Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-06-05

The editor OF the Cleveland Her
aid, after a careful examination Of the
new Constitution, declares his opin-
ion of the instrument as given be-
low:
"Had the present constitution con-
tanned the prohibitions OF the pres
ent organic law, Ohio would have
been at least quarter of a century
behind her present position in popu.
lation, resources, public improve
ments, benevolent institutions, COM
forts Of life, and all that gives char
acter and renown to the State. The
prohibitions, too. are not in keeping
with the spirit Of the age or the spir-
il of the people. Railroads, plank
roads, and other public improve
ments, so necessary in a great agri-
cultural, manufacturing and con-
mercial community, spread over
broad area which nature has most
admirably adapted for the fullest de-
velopment OF the human race, have
just become distinctive features in
the progress of the older portions Of
the West. Mark the pregnant fact,
that at the last session Of the General
Assembly, multitudes of petitions
were sent in by people from all Sec
tions OF the State for chartered pow
ers to construct these roads and pub
lie Improvements, in anticipation OF
the paralizing provisions of the new
Constitution, and charters were gran
ted by scores in accordance with the
wishes Of the sovereigns.
"Thesprohibitions are also unjust
towards the people Of those sections
of the State who have paid, and have
yet TO pay, full share OF the indebt-
edness created under our present con-
stitution and laws, but have not been
directly benefited by the public i'm
provenents. The restrictions, too,
are iminently calculated to arrest the
improvement Of the new and sparce-
ly settled portions of the State-to
check increase of population and
progress in the "rural districts"--and
TO concentrate people and wealth in
important towns and cities.
The new constitution contains
some excellent provisions not found
in the old, and which we should have
been glad to have voted for as amend
ments. The general election Of Off
GERS by the people; biennial sessions
of the Legislature; judiciary sys-
tenn equal TO the wants OF the State;
-codifcation Of the laws and sim.
Plifcation Of the practice; equal tax
alton Of property, banks and corpo-
rations; and securing the inviolability
Of the State credit, are provisions
which we approve. There are 9th
er innovations too repugnant and too
anti.republican to be overcome
Among them are the Withholding the
credit OF the State from any and all
public improvements; the denial to
the citizens Of any county, city,
town or township the right to vote
subscriptions Of stock TO public works
they may deem necessary; p ohibi-
ting the General Assembly from pas
sing any special act conlerriag cor
porate powers; providing that corpo-
rations may be formed under general
laws, but that all such laws may,
from time TO time, be altered or re-
pealed, thus virtually cutting off all
charters and corporations; requiring
the concurrence of a majority OF all
the members elected 10 the legisla-
ture to enact a law; requiring that
Legislative elections shall be ViUa
Uoce; creating new Offices and in
creasing the expenses of the Govern
ment; neglecting TO provide for sin
gle. election districts, thus securing
TO political parties and populous coun-
ties undue weight and influence in
the General Assembly; restricting
many rights long enjoyed by the peo-
pie; and tying the hands Of future
legislators as though all wisdom was
embodied in the new constitution
These are the main considerations
which influence our opinion. As
whole, on "sober, second thought"
we much prefer the old 10 the new,
and shall vote TO reject"
MEETING OF FARMERs.-The Ohio