The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1847-03-26
WHOLE NO. sl7.

the limits Of Ohio. In agriculture, in CON-
merce, In manufactures, in the arts and
sciences OF all kinds, in literature, mercl,an-
dize, litigation, in all the wants and all The
Injuries Of civilized life. From nothing in
that day, we have risen TO place ourselves in
the front rank among the States Of this con.
federacy. Having thus oulgrown long since, ;,
the institutions prepared for US in the infancy
OF our Stale, efforts repeated and persevering
have been made for years past, to secure y
chabge IN those Institutions, corresponding
to the great and multiplied changes in our
necessities and condition az q people.
claim!no originality for this measure. Scarce
a session has passed in many years, at which
1t has not been proposed. Repeatedly and
earnestly the executives of our State have
urged upon The Legislature tho proprio,y and
necessity even, of providing for a change in
The constitution: but without success. Onco
only--in lSle--the proposition was submit.
tel to the people. Even then the necessity
for amendment was fell to be great. The
subject was pressed upon ihe attention,
OF the legislature by Ethan A. Brown, them
governor of the State, and passed with bu,
little opposition. This, however, was but
seventeen years from the formation Of tho
constitution that event was then too recent.
and accordingly the people rejected the pre-
pusIllon. But need only remind gentle
men that trenty-eigh years have rasssd
since that rejection. A new generation has
grown up. Our population has doubled
within that period. Changes in all that eeey
TO make up the varied condition of a popu.
lons and civilized State, greater far than
within the seventeen yeaIg preceding, have
since marked the progress Of the Slate
Every year has added TO tho necessity for a
radical change IN many paris of Tho consttu
iion. That necessity, is at last, everywhere
admitted. Conviction has forced itself uponi
the minds OF the people. And now, sir, as
yet another. effort in behalf of peaceable re.
form, and deeply impressed with the respon.
sibilhy which have taken upon myself. per-.
haPs toe. lightly, / have broug forward this
measure, with hope and anxiety for its sic.
cass in this house, which cannot find Ian.
guage TO express would, If | could but
embo ~ and uRbosom the deep feeling Of
my heart, speak to this house In words which
like the Egyptian darkness, nigh, be fslt AZ,
with the hand, and implore the passage of:
this bill.
have said that this measure il In, ,hs
initiatory step towards the great reform ia
which have referred. That step is dis.
crelionary with the Legislature; and, although
such discretion operating as control upon
the people, ought TO be employed with
liberal hand, approaching to facility, yet:hers
ough, to exist also, both sons propriev or
necessity for its exercise, and fi,noss in the
time proposed, before the people are called
upon TO decide question Of such great i'm.
portancs. And if do not succeed in es,a.
blishing both these requisites to- the entirs
satisfaction of the House, | will eonsen. to
abandon this bill, earne.t as my desire il,
that it may become law.
The defects of the present constitutions.
defects most Of which might readily be in.
ferred, and which arose chiefly from the time
and circumstances Of its iermation-are 90
freely and generally admitted, that / need
spend little time in argumani, and nav con-
tent myself for tho most part, with bu, briefly
pointing them out.
begin with THE JUDICIARY. And i
frst,,as 10 tke SUPRrmE CoURr, the Highest.
judicial tribunal of the State.
This court consists Of but four Judges. any
two Of whom constitute quorum, and are.
empowered 10 hold courts. BY conseuuenc.
of this strange anomaly, no decision, in case
OF their disagreeing, can be had upon tho cir
cult. But besides this, it is manifes, that
four judges, though more than enough in the
aar rIy mi fTt tba Gfoyo
u thousandth part Of the litigation which
presses now, in enormous mass, upon. our
coutts--indeed, prier to 1908, three only
we're nppointed-are quite two few to dis.
pose, even with the most summary haste, of,
a ,ihe Of the business brought before them.
Nor is this all. These sslf same Judges,
by provision growing out Of local iealsusiss
in the convention of 1902, are required To
hold the Supreme Court once wear in epery
county in the State. Now tho namber Of
these counies-and they are rapidly increas.
ing-is eighly-two: so that these four Judges
are required 10 hold no less then eighiy-two
several courts, in each and every year; fvin.
for tina, purpose over the whole Of the vast
territory Of Ohio. The Supreme Court usu-
ally begins its siting1 about the first ofMarch
and closes about tho first of December. so
that nine months only are allowed within
which to determine upon the nnumerabls
judgments and decHees, which are, or rather
ought to be given in the immense mas, oe
business depending before this Court
Within those nine months also, these Judges
are compelled 10 traverse the entire e;pbty-
two counties Of the Stale, passing over sone
two thousand or mere miles of territory.
holding eigh,y-two courts, hearing, or prs-