Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-11-26
For the Portage Sentinel.
Radical Democracy.

hastily sketched for previous numbers OF
,our paper, have endeavored to show the
propriety Of changing our present form OF
State government, from complex Represen-
tative, to pure simple Democracy; and, al
though have not multiplied many argu-
ments on the subject, | have made sugges-
tions that have never known advanced be
fore, and which will, trust, induce some
to deliberate on the subject.
And the advantages to be derived from the
change, are, trust, so self evident, that few
other arguments may be deemed necessary
to lead honest minds to right conclusions. l
have heard two objections to the proposition,
and but two One, that "wise men are not
a majority in our community" implying IN
deed, that the people arc not wise enough
to govern themselves so well as the choice
few would be likely to govern them; which
is, indeed, the old threadbare argument of
aristocrats and monarchists against all Re
publican Government, and might have some
weight if all men were interested alike, ,sand
all were honest. But experience has shown
US that legislators, protesting to act for 9TH
ers, their constituents, have in all s'ates ia
vored the few, who have importuned them
most for exclusive privileges. while the hon.
est laboring masses, who have only asked
to be let alone, have had to be taxed for the
benefit of others, until, in Ohio, we have to
nav more than one million of dollars of
State tax every year without in the least di-
minishing the State debt, or the prospect Of
future taxotion-all this, besides the vast a.
mounts paid to support corporate monopo-
lies, and to support an expensive State Gov
ernment, and an unnecessarily expensive
law system. These heavy taxes might be
much reduced if the matter were left to the
mere common sense Of the people, instead
of the Immaculate wisdom of the chosen rep
resentatives of parties, or party leaders.
The second objection made to the change
from spurious to pure Democracy is, that it
is impracticabl though it may be desira-
Bile, it cannot be brought about. That is
one Of the strongest arguments that can be
brought for change. We want system
where reforms are more easily effected. We
were told few years ago that the exemp-
ton of the Homestead was just measure
that also, the pubic lands should be free
to the landless, in limited quantities; but
that these measures uld never be made
practicable, by reason Of the great difficulty
of inducing the whole people to act on the
subject, and to induce their representatives
to enact them. For one, those objections
never discouraged me, but induced to more
vigilence; and the result is, fair prospect
of speedy success, after eight yeas of.agita-
! ton and discussi N. Six States have adopt
ed tie Homestead exemption in the follow
ing der, if recollect right: Tex's, Con-
necticut, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylva'
MIA, Ma ne, and lately, it is stated that Min
nesota Territory has also formed in the line.
Homestead exemption bills passed both hou-
ses Of the Legislature of Ohio last winter
by large majorities, and only failed of en-
actment by disagreement about the details
Public sentiment everywhere approves the
measure; and it is only delayed because the
Legislators do not truly represent the people
And Of the public lands-the free use ol
them by those who need them, is SO plainly
called for by the people, that it is thought
that Congress cannot much longer resist the
current Of public sentiment
The great success of those two measures
with the people, and their difficulty of ac-
complishment, of enactment by our wise
legislators, are among the strong reasons
for urging so reasonable and just meas
ure as that of bringing legislation and civil
government home to the people, if they may
have the power, as they have the right, can
adopt any just measure of reform at once,
without eight years of agitation. 1t is pro-
posed that, in the new Constitution to be
formed, the people retain the right to enact
laws for their own government in primitive
town meetings instead of delegating that
power to distant State Legislature. There
may be propriety. indeed, of delegating
some powers of legislation, but all Local
and special legislation should be managed
|
by the people. Also, all legislation respect
ing lands, and for the collection of debts,
and the punishment of petty crimes and
I misdemeanors It has been proposed to
vest local legislation in board of County
Commissioners, enlarged to one Commiss on
er srom each township, as the board of Su-
pervisors in New York and Michigan. Such
an arrangement would be better than the
present, because nearer the people. We
should accept Of that with some modi6ca-
tions providing for submitting impor-
tant questions to the people, if we
can get no better. But the State Legisla-
ture should be authorized to relinquish por-
tions of the powers usually delegated to it,
fo fhe naon1e &C convened in r,r;nifive town