The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-06-02
no tne People Of ohio.

But your decision should notbe made upon
this ground. 1t should rest solely upon the
merits of the new frame of goveipinent.
The question is Does the new,constihtion
reflect and embody the wishes and viii of this
people Let us examine
j. The evils of the election of Staie off,
GERS ny the Legislature have long been aIterent
IN this State: The people have earnestiyide-
sired That the election of all officers should De
commltted to their hands. They are the source
OF all power in civil government. They are the
governed, to them alone, should be entrusted
the selection OF the officers by whom that gov
eminent IS administered. In accordance With
TINS clearly expressed wish of the people-il
accordance with the fundamental principles os
liberty the new constitution provides that all
oihceIs' Executive, Legislative and Judicial
shall be elected by the people.
2. AT various times, in both braches of thd
General Assembly of this State, there has beerI
great difficulty in affecting an organization
For weeks the business of the State has beerI
delayed by an equal division of parties and thd
refusal OF either to give way to the other. Tim&
and money have been squandered-the publi@
interests sacrificed from the absence of any pro !
visions III the old constitution by which an or
ganization could be effected and business desH 4
patched in spite of party .preiudices and partI
PRIDE. For this the new constitution has pro
vlded complete remedy. The election of 3
Lieutenant Governor, who is by virtue of hi
office, President of the Senate, will secure thu
organization of that body. All factious delaI
is also prevented by giving him the casting vot
in case of a tie.
The organization of the House of Represent
tstiveS is secured by requiring the mode of sue
organization to be prescribed by law.
3. Upon the subject of public debt tn (
New Constitution contains the most salutarI
provisions. Experience has shown that there Il
an almost inevitable propensity in those wht
manage public affairs to be lavish in the exI
pendlture of the public money. To protect the
people against this lavish and unnecessary
waste-to secure them in the future, against an
enormous public debt like that which now inn
pedes the growth ard prosperity of our State,
the new constitution makes ample provision.
The General Assembly is prohibited from con-
tracing debt over seven hundred and fifty
thousand dollars, except to repel invasion, sup
press msurrection, defend the State in war, OF
to redeem the present outstanding Indebtedness
Of the State.
4. Under the present constitution the Gen.
eral Assembly has been in the habit of exercis-
ing judicial powers. At almost every session
much OF the time Of both houses have been de-
voted to the discussion of questions of divorce
The puohc money and the public time have beer
spent upon subject exclusively pripate. The
New Constitution absolutely prohibits the exer-
else Of this power. "The General Assembl,
shall grant no divorce nor exercise any Judicial
power not herein expressly conferred"
! b. The evils which have resulted from tht
want OF crcumspection in granting corporate
powers have been senSibly felt by the people o.
this State.
There is no reason why corporations shoult
not pay their debts. They should not be dis
tingulshed from individuals in this respect. The
creditors rights should be as inyiolate with cor
porations as With individuals. The simple ques
ton Is Shall the poor laborer, who has il
good faith, with toll and sweat, constructed
some public Improvement, or the rich corpora
tors, be the losers This is the simple question
diveSted of all sophiStry, and every honest
hearted man in the State can give but one an
swer to it.
The New Constitution makes corporation.
liable for their debts and enforces the payment
of them. "DueS from corporations shall be Sc
cured by such individual liability of the stock
holders and other means as may be prescribed
bylaw ; but in all cases, such stockholder shall
be liable over and above the stock by him q,
her owned, and any amount unpaid thereon. tr
a further sum, at least equal in amount to sucl
stock" Is there anything wrong or unjust il
this provision
The State of Ohio has repeatedly pledged hel
faith for the payment of her public debt; ant
there is not man in the State who would no
be insulted at the proposition to repudiate.-
Shall the supreme power of the State confe
upon its creatures what it would spurn to TAX,
10 itself2 Shall it pay its own debts will
pdnctilouS exactness, and not force its creature
to do the Same2 Shall the State have one sys
TEN Of morals for itself and for its people, an
another for corporationsl 1t may be said tha
corporations cannot exist under constitution
which compels them to pay their debts Letu
try the system, and let experience test the trut
or falsehood Of the objection.
6. The taxation of corporations is another i'm
portant reformation introduced into the ne,
Constitution. 1t is well known that indi
vidua!s and corporations have been taxed up
on different principles. The former hav
been compelled to pay taxes upon the Who'll
value of their property, the latter upon thei
profits only. The new Constitution provide
that the property of corporations shall foreve
be subject to taxation, the same as the propert
Of individuals This is equal and exact jus
tice and nothing more.
y 7. The system of apportionment is anothe
decided improvement 2pon the old Constitution
The principle of appoltoning the representa-
tives is fixed and permanent and not waverin
with the ascendency Of political parties I'll
representatives are apportioned among tn
counties every ten years, The Convention di
not think it right to destroy the unity of a coun
ty by dividing its territory for the election {
Senators and Representatives. Where ther
common representation. Upon this plain an
simple principle the Convention have acted i
framing the apportionment system.
Some have said that the apportionment wt
, not just The vote mthe Convention on the (
nal adoption Of the Constitution shows that
was more just than any apportionment made
our legislature,
y. Too much legislation is prevented by II
lquiring laws to be general and uniform in the
! Operation throughout the State. The provsio
/ which requires the yeas and nays to be taken O
the passage of every bill. and concurrence
a majority of all the members Of both house
necessary to the enactment of any law, will b
equally efficacious in preventing hasty and IL
, considerate legislation.
9. Every Constitution is the result of con
promise. 1t was so with our National Constitu
ton. 1t is so with the proposed Constitution
Ohio. Every mans notions Of the province an
lduty of government cannot be realized. What
lever imperfections there may be in the propose
Constitution, they are easily remedied. 1t doe
not renuira the elention and asrnrnhlv of n IN,