Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-09-03
Constitutional Reform.
0fthe PORTAGE Sentinel

" Lto VI ~e"te''o'
Ihave examined with much interest the
files of The New Constitution up to No.
9, which you were so kind as to furnish me, i
and am much pleased with the work. 1t
does much credit to Col. S. Medary, the en-
terprising and public spirited editor and
publisher. The voters of Ohio have the
power, the privilege, to determine, at the
election on the second Tuesday of October
next, whether we may have new Consti-
tuition in place of the old one, now near
half century old, and it is important that
they discuss the subject beforehand. This
pamphlet, (The New Constitution,) is an
excellent central medium of communication
and discussion on the subject, and besides,
the editor has embodied much interesting
matter into the work calculated to aid the
discussion. there find the Declaration
of Independence, the Constitution of the
United States, the Constitution Of Ohio,
Journal of the Convention that formed our
State Constitution, Resolves of the Congress
of 1884 for the Government of the North
west Territory, the much celebraeed Ordi-
nance of July l3, 1887, and much other
important matter relating to the political
history of Ohio, and the Northwest, and in
! deed Of the whole Union.
1t seems that in December 1918, resolu-
tions rassed the Legislature of Ohio, by the
constitutional majority, recommending the
electors of this State to vote for or against
a Convention to form New Constitution.
The yeas and nays on the resolutions are
given in Col. Medary's paper, The New
Constitution, No a, also the vote cf each
county of the State in October, 1919, on the
question, except the several counties that
made no return of the vote on that question.
The majority was heavy against conven-
ton, But Portage gave majority OF more
than two to one in favor of Convention,
thus sustaining their representation in the
Legislature in both houses, who both,
| wheeler in the Senate and Foster in the
House, voted for the resolutions. 1t is re-
marked that the reforms proposed in the
Constitution then, as appears by the discus
sions on the subject, related only to the jul
dietary system, which was deemed defec-
tive Now we have progressed so far in
political science that we feel qualified to E.
lect all cur State and county officers, and
advocate that as one of the most essential
reforms to be made in our constitution.
find in the files of The New Constitu-
ton before me, many original communica-
tions from various parts of the State, and
many articles copied from other papers dis
cussing the provisions proposed to be en-
bodied In the new Constitution.
Besides the reform measures mentioned
in the prospectus of The New Constitution
which has been, l believe, copied in the
Sentinel, and which are "a reform in our ju-
dietary and the practice of our courts @the
election of all officers by the people, and
mo increase of the State debt except by
vote of the people themselves system of
common schools, & of education worthy the
| age and the State'-no legislation but what
the people can annul when found injurious
Il say, besides those popular reform meas
ures, correspondents of the New Costitution,
and the writers of articles copied into it
from other papers, propose various other re-
/
Homestead exemption, the election Of all
members of the Legislature by single dis
tricts, biennial sessions Of the Legislature,
change in the time Of holding State elections,
curtailment of local legislation by electing
more numerous board of County Commits
sioners, and vesting local legislation in their
board, and to provide to make future amend
ments to the Constitution without calling a
new convention. the election of Lieut..
Governor by the people, the adjustment of
all punishment by fine as being unequal and
inadequate; abolishment of devices of land
by will, and its distribution provided for by
law; married females to hold their proper
ty the same as males.
cannot, indeed, notice in a short COM
munication but small part of the reforms
proposed to be made in our fundamental
law, nor but small part of the interesting
articles on that and other kindred subjects
in the paper before me, but must recon-
mend to all your readers to take @The New
Constitution pamphlet publication. 1t is
weekly publication Of l6 large pages, filled
with historical facts, documents and discus
sions, we'll worth the money it costs-one
dollar for 6 months.
This communication is already too long
to admit of my saying much more in refer
ence to the reforms proposed, but | cannot
forbear expressing my appreciation of a
few of them, particularly the election of all
officers by the people-a reform to simplify
and cheaper our forms of law-to enable
married females to hold property in their
own right-an might they not even be
permitted to vote with us!
Also, the Legislative power to grant Cor
porations should be restricted and the power
to run the State in debt. County Commits
sioners boards should think have iurisdic-
ton of all local matters that require Lesis-
lation, the boards being enlarged to one
from each township, and one to each ward
of the cities, the same as the board of su-
pervisors of the states of New York and
Michigan. Local Legislation is now by far
the most expensive part Of our law making
machinery, and for the want of minute To-
cal knowledge is but i'll done. Make over
such business to county board, and the
expense of long sessions of the Legislature
would be saved, and the change from annu-
al to biennial sessions would no more be
asked. The legislative apportionment should