The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-03-03
The New Constitution.


that, although it was immensely behind the
times, perhaps, upon the whole, il was as
good as tho old, and that il was of little
consequence whether il was rejected or
adopted, and concluded 10 given silent
vote against il without taking any Shrher
intereAin the matter. but yesterday, in,
looking over some old papers, picked up
one that had the new constitution in ", and
readit over again, and now wslt through
your paper, to ask every man, before he
votes for the new constitution, also TO read
il over deliberately, and few, | imagine,
that do so will vote for it, There is no
time now to discuss it thoroughly, hut let
us look at few ofitsprovi>ions.
The lieutenant governor is president Of
the senate, and may give casting vote;
but no bill shall become a law without OBJ
tanning the vote of a majority of the SEN
ators elect. The lieutenant governors no,
n senator. Now mark what an absurdiiy
this is. II there Is majority, there is No
casting vote needed. lfthere is a tie, the
lieutenant governor may votc-O, yes--'he
constitution says SO; but what avails il :?
The constitution also says il shall not be-
come law, after he has given the casting
vote, for il must receive majority Of .he
votes of all the senator's elSet.
The veto power is on precisely the same
footing. This power is an altimporiant
check on hasty and corrupt legislation, and
Of course must be retaind. o, yes, certain
ly. No prudent man would vote for n con-
stitution without this power in il in some
shape. But after the governor has vetoed
a bill, what becomes oft The same vote
that passed it before passes it again, and
then II is n law, all straight and good, the
same as ifthe governor had never seen it.
Who would have supposed that mortal
man could SO beautifully blend and har-
monize ideas that something should mean
nothing,-that the governor and lieutenant
governor should, by this instrument, be
called upon to perform acts of high respon-
sibility, requiring the best powers of the
mind, which acts, the same instrument i'm
mediately goes on TO declare nullity as
soon as they are periormedAAa person
could De made to beIlse that D constitution,
gravely submitted the people for their
approval, contained such abs,rrdities, if it
were not spread before them. If the con-
vention by these Ridiculous provisions, in
tended to deceive the people into the belief
that this constitution contains the important
powers Of the casting vote and. the veto,
think they will be mistake&.
The eight Of suffrage is another Of the
beauties of this great intellectual achieve
ment. Here is direct bride offered to ev-
cry white inhabifant Of this state who is not
naturalize1, TO vote for this constitution. II
tells him outright, if yoh vote for this con.
sttuior, YOU shall have the right forever
hereafter TO vote a. all elections in this state
bW the foreigner that codes IN the day at
ter the constitution is adopted, cannot vote
( unless he first gets naturalized, which will
take him five years. IIelpus through with
this budget of absu1iities, and whether you
Sare ever naturalized or npt, no body shall
Question your right to vote, but your broth
er foreigner, who comes day too late,
must first have resided at leAst, five years
in the United States. This is more than a
mere gull trap; it is bnbery-and nothing
else. Underthe present constitution, for
reigner has right 10 vote after six
mouths residence in the state, whether he
intends to become citizen or not. This is
wrong. But is it right, on the other hand,
that man who comes here and settles,
brings his property along to be taxed, and
| obeys the laws and bears his proportion of
4
dislranchised for three years after he has
declared his solemn intention OH oath to be-
come a citizen? Fcw-very few--will have
the hardihood to say that it is right under
our liberal institutions, which profess to prof
fer h9pse aud the hand of friendship to the
oppressed of other lands. REQUIRE, if you
please, that he shah have resided here two
years, long enough to become acquainted
with our institutions, and that he shall have
declared his intention to become citizen,
and thSn either. admit him to the collective
franchise or exempt him from taxation.
The article in reference to amendments
to the new constitution is one of peculiar
beauty. Its trainers say, if you do not like
the new constitution, it is easily amended
Let us see. But one amendment can be
adopted at the same session of the legsla
turc, and then it must receive vote OF
two thirds Of all the members elect in both
houses, contingency which may never
happen. Then it is hung up for two years
alter which 1t must receive the vote of q
majority Of all the members elect in both
houses at the next regular session Of the
legislature. 1t is then sent mp to the people
to be voted upon at the next general clrc.
ton, and lift receives a majority (mark) o.
all the votes cast for members of the house
of representatives, then it shall become a
part Of the constitution. A majority of tn,
votes cast on the amendment won't do. Ev.
cry man who does not vote for it is agains
il, whether he votes or not. Why not thi,
same precaution in voting on bank laws
Here bare majority is sufficient.
hope the people Of Illinois are not to h.,
taken by such cull-traps. This talk abou
amendments is all CANNON. The chances
arc two to one against single amendment
being adopted for twenty years, while banl
charters may be brought forward and car
ried dd infniuo', the same year. If bu
five men vote. and three of them vote in fa.
vor; one of these things Of easy virtue,
bank, rolled up carefully aud covered over
tattooed and disguised anGnicely creased
will slip through just as easy as falling off
log, while single verbal amendment of tn,
constitution is tiedup, hemmed in, and guar
ded as il il was some frightful monster. Al
indifferent person, reading the constitution
over once careessly, would say there is n
bank provision init, while amendments I
the constitution are amply provided for
But on more careful inspection he woul,
find banks can be made SO easily that ever,
man can have one nj his door, whilst amend
men,s to the constitution are next to impos
sihl,