The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-01-28
The New Constitution.

AuC NVW NUUStItutLUus
As the time is rapidly approaching when
the people will be called upon to vote upon
the new Constitution, and as altogether TO
little attention has hitherto been paid TO this
subject, we have thought that we conld fill
few columns in 10 way more proii'ably,
than by articles discussing the merits Of that
instrument. Aswc said several weeks ago,
If the friends of the new Constitution are a,
all anxious to have it carried, they must stir
Themselves. At present the current is set
ting decidedly in opposition to it, We can
hardly open an Illinois paper that does not
contain articles against il, while those in ia
vor are very rare.
We give below extracts from the I'd, I'd
and 9TH articles OF ''Cato," the writer in the
State Register. His first article we publish
ed several weeks ago, and the fourth we
have mislaid. We will try and get it and
give the gist in our next. As set Off for
these we follow them by an article in fauor
of the Constitution, written by Mr. Gil
espic, of Alton, which we find in the Tele-
graph of that city. Although written in an
swcr to Judge Martin, he answers as well
the objections raised by Cato.
We publish these extracts in preference
TO discussing the matter ourselves, because
we consider their authors much more COM
70 tho a., 4. tIop ,,o orp
The Isl and I'd articles Of the new cons,i.
tuition are identically the same with the cor
responding provisions in the old one, except
the addition oi several very superilnous and
unmeaning sentences by way of provsos.
The I'd article, on the legislative depart
ment, however, introduces at once some
very obvious and great changes, 10 which
willnow turn my attention. And in the first
place, the well known and hitherto conSid-
cred unobjcciionable day of the general state
election, has been changed from the first
Monday in August TO the Tuesday after the
first Monday III November. As the latter is
the day Of the presidential election, it is man
Hest that once every four years, Or at every
alternate general election, the politics of our
state. and respectively its interests, will be
completely merged in the national canvass,
n result which cannot but deplorc. In ma
ny instances, the election of a member. nav,
even Of a neighbofhood officer, rs a justice
of the peace or constable, will turn on the
! presidential question, which is not only RI
diculous, but worse than that-highly inju-
rious to tn. public good. So conscious OF
/ this result have been the members of the
| n haf hot a,,.;, fk,,
the very next state election would fall in
with the presidential election, they havepro-
| vlded in the schedule that the first general
| election under the new constitution should
take place in August as heretofore, "dny-
thing IN the Rclc constitution oiwiHistdnd-
ing" And uponths article in the schedule
there was regular built party fight, the
democrats being about that time somewhat
alarmed at the increasing popularity Of old
Trough and Ready" and the wings indul-
glng III fond anticipations Of success, under
/ the popular banner of the hero of Buena
! Nista-,he only time during the whole con-
venton the democratic party could be raj
lied, aud carried the schedule provision, in
spite OF the most terrible wing opposition
! This wasvery significant indeed. But apart
from this consideration, why this change
Prudent statesmen will never change laws
much less constitutions, for the mere sake
of change. Asa general thing, the conven.
ton ought to have left every provision Of the
old Constitution, wkich has become part and
parcel Of ourselves, stand, unless an altcra-
ton was called for BY the changed condition
of our people, and by their voice. Innumer.
Gus instances, however, the trainers of the
new project have violated this safe rule. and
have capriciously turned everything out @,
its well established order, without any an.
parent reason whatever.
The I'd and 3D. sections change the Quail.
| fcations of representatives and senators. \,
regards age and residence. and REQUIRE If :
representative the age of Twenty-Five, ant
three years residence; and of senator III,
age of thirty, aud five years residence. Al
] terations Of this kind, in every instance lin,
ifinythe number of qualified citizens, iapos
ing restrictions upon the privilege Of the peo
Ma . n = al.ct al az n,,,, , r,,,, .ha,,.,J l.. Al.