Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1846-02-21
THE H L r AID.
&EW @NsGn@TGMs G@wAa
FEBRUARY ~. Is4s.
rHR NEW CONSTITUTION.

THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
A Constitution Which shall NEE. the wishes
Of the people Of Town, and be in just accord.
ance win the enlightened views, and progress
sixa. principles Of The age. must reccgnize the
people as the only source Of power-it must
allow Government 10 derive all its powers
from this seurce alone and ii must, under oil
circumstances. recognize The. expressed will
Of a msjoIiiy a. the supreme law Of The land.
And ihsss recognitions must bsIno merely tho.
ofeticaa Acknowledgements @no aunmsanide
rhetorical AouSishes-they must prove tbs
act;ve lsasen which shnll pervade ",he whole
lump" Of The Conslitu,ion- quicken it to Vi
tality and beauty il strength, dignity,
and force and enable i 10 cast on all-rro.ec,-
ing egis over The tights and property Of The
masses. A Constitution which shall fail in 3
practical recoguisioa Of the psople-'bs labor
ing mssses- as the only legitimate source Of
power-and 10 practical enforcement Of the
expressed will Of the majority as the supreme
]aw-wiIl be plain and open deniai Of the
cardinal principles upon which true democrat.
ic governments must necessarily be founded.
These general propositions will, undoub,ed-
y, BE- acceded 10 by all--all lay them down
as the basis Of their action, their point Of de-
psr.ure, but there is found wide aud lament
able difference ia the results at which differ
ent indivdusls arrive. We have our own
ideas of the true conclusions which result from
the admitted principle that no government can
be purely democratic which does not openly and
practically reco gnize The absolute and irresponsi
bic sovereignty Of tie people,-thesc ideas We
shall endeavor calmly and temperately TO lay
before our readers, and if, in doing so, We
shall happen 10 run COUNTER 10 the opinions
and psejudoes Of friends, for whose senti.
ments We entertain the mos, profound respect,
we earnestly hope that our honesty Of purpose
and sincerity Of conviction, may prove most
ample apology for our conduct.
"A Constitution based upon, aud practically
recognising,sths cardinal democratic principles
above laid down, will, in all possible ways,
withdraw power from the hands Of fsw--no
matter whether they are worthless and On.
principled demagogues, Or honest and worthy
nen-and place ia the hands Of the people the
power thus entirely Withdrawn. We want.
and mus. have. Constitution which shall do
this Moroughly-which shall equalizs power
place all. whether rich or POOR, upon the
Same broad, democratic platform Of Equal
Rights-and not concentrate power in the
hands Of few. who can thus make their own
will, instead Of the wishes of tho many, the
supreme law. This is undsnable = al least,
il cannot be consistently denied by single
protested friend Of true democratic govern
ment, and il therefore remains for us 10 notice,
more 10 detail. the results 10 which we are led
BY practical recognition OF the principles we
have stated, and which are, we believe, as
senled 10 and established. -...:
We remark, then. tina, practical recogni.
ton Of the true principles Of democracy 70.
quifes: .@s
Let. I'm election BY the people Of all officers
Judges, Of course, ;nc!uded-who are paid By
salary or otherwise, for their services. and con-
sequen. material reduction Of tina. official pa.-
ronsge, power and influence Of the Governor,
and members Of the Legislature, which has.
elsewhere, always proved fruitful source of
corruption and discosd, wrong and outrage.
This proposition we propose briefly to defend
and elucida,e.
However much they may aspire 10 become |
their masters, public officers are, in law and ia
justice, only the servants Of the people, and i, |
would seem 10 be in perfect accordance with |
the rules Of justice that the people themselves
should select their servants. Indeed, we are |
free 10 declare our homes. conviction that, in |
State Government. and in the General Govern.
Inent as far 90 possible, the people should |
have the privilege Of selecting the officers who
are paid with the peoples money. We claim.
and as We think, most justly TOO, the privi.
lsss Of selecting, a. our own free will dictates,
the persons whom We pay Cor services render
ed on our farms, in our stores, our workshops.
and our Offices. and we can conceive Of no
good reasons why We should no. have the pri. |
viiegs Of selecting, a. well a. paying, others
who are equally 10 our employment, though
their sphere Of service is somswha, different.
We would reject, 40 grievous outrage upon
our rights, and an objectionable insul. 10 our
intelligence, the offer Of an ofEcious individu.
sl, who should undertake 10 hire for us-and