Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1849-12-12
Number 81.


past year. by decisive vote. has shown Z
desire 10 favor the constitutional reforms
Of the age. Thir;y-threc years have pas
sed away since our fathers framed for US
our presen; excellent constitution. Under
this constitution we have lived in the en-
Ijoyment of civil and religious liberty
Our prosperity has been great our growth
rapid, and the march of Improvement on
ward. Time has no, only proved the COR
rectness of the republican principles con.
tanned in the constitution. but il has had a
tendency TO show, that they may be much
/ fu ther extended, and more generally APP
piled. The Elective principle was highly
valued by our fathers. and it may I've just
/ " said, they were tar in advance OF our
sister States Of that day; but a still further
advance is practicable. In order to moro
etfectuallv guard against improper up
pontments to office. and against such a.
may be made with selfish motives, without
reference to the welfare Of the public in
general, or the will Of the people, the cleo
tive power may be safely substituted for
the appointing power.
Another subject Of primary importance
is that of Common Schools. Men of in.
telligence can best and most safely ever
else the sovereign prerogative Of the cleo
tive franchise: and TO secure general in
telligencc among men, they must begin 10
learn while they are children. Ii seems
TO mo therefore. that we should concen.
trate every legitimate effort to accomplish
this end, bestowing all the means at our
command TO the promotion Of this com.
mon good in the most expansive form.-
/ rat fret
common schools to every neighborhood.
SO far as il may be done without the inflic.
ton Of burdensome taxes upon the people.
while we leave the County Seminaries and
the higher institutions Of learning to indi-
vdual or associated enterprise, BY which
it is believed. they will be best sustained.
Other measures will doubtless receive the
consideration Of the convention, among
which might be named the necessary
checks upon improvident legslstion--suit-
able restraints against special and partial
legislation; and positive requirement that
the title of all bills shall fully describe the
subject IN after Of the samc-biennial ses-
sions of the legislature-the homestead
exemption-a prohibition against the Dor.
rowing of money for any purpose beyond
a given sum, unless authorized by d.
rect vote Of the people.
! We are now in the prosecution Of
new system Of internal improvements:
much preferable to the past, because it IS
founded upon individual capital and en-.
terprise; and will consequently be con-
& Quoted with economy and prudence. Ii
, is to be feared however, that there is too
, great disposition to carry on works of
3 this character by the subscriptions Of cities
and counties. The appropriation Of their
revenues to such purposes, is foreign to
the primary objects for which municipal
corporations are organized, and for which
, the power Of taxation is granted to them:
I and besides, may lead not only to indivi.
dual but local embarrassment and diff.
cultes similar to those in which the State
I became involved few years since.
{ That policy is Of doubtful expediency
, Shich demands the aid Of the State Trea.
, sury or the revenues Of cities and couu.
ties in its prosecution. II will be found
, that by leaving the enterprise and capital
Of our people free to seek investments,
, aided by liberal legislation in the grants
Of charters, we shall be able to commence
and finish those public works that will re-.
pay the capital invested. and will in their
| prosecution be characterized with ccono.
, my, and in due time greatly increase the
/. resources OF the State.
$ The legislature will no doubt thus aid
f the companies, which now are or NAV
r hereafter be engaged in the prosecution oil
e such works exhibiting alike the enterprise
r and energy Of our people. while it will be
$ also careful to impose all needful cheeks
and restrictions.
2 Intimately connected with the prosecu.
: ton OF these works is the faithfully keep.
E ing. on our part, inviolate, past contracts
and engagement with our creditors. Il
will require the utmost economy and pra.
, dence to preserve the credit and contracts
, of the State unimpaired.
take this occasion, in the commence.
, ment Of my duties, to express to YOU this
| day, and through you to our fellow cifi.
, zens. the assurance. that no effort of mine
shall be spared to keep fair the credit OF
. the State. and faithfully to keep all our
past contracts.
We should now mutually covenant
and agree with each other, as the repre-.
sentati5es Of our people, that we will main
tain at any and every sacrifice, the credit
OF Indiana upon our past engagements;
and that we will not hereafter pledge her
faith for another dollar of public money.
1t is not only our duty to take this position
and keep it firmly, but to go one step fur
Their. BY increased property subject to
taxation. as we'll as new objects ofrevenue.
to be reached by judicious enactments,
we may, 30 soon as the small amount Of
6 per cent. treasury notes now outstand.
ing is provided for. command means to
create Sinking Fund whereby the ex-
tinguishment Of our State debt NAV bs
Immediately thereafter commenced. And
as it must require much de!lberation, and
perhaps the labor Of more Than ono ses-
sion. to perfect such system. il might DO
well that its consideration be speedily en-.
tered upon. With prudence ard econo-
my in our expenditures. and proper ap-
| plicafion of what h as been saved from the