The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1848-03-28
THE PROBLEM, or POPULAR GOV
ERNNEN'r. : - II ~

i ERNMENr. : ~
That the sovereign ruwer is in Tic mass d
the people is now the admitted theory ppqp
which our government are based. Ills also
admitted that the mass of,the people arc good
and wise enoughto goyctn rightly n Thlsis
true in theory; hnt no plan OF govcrndicnt
has been invented, by which the good sense
and honesty OF tho mass olthe people canibe
brought 10 bear directly upon the political
questions Of the State and nation. ~. y y.
k Oar elections ought TO express the will Of
the eupeople upon the great projects ofolcgis.
lation that are before the country. But all
know that it is not one election in twenty
that can be said to be the decision Of popn-
lar opinion upon any particular question:
There are many obstacles TO prevent such a
desirable result. Ode is the great number
of personal interests that are brought 10 bear
upon our elections, by selfish mon who want
the aemoIuments Of Office, or ambitious mon
who wish more TO glorify themselves than q
serve their counirN lsais9 iaes da5s ss. .s.Is
Another obstacle in tlre waJ Of the proper
action Of public opinion upon political ques-
tons IS this: we vote upon questions by yo-
ting for Legislators Legislators have
many duties to perform, of an executive OF
judicial nature--4they have to decide upon
many difetent questions Of legisiaiion--no now
one portion of the voters have particular ref.
erence to one ofthese duties TO be perform
cd in the selection ORA representa,ive--an-
other portion Of the votes choose wish regard
to something else 10 be done by their agent
--few delegates are chosen solely because
Of their views upon one question-and it is
not once In a hundred times that majority
Of Legislative body can be said 10 owe their
election to their opinions upon any one COM
mon question upon which they are to act
These we'll known facts show, that al
though the people may have the power and
the honesty and the wisdom to govern them
selves property, yet tho machinery Of our
government is such, that the object is not at
timed. !, isas though skiilful wo kman,
were without tools--his work would be. as
much "botched" as is isffequentIy the legisla-
ton Of the agents Of the people. Ahai
i The great problem Of popular government
is then, 10 frame such a constitution that the
acts of the people may be controlled by the
intelligence Of the community, or in other
words--to furnish The sovereign power with
proper tools 10 work with. Various atte empts
are constantly being made TO solve this prob
lem. Nearly every year a new constitution
is made in some one Of the States, and each
one shows some step gained towards effect
ing the great object--iowards making our
States really what they profess to be---gov-
enmenis, where the people govern them
selves. 4s.sr.
Among these steps, we notice the follow
ing; the class Of office-hunters and public
drones is starved by taking away the food
upon which they live, the power Of appoint
inent TO Office is taken from the few and CIV.
en- to the people, all contracts for labor are
lei TO The lowest bidder, useless offices are
abolished and salaries are fixed by the con-
stitution-so that those motives no longer
bear upon the selfshness Of men which have
been SO profile means Of destroying the
purity Of our elections; and 10 which may be
Justly ascribed the faIsehood, violence and
bitterness Of party strife. No' SAY
Another move is to seperatc more perfect
" than heretofore the duties of public off
GERS, 10 disconnect entirely The Legislature,
the executive and the judiciary from each
o,hcr-so that the people in choosing an Off
Ger, may have 10 decide upon his fitness for
particular duty, and upon no other ques-
tion. Again, the judges, the executive Off
GERS and The Legislators, are all made 10 an.
swer directly TO the people by frequent cleo
tons. The powers and duties of all these
officers are clearly defined in tie constitution,
and are restricted TO what is necessary for
tho public welfare The power Of The legs-
ilature over the Subjects Of banking, public
debts and other important matters, is Tesric-
ted BY making il necessary 10 submit all such
leg station to the people for their APPROVAL
Provision is made for submitting 10 the. direct
vote Of the people, proposed changes'in the
fundamental law. And at regular periods
of eight or ten years It's provided that the
pcople shall vote upon the question Of calling
convention 10 amend the constitution.
These are the principal means that have
been proposed, and which the people of other
states. are putting into practice, to enable the
people to exercise more perfectly the right
of self governmont.-Oaio Press. 80,
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