Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-10-31

cussion hut he had hastily noted one or points,
which by the indulgence Of .e Convention, he would
throw The gentleman who had just concluded
his remarks had had declared himself 10 be Instructed
in favor of this proposition. He did not blame him,
therefore, Cor the support which he gave H. He (Mr
3D. should probably do the thing under the
circumstances but that gentleman had expressed his be-
lief that large majority Of the people of the State
in favor of biennial trennia sessions. He (Mr.
was In favor of neither the contrary, his course
heretofore had shown him to he empaticaly IN lavor oil
annual sessions and the why he desired to
word upon this question now was. because beesred the
impression OF the gentleman from Clark Mr. r. was hnt
true ard aborng under the fear that the resolution
would pass he unwilling to let the vote without
saying few words II seemed TO him that the success
of this proposition would be progressing in retrogadc
direction 1t would be impossible for argument such
he had yet heard :. favor Of It, TO convince him that
this would not he removal OF the power which belong
ed to the people further from its original source What
the objection to annual sessions! 1t was that they
induced too much legislation. But he denied that the
remedy was make the sessions biennial. Why it
that they had much egislationl He affirmed that
this evil incident to every new government. This
newly settled State made up, from year year. of
minds taken from every section of the Union, and every
part of the world; aud it was inevitable that amongst
men educated under every form OF government upon
earth, there would be conflicts of opinion in leesaton
till they should all become whoe-hearted Hoosiers-a
designation which he in the habit of using, and it
was one to be proud Of What the object of legis
laton2 1t give form and expression the opin
ions OF the peoples and he held, that the oftener they
proach perfect republican government. He admitted
that too much legislation evil; but too much pow
to egislate was, asd could be, evil.
He would allow the people express their opinion Of
ten possible; and absurd it might seem he would
/ If possible require the Legislature to meet otencr
than wear, whenever it necessary He de-
sired gentlemen distinguish carefully between the
and the abuse OF good thing; between making of
the legislative power for the advantage of the people,
and curng the power of the Legisatuse He maintained
that time would this evil and that nothing hut time
IA
it would he found that the Legislature would Just do
twice much business session. Besides, the people
would like suffer under the effects of bad laws for
long period two wears Hasfy legislation was an
evil and therefore they should have hasty method Of
remedying the evil and this oil the reasons why
he would never cast vote to restrain the power of leg
islaton. 1t axiom in his notions of government
that the moment delegated power was removed farther
from its original source that step taken
toward despotism. A despotism nothing more Than
governmen where this power far removed from
the people, that there remedy short of
to revolution. A pure democracy mpracticahle;
but he would not render it still more mpractcable by
carrying political power still farther away from its right
FIJI source
There was much room for ampifieation in the point
which he had taken namely, restricting the powers
legislation But he would not detan the Conven-
ton to elaborate it. The people themselves had the
remedy in their hands, against the excuses of leg
isaton, in the right of instruction Did their Repre-
senaves make many laws let the people tell them
and warn them .ainst it, But If the accountability
of their agents the sovereign power postponed
two years the evil would be made worse. The further
the accountability of ofcer-was removed from the
sovereign power, the wider the departure from the
true idea of democracy a republican government.
! He assumed that the popular expressions Of opinion
the only induces OF what the law ought TO be
and, as lie had before said ii it practicable he
would have it contrved, that the expression Of the
popular will could be taken oener than year.
The oitener these agents met the sovereign pow
er, the more faithful would be the express ON OF the
popular Will But, to seal up this expressol for two
years. would he take stepin direction adverse
the progress OF true democracy He would give oppor
tunes for the frequent expressions of the popular
will The oltener the better And the higher the
grade of civilization, the necessity for the appca
ton of this doctrine For going into barbarous nations,
would be found that they have but few laws, handed
down from generation to generation but few notions of
right and wrong which continue from age to age. The
more enlightened the people, the intricate
their wants. For this reason, aso he could never con-
sent to take the retoGrade step proposed In the resou
ton He would keep the delegated power as near as
possible to the sovereign power Why, 1t was one of
the troubles in the Judiciary of this country that justice
could not he obtained speedily as desirable. And
what was the remedyl Why, to make the sessions of
the courts frequent possible. Under the present
judicial arrangements for the State when the court
meets only in six MONTHS mans rights were liza
bic to he delayed for that length of time Whereas,
whensoever justice inrinoed her sword should be
ready to redress the wrong This the perfection of
government in theory; and, although 1t could not be
strictly attained in practice yet better to approx
innate towards it, than retrograde from it. He was
willing TO stand still in reference TO the matter before
the Convention hut he unwilling retrogradc he
was unwilling to take step in direction contrary to
/ the true remedy.
He feared the result of the determination of this qucs-
tion by the Convention and for that he had
tempted in this manners briefly to deter them from hasty
action But, If gentlemen were instructed, they would,
of course, accordingy and if their Instructions
were to adopt the propositions he would he satisfied that
the public had been expressed But, at present,
he was slow to believe that such was the mind of the
His -QE noxx fHa
He had always expressed the views that he had
indicated-hat biennial sessions not the
dy for the evil complained off that the evil was inher
en in all the States, which time alone would
rect Every that came the State from Penny
MIA Ohio any other State, or perhaps foreign
country, brought along with him his notions of law
which he had imbibed in his childhood Could uni
formy oil legislation be expected amongst such peo-
plel could gentlemen expect to attain that uniform
ity by muzzling the voice of the peoplel Experience
had already shown. that after time this vibration of
public opinion would gradually settle down upon the rule
of right then he would let time do its work He would
muzzle the popular expression, much less would he
put such principle this in the orga mic law, which
might b, again changed for a quarter of century
But he would not dctain the Convention. These were
his views. They somewhat abstract, he confess
ed but they could be made practical. He had confined
himself to few general ideas, upon which he thought,
perhaps, every would find food for reflection He
could not expect to change the mind of any who
had maurely considered the subject. But he had
experience in dealing with the minds of others, and
knew how to respect difference of opinion He enter
tanned these views correct beyond doubt; and,
therefore, he advocated them He expressed his opin-
ions freely nd il they could benefit others he should be
glad of it, and if not at least he enjoyed the reflection
of having discharged his duty.
Mr. ALLEN said, that he was in favor OF triennal in
stead of biennial sessions hut seemed that majority
of the Convention ia favor of biennial sessions and
the Convention having voted down trennia sessions, of
course he would for biennial sessions The
reasons urged hy the gentleman from Tippecanoe Mr.
Clark for annual sessions OF the very rea
sons why he would vote for biennial sessions He had