Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-02-04
Communication.
For the Waterman and Journal.
W1ScnNSIN IAN G. /.

WISCONSIN, JAN. 6, lS47.
The subject that has swallowed up all
other subjects, and at the present time en-
crosses all attention here, is the Constitu-
ton," kind of mongrel, locofoco docu-
ment that has lately made its appearance a
mongst us, and is now clamoring loudly for
adoption as the legitimate child of the Ter
ritory, and, at the same time, as the father
of the about-to-be State of Wisconsin.
The first of October last, the delegates OF
the people, consisting of AZ Workers, 81
Vermonters, 8 men of Massachusetts, 8 from
Connecticut, native born Irishmen, 6 Penn
sylvanians, Kentuckians, New Jersey
men, 2 Englishmen, 2 Germans, 2 from New
Hampshire, from Maine, Rhode Islam
der, i from Maryland, Virginian, l South
Carolinian | from Tennessee, | from Hi
nois, | Islander, from Jamaica, | Prussian,
and 9 from parts unknown, met in conven-
ton at Madison, and, after ten weeks of
painful travail, gave birth to Constitu-
ton" which surpasses every thing ancient
and modern, sacred and profane, and comes
well nigh surprising itself. 1t is indeed a
rare and radiant document, thing of loco
focoism-carrying into effect some of the
most chmerical doctrines of this chimercal
age, and as soon as l can procure one will
send it to you, that Vermonters can see what
their brothers and SONS in Wisconsin can
help do. Its principal features are, Free
suffrage" to all except negroes, and their
suffrage to be decided by the people, an
elective Judiciary" No banks euer to be
chartered in the State, and no bills of less
denomination than $40 to be passed after
lS40. The penalty for passing to be fixed
by the Legislature" "The exemption from
forced sale of 40 acres of land with the i'm
provements thereon, not exceeding in value
$1,000, or other property to that amount, -
and the " rights of woman" by which is Sc
cured to the wife all the property she had
at marriage, and all she can get after. This
Constitution is now before the people for
their consideration preparatory to an adop-
ton or rejection next April. And now comes
" the tug of war;" in which is played the
game of democrat eat democrat, while the
wings, secure from being eaten, have moth
ing to do but stand idly by and laugh at this
great family quarrel that is most beautifully
distracting the "great democratic family
of "Hards." "Softs," Crawfsh" and
aQDOlcS. TIC SiCu' uShioNiu'iN al
ticles on which the "great democratic par
ty" split, are the banking article and the ex-
emption article, and on these they are most
woiuly split up; so much so as to render il
extremely doubtful whether they adopt the
Constitution made by men oftheir own choos-
ing. The Hards" swear that an eternal
hostility to all banks and bank paper is a
sterling principle of the "Young democra-
cy," and iiercely denounce all their brethren
who differ from them, by in any way coun-
tenancing the rascally wing banking IDEAS,
or even looking upon a bank bill with any
degree of liberation, as "Softs, Craw-
fish !" Tadpoles," and evolves in sleeps
clothing" These, in turn, hurl back def
ance at the =" Hards," calling them Ultra.
lists ""Utopians, patent-right democrats, u
and thousand other pretty things in which
the locofoco vocabulary abounds-accuse
them of pursuing a course that is not prac-
teal but having tendency to break up the
party, and cause the Whigish Philistines to
triumph, and finally wind up by swearing
that they will have banks, and will use DanN
bills, let the Constitution go as it may
As to the exemption article, under the
guise of sympathy for the " dear people,
its true object is to wage an eternal war OF
extermination upon all credit, and the credit
system. Against it, it is argued that under
the pretence of screening the poor man from
the clutches Of the rich, il but fixes him to