The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1851-06-12

less political power than belongs to themi
It !s for the purpose Of perpetuating that
power in the hands oflhose to whom il
is given, upon the assumption that il will
be better used by them. than by those to
whom it belongs.
9th. Whenever tbree.6fths Of each
branchof the General Assembly shall a.
gree to any amendment TO this Conslitu.
ton and such amendment shall be adopt
ed by vote of the people. it shall be-
cume part Of the Constitution. This is
a new and untried provision. AS far as
we know, it is not found in the Consti.
tuition of any sister State. By it ours
may aud probably will be kept continu-
ally changing, when all experience shows
that such instruments, of all others, an.
swer best the purposes Of good govern.
ment, when they are adopted in form
TO remain fixed and permanent. We fear
that no good effects can Aow from this
experime attempting To keep
the General Assembly and the people
continually at work perltcling and alter.
ing their organic law. .-.
9TH. The Constitution authorizes the
General Assemblyto tax the stocks of the
United States and Of this State. held and
owned by our citizens. 1t has frequently
been decided by the Supreme Court of
the United States that no State has any
power To tax the stocks Of the United
States. Oar State stocks were mostly. if
not all, issued for money borrowed Lnder
laws providing expressly that we would
neverimpose any ;axupon them. We sup.
Pose that provision to be part of those
contracts and the State To be bound. not
only by the principles of law, but by the
principles of good faith also, to abstain
from such taxation. We are quite Ger.
tain that this provision of the Constitu-
lion can never produce any Of the proper
fruits of taxation. but that it will be tie
source of strife and litigation, ia which
Ohio will always be beaten and disgrac
ed. We are unwilling tn sanction an ef.
folt to do that, which we know in ad
vance we have no power To do, and are
equally unwilling to unite in an allemp
To violate the plighted faith of the State
whose good faith and integrity her peo
pie in all times past have SO successful!
ly guarded and protected.
Finally, fellow citizens, thi
Constitution. in many of its details, par
takes more of the nature of Guide o
Laws, than Of Constitution, which we
suppose should cmbody the Fundamental
principles OF the Government and creat
the machinery necessary for its admins
tration, and then leave the measures o
State policy to be carried out by tn
people at the balot.box and by the pas
y sage Of wholesome laws by the Genera
. Assembly. ....
We dislike all the provisions in thi
Constitution which bind and tetter tn
e energies of the people. We fear il
/ practical effects will be blighting to tn
!. future prosperity of the State aud its CT
h izens. We shall therefore vote again
IS lis adoption; and wo now commend ii
g subject TO your consideration, as one wo
d thy of your deliberations aud in whit
% the best hopes aud prospects cf our Sta
e and people are greatly involved ..
d George Sanderson, John I. Brasee,
. p. Van Trump. P. B. Ewing,
D. Isaac Conner. HI, H. Hunter,
Is John ID. Martin. George Weaver,
OF George Kaufman. William Phelan,
of Henry Miers, George II. Smith,
e, T. V. Reber, James R. Pearce,
NJ Nigh. John N. Little,
DuN'r TAKE 1T We hear some arg
in favor of the now constitution Tor On
-, after this ashinn:-
- 20, we'll now, | know there are so
bal things in the new constitution,