The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-02-20
For the Spirit of Democracy
To THE PEOPLE OF MONROE County.
Friends and Fellow Citizens,

To THE PEOPLE OF MONROE COUNTY.
Friends and Fellow Citizens,
The subscriber wishes to communicate
with you, on subjects important and interesting to
YOU g. your posterity. Ishali not commence these
ESSAYS by any professions of attachment TO you or
anxiety for your w,fare. II my past life and IN
tercourse with you have not satisfied you on these
subjects, professions and declarations would be
vain and useless.
Improvement and advancement, may be said to
be the law of Human nature instituted by Heaven.
There are many things wrong in our social and po.
ltical condition. For the renedy'o social evils
we may well rely on personal and social exerions,
knowing that happiness is the daughter of virtue
and that misery is the deformed and hateful off
spring of vice. But political evils are to be rem
edied by political action. What then ale those
evils of which we have to complain IN OHIO!
First We have onerous taxation occasioned
by an enormous public debt contracted for consid-
erations some of which are inadequate and iasui-
fcient and others merely speculative and fantastl-
cal.
The remedy for this evil, is to deprive the Gen
eral Asseby ofthe power to involve the state IN
debt beyond small and limited amount, sufficient
for conting ences, unless its action shall be ratified
and confirmed by subsequent vote OF The people
themselves; or unless nsurrection or invasion shall
forbid delay.
Secondly. We are governed too much. We
have too much legislation. We have Statutes
piled upon Statutes. Our lawyers themselves
have not time to getacquainted with our assembly
acts, before they are repealed and new and some
times intricate enactments promulgated in their
stead.
The remedy 70, this Is to elect Senate for four
years and House of Representatives for two and
have session of the General Assembly, once in
two years only, with power in the Governor to
convene that body ia special session, on exraordi-
nary occasions ifsuch should arise.
We should thus cut off one half the sessions OF
that body together with one half the expense, and
secure greater stability to our laws, as well as
more caution and ma turer wisdom in their enact
ment. r e@
Thirdly. We have most wretched, incompe-
tent. illcontriVed and inadequate Judiciary system
The remedy for this is to bestow upon the Gen.
eral Assembly the power to proportion the nun
bers Of Judges to the population, wealth and cir
cumstances of the State and upon tho People them
selves the power of electing the Judges. .
We should thus secure better talent and more
learning, dignity, urbanity. fairness and impartial
ity on the bench, than our present caucus nomi-
nations and parzan elections by the General As
sembly can assure to us.
Butin order 10 effectuate these changes we
must have convention to amend the constitu
Our present constitution provides, in substance.
that when ever two thirds of the General Assem-
bly, shall think constitutional amendment OF
change, necessary, they shall Recommend to the
electors at the next annual election to vote for VI
against aconventon; and ifit shall appear that a
majority of the citizens of the state, voting for rep
resentatives. have voted for convention, the
Genera. Assembly shall, at It's next session, call
one to consist Of l0S members to be elected in the
same lmsnner, 1.-THE same place and by the same
electors that choose the General Assembly, who
shall meet within three months after their election
for the purpose ofrevising, amending OF changing
the Constitution. Long consultation and delibera
ton therefore must precedea change or alteration
fthas instrument II can only be done by tht
deliberate determination Of the people themselves
Impressed with these views and feeling the incon
veniences of the present order of things, more es
pecially Of our most wretched and execrable Ju.
dietary system, the subscriber your representa-.
tive, attwo successive sessions Of abe Genera
Assembly. proposed to consult the people as to the
proprietyof caliipga convention. Buta majority
inexorable, unsearupulOus, dsirustful OF the peo