The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1851-05-28
[TERMsE$1,6o A YEAR
The New Constitution.


laying themselves liable to the imputation Of
Indifference to the great contest on this 9ues- .
ton. 1t is a common remark among the :
obiectors to ratification, that there is no inter-
est felt in the result; but you always find.
before they cease talking, that the wish is
father to the thought. Indifferent No
man who has the welfare Of the State athesrt
can be indifferent for moment, if he viii
but reflect upon the mighty import of the
proposed change in our fundamental law 'ssas
: Heretofore the people Of Ohio have had
no Constitution, in more senses than one.
The present organic law was never promul
gated in any manner prior to its taking ef-
} feet None of the discussions of the Con-
venhon of Chillicothe, none of its proceed
ings, were ever submitted to the people,
The instrument itself was patched up with
three weeks labor, and at once set to work
without imbibing vitality from popular inyes,,.
ltigation or endorsement. 1t is not then a
Constitution approved by the people; it was
only framed by the delegates, and smuggled
Unto existence. 49, ~ ss 80
This Constitution possesses some salutary
features; but it docs not furnish checks and
guards enough against the cncroachments Of
the strong classes upon the weak 1t has
uncalled for and enormous public debts,
badly regulated, wild State and individual =
Speculation, the>cstablishment of heartless
oligarchiessAsnder the shadow and disguise Of
Legislative charters; it has, in short, been
; distorted into a sanction of Legislative and
executive practices, which would, in individ-
! ual members of an honorable community,
draw down everlasting odium. We do not
cav NOR do xra haliava tbaf tbaca ah,,eaa ora 8E
even winked at by the present Constitution,
but VIC do say that its functions of preven- 4
. ton are clumsy and few, and that It's wise
and wholesome provisions are too easily dis
regarded by the designing and tortuous
;, friends of monopoly and exclusive privilege.
The very fact of the outcry for reform,
rung as it was from one end of the land to
, the other year and after year, until even the
Wing opposition took alarm and was com
pelled to kneel to it, proves that the pro-
foundest dissatisfaction prevailed over the
State. The evils producing it are indicated
by recurring to the main points of contest
evolved during the late Constitutional Con-
vention The main objects Of the progress
s.ve party, representing the sense and intel
ligence Of the masses in that Convention, was
to restrict legislation to general action; to
implicit, thorough and frequent responsible.
'ity; to interpose an effectual check to the
widening inroads of corporations upon the
natural and civil rights of individuals; to )
prevent specializing Legislators from involving
future generations into debts for local pur-
poses; and to restore that purity to the gem
eral administration of affairs without which
6 both the moral and material interests of the
people are daily exposed to damage from the
policy OF the Federal party under the pres
ent Constitution. These great ends were
more nearly attained-these saluary features
more nearly approximated in the new Con-
stituton, that many people hoped when
they sent forth the fiat Of reform gss
i The new Constitution, then, is emphati-
cally liberal, progressive document 1t
/. rescues the rule of popular concerns from
irresponsible and selfish influences. Itstrikes
, a deathblow at the bloated arrogance Of
: wealth, and places the means of prosperity
IN the hands of labor. 1t puts the hand Of
taxation into the pockets of all men and per-
sons alike. No man can huddle his hun
/ tdreds Of thousands into the Golfers of cor
Iporation, and go on augmenting his fortune,
without paying equally with the poor man
for the support Of the government, under
whose protection he enjoys his property and
grows rich. 1t sets bounds to existing cor
porations, and imposes barriers to the crea.
ton OF all other new ones than those which
the people may from time to time decree.
Where the old Constitution is vague. this 10
explicit and plain; where the old was want
ling this is complete; where the old was ca
pable Of perversion to the detrimemt Of pop.
ular welfare, this bristles with popular pro-.
J lection. Thisis emphatically the 4 PEorLE's
; CoNsTrrUToN." If they desire tosbe goYasa
erned by good fundamental law, adapted
: to their own powers, wants and number. and
to those of generation or two of their chill
ldren, they will vote for the adoptio.. of the
, new Constitution. They win thus displaes
!, one which the people never did adopt,i for q
one which they will have adopted They
, will be governed by q written record Of their
own viii, and not by that Of d small number
of men who forgot their constituents. ~
I If they do not desire these things they
will be as their enemies say they are, and der
! sire them to be, Indifferent. No people ever
! were indifferent" to public question
: who did not suffer, sometimes most orisv.
lOusiy by the decision Of that question. Let
J them see to it that they do not thus ineura&
jmost woful consequences from an upfarora.w
4 be decision upon the present. momentous
tissue. Let them vote for the new ConEtitH-
tion. Ohio Statesmen. aA la
Popping the Question. ~s