favor with a democratic
people.
It is an axiom IN governmental theories,
that system Of social compact cannot be
perfec, at the period Of its inception; but,
like all things in the material world, must
necessarily arrive at maturity or perlec-
ton through numerous intermediate stages.
Therefore. though our ancestors lad re-
lieyed themselves from the thraldom OF
Great Britain and achieved an inestimable
blessing for themselves and pos;erity, yet
they could not at once enter upon tina.
full and perfect state of freedom and equal
ity, for which man was designed. They
were unprepared for it, and indeed, had
but very imperfect comprehension Of the
destinies Of the nation or of the value and
magnitude of the boon which they be-
queathed to mankind. To use meta
phor, freedom was then in its infancy; and
it was for those who should come after
them, to mature, and rear it up to man
hood. |, is the talent confided to posteri-
ty, for them to improve. 1t was never
designed, and is contrary to the natural
order Of things, that the system should re.
main stationary IN its incipient stage. In
deed, it is useless to talk OF the subject, for
it is impossible that it should 50 remain.
From the foundation Of this government
up to this day, the progress 6 improve
ment upon that system, and the ref rim Of
abuses that have crept in. for want Of suf-
licient guards against them, has been I'M
RENTED. More especially is this true of
he individual States. In this work Of
pruning the weeds, separating the tares
rom the wheat, and securing the blessings
Of unadIterated liberty, the friends of
equal rights have had to contend with ig-
norance, prejudice and bigo,ry, and with
as unaccountabe az those
which have i,npelled the heather to fall
down and worship images or PROSTATE