The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1851-02-04
Rob,t Dale Gwen, Speech.

lesteTudy We utNo'tu 'oi!siuci1oo sP''ee
to The review of Mr.. Owens speechE in de-
fence Of the new Constitution. or OF the Con-
vention now forming it. To-day. we again
alude to it, because we do not think all the
opinions therein expressed, are tenahle, and
because Mr.. Owen, being Il close neiglbor
and gentleman of influence, we think his
speech meriling more attention than lift had
come from many another source.
MIR. Owen has taken peculiar way and
way peculiar TO himself. and from its very
popularity, we should suppose, receiving APP
pIause in the Conventional defending the
length CT this pro- racled session. He thinks
the present Convention should leave 10 hing
undone-ihe old Constitution should be thor
oughIy repaired. He aIiuhes TO the Conv'n-
ton which in three weeks formed the Consii-
tuition under which Indiana has grown to be
the fifth State in the Union. He defends the
length Of this session by rather rcprCbaiing
the shoriness OF that. and says that if lis
members had remained sitting in Convention
three years, and each member had received
suit of their abors six additional lines, six
lines added by this wise Convention, provi-
ding that the Legislature shall not have pow
er to contract public deot nor 10 engage the
State as "A stakeholder in any corporation, nor
to loan lis credit TO any individual or assocIa-
tion-the expense incurred by their ltbors
would have been the best money ever ex-
pended by the State, or paid by the people
Whether the abuse of good is sufficient rea-
son for lis abolition is doubtful. But not TO
argue that-there may be two deductions
drawn from Mr.. Owens remarks-eiiher that
this Convention may sit for an unlimited
time, and at an unlimited expense. with the
hope of ultimately finding six other lines by
which to save this State few million or
that the old Convention having in short
session been guilty of one error, this Conven-
ton has an excuse for sitting very long
time 10 avoid a similar mistake II there can
be any other deduction, we should like to
hear it-and both Of these are ridiculous in
the extreme.
II Indiana has suffered so much from the
want Of these notable SIX lines. she certainIy
should be able to profit from her experience
without being restricted by section in the
new Constitution, which will forever prevent
her from borrowing money or using her cred
it, as our lest business men do, in times OF
particular emergency, or where she is sure to
realize great benefit by so doing. NewYork
is at this time an example of the folly of hi,
legislation, if we mistake not. By her Con-
stituton she is prevented from doing all this
Her great Canal has been seriously injured
by railroads and other Improvements, Which
are yearly increasing. She wants to wider
this Canal inimedia ely, so as TO compete
with conflicting interests, which il would th,I
be enabled to do. A sinking fund provided b,
the profits of this Canalwoud no, complei,
the improvement Tor fifteen or sixteen year,
probably. What is she to do She canno
borrow money. although if she had the priv
ilege it would be OF undoubled enormous ben
eft to her. She is virtm to Just such
clause in her CONSTITUTE ion as is now sough
to be forced upon this State. But this Is 10
the time TO argue this question.
We fully agree with Mir. Owen in hi
views of the importance of Il Convention, me
for the purpose oil forming new Coustitu
ton for large and rapidly growing State.
Mr. Owen throws from the shoulders of tn
Convention, the responsibility Of publish
ing the debates, yet claims for them wonder
full Importance. Whether they will prove 5
valuable to the people as he thinks, and wi
remunerate them Tor the heavy cost of put
fishing. we are much Inclined TO doubt.
any citizen wishes TO form distinct IDEAS of AN
section embodied in the new Constitution, "
advise him not to read the debates Oh IL. II
will rise from them confused aud prrplexe
ard generally with u much less distinct ide
of the right or wrong OF the NATTER tia
when he sat down. He will find in the in
mense mass Of chat, a few grains oil whea
Prorudng from every corner, lie will see den
agogueism. I" Buncombe +" will stare him
the face on every page. Sophisiry, and sp
cial pleading, and gassy speeches, made Il
home popularity will be found crowdng
euffocation the common sense and practica
Remarks from Mr.. Owen will be found in d
most every days debates. and on almost e
cry conceivable subject. As we have beio
did him the justice to say, he throws sos
light on almost every subject he touches, q
though it is an ignus Jatuus light,irequenll
and he occupies time that might be employ
by worse speakers-yet his light is hidd,
under great many bushel measures
words, and will hardly repay time spent
perusal. Ii is very natural Tor Mr. Owen