The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-02-04
The New Constitution.

We continue our extracts from articles
which we find on this subject in our exchan-
ges. The first below is Cato's No. 4. The
article which follows, in favor of the New
Constitution, is from the pen Of an able cor
respondent Of the Alton Telegraph. We
hope no one will neglect to give these arti-
cles careful perusal. 1t would be crimi-
nal 10 vote unintelligently Oh SO grave
question as the adoption Of new Constitu-
ton presents, and there is little time left for
our readers to inform themselves in the
premises.
The executive department ext claims our
attention, and ] proceed at once to the 9th
section, which fixes the salary Of the Gov
ernor at $1,000. Now, while am Of opin-
ion that all the salaries, as established by the
new constitution, are too low, and furnish,
at the present time, no adequate compensa-
ton, feel not disposed 10 war against the
instrument Oh that account. 1t is the pr'i,l-
ciple of fixing salaries at all by the funda-
mental law OF the state, against which /
most solemnly protest, as being unjust and
impoli,ic. The presumption is, and one
which was undoubtedly entertained by the
convention itself, that the constitution, when
once adopted, would last at least some TWEEN
ty or thirty years. Is it proper then, is it
just to establish uniform compensation for
services, which IN the course of that time,
may be greatly raised, TO be paid in medi-
um, the most luctuatng Of almost any com
modify? II is admitted on all hands, that
the value of money is very different at diff
ferent times, so much so that in national
economy, it has become the settled doctrine,
that no comparison of values can be made
by comparing the amount of money paid for
articles at different times. Wheat and 9TH
er commodities are resorted TO, when we
wish to ascertain the real value Of things ia
other times, than our own.
II is within the recollection of every one,
that money in 1892 and 1893 was worth al
most twice as much as it was in 1896 and
1887. The officer who received 81 900 in
1857 got twice as much as the one who re-
ceived the same amount in 1926. II cur
convention had had itin their power TO make
the world stand still for the next twenty
years, (Which good many members APP
pcarcd 10 imagine they really had, it would
have all been right, but rs il is, this arroga-
ton of power is utterly understandable.
Neither the constitution oithe United States,
nor hardly any other constitution, in this or
any other country, furnishes precedent for
this unheard OF proceeding.
In ten years, the salaries, as fixed by the
constitution, may be worth but one half OF
two-thrd> OF their present value, or tile ser
vices OF the respective officers may have
been so Increased by legislative action, as ia
render them wholly inadequate. And we,
there is no remedy. The consequences may
be readily imagined. The Offices will be
filled either by needy Adventures, incom-
petcnt 10 the task, or the opulent aspirant
who take, TIE Office for the sake of power
or qualification of vanity. II might have
been well enough to prescribe some mini
mum OF compensation, a. some constitutions
do, so as tu prevent the legislature from ca
priciously pntting the salary so low as TO al
feet certain officers, whunay have incurred
their diSpleasurc, but 10 uualterably fix the
salary OF all the officers, from the highest &c
| the lowest, rs this new constitution does, /,
an encroachment upon legislative functions
utterly unjuStItiable.
| have heard il asserted, that these thing.
D v
tuition popular, that il would please the mass
es and furnish all excellent capital where.
with 10 back it before the people. viii moi
believe that any respectable number of del
egates thought so; 10 those few who did,
would say that they certainly underrate The
intelligence Of the people, and that thei
electioncering capital is OF the most unsub
stantial character. The old constitution n,
where undertakes to establish permanen
salaries, and It's consequently in the powe
Of the legislature. rithom The aid OF this nen
constitution, to reduce the present salaries
/ if they be too high. The legislatures, TO
/ the last six years, have been constantly max
| ing reductions.
| II you, therefore, tell the people that tn,
new constitution is preferable to the old one
on account of having made reduction il
the salaries of officers, you sSsert what j
wholly untrue, and are guilty of wilful dc
ception. 1t would he easy, however, 4
show that by the time your county judges
and county attorneys will have TO be provi
ded for, the Expenses Of The government ,ri
be FIR greater than what they even now ar
under the much abused old constitutions.
J ThellO,h section, in prescribing that spe
val tIlltI WI tlO IcGlSidllN
business except tina, FOR which they wer
specially called together" while it is Ger
tainly well intended, may often lead TO tn
greatest Inconvenience and much useles
expense. 1t is true that the Legislature
when specially called together, ought I
confne its action principally TO the bushes
indicated as requiring their attention in tn
Governors message. But it does not fol
low, that therefore the constitution Shout
enforce this duty. Some discretion must b
left the legislature, some allowance shoul
be made in favor Of their having good sens
and patriotism, quite as much, indeed, u
the trainers of this project. They are cleo
ted by the same constituents, taken from tn
same classes Of people, and will, as a gene
raj rule, be possessed of quite as much ia
ent as the late convention was. Now loo
at the consequence Of this restriction. SUI
pose the legislature II called together to TAX
action on the canal, but while the Cove
, nor's proclamation is out, or while they al
> in session, disturbances occur, like those
Hancock or Massac, requiring immedia,
actonp What is 10 be done? Why ii
legislature must adjourn, TO he called togetl
err again, nj great expense and trouble. NJ;
ny instances might be put, not n, all vel
unlikely to happen. Under strict col
struction of this clause, il is not perceiv,