Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1851-05-31
No the PeoDIe 81 OIio.

you have ever given-one that effects not only
your own interest," but the millions who are
to come after you. But so far there appears
to be an apathy pervading the public mind on
the subject, which is very unfayorable TO that
free discussion demanded by the OCCASION
The new constitution. formed by the late con-
vention. is now before the people for their rat
i6cation or rejection. and its provisions ought
to be seriously and inspartiolt examined by
every individual voter before casting his ballot
on the 18th of June. Such examination should
be made as far as possible without any party
bias, which, howeyer,it may govern in refer
encs to the passing interests, ought never to
be allowed by any good citizen, TO sacrifice To-
itself the rights Of others and Of posterity. /,
None will deny that, in some respects. the
new constitution possess advantages over the
old If the Convention had contented itself
with carrying out those measures of Wholesome
demanded by the masses, such as stripping
the legislature of that power of patronage
which they have so often abused, and placing
the election of all officers in the hands of the
people, without attempting to fetter the rights
of posterity to legislate for themselves, there
could have been no complaint It is claimed
that the power of taxing equally all property,
expressly declared in the new constitution,
conferes great benefit on the state, to which
the reply is; that power sristsd as fully under
the old constitution az it can under the new,
for. the clause vesting all legislative power in
the Legislature. confers. ALL POWER, on this
subject, as completely as can be done by any
subsequent language; for the established rule
in constructing Stale constitutions is, that all
power is invested in the hands of the Legis.
lature, that is not expressly denied by the con,
stitution ITSELF or the fundamental law of the
Union-a rule of construction reverse to that
applied in constructing the constitution of the
United States. ~ .sa W
The great objection to The new constitution
which should be canvassed by every voter in
the State, are its provisions in relation to In.
ternal improvements, the State Credit and the
equal Apportionment Of representations "a
tai principal that lies al the very foundation
of republican government and if he is satisfied
that the provisions of the instrument in thest
respects are demanded for the future welfare
of the State, that they meet out equal jussic,
to all. or that however obnoxious they may b,
in themselves, there are no other considers
tions overrulng these objections as well as th,
additional one of the greatly increased ex
pense Of the new government, then be ough
to vote forits ratification.
First, then, the provisions in reference .,
Internal Improvements are such that ever.
practical man will admit, that in future every
thing of this kind will be completely stopped
To talk of hereafter constructing a railroad
plank road, turnpike or bridge, by private as
soeiations, if the new constitution be adopted
will be as great a folly as the Awnbug preached
some years ago, that Banks would be estab
lished under Bartley's famous law. To ex
pect our farmers and others to take stock t.
build a road. which in nine cases out of tel
can yield no profit, but is constructed merely
to improve the country, and thus make them
selves liable TO twice the amount of its stool
for its debts, and be subject at the same tim
to have all their rights swept away at an,
moment by an arbitrary Legislative repeal j
the height of absurdity. Il is hard to divin
the reasons which governed the Convention
inr resisting improvements of this kind, whicl
have done so much heretofore to build up th
prosperity of the State.
If this individual liability and subjection .
Legislative REPEAL had been extended t
banking corporations or to those corporation
only which pay dividends, there might b
some apparent excuse, especially as this ind
vidual liability chiefly benefits the capitalis
creditors of companies, and not the laborerI
who must look TO their individual bargain
with contractors. But as the matter stand.
| it looks as if there had been deliberate cor
spirdcy amongst members representing th
Hamilton county interests and those section
Of the State whose internal improvements ar
complete, to deprive those parts not vet i'm
proved of the advantages they themselves er
Ijoy. Creating thus sort of monopoly in III
railroad companies now in existence by des
troying all chances of competition throug
means of rival routes, and by the same sys
tenn of monopoly drawing all the wealth Of til
State TO Hamilton county by compelling th
people to use the channels Of communicate
now open, and denying the right to open ott
ers. What will the East, the Wheat regio
constituting the backbone of the State, an
the unimproved Northwest, think of such
selfish system of monopoly and iniustice?
Second. The attack on the credit Of th
State is still more insidious, because accom-
plished sZyiy so as to conceal, if possible, froI
the voters of Ohio. who loathe everythin
in the shape of Reputation. A covert attemr
is to be made to tax State and United Stat
bonds. under the section in regard to stock
as was doubtless intended-the letter in
rect violation of the Constitution of the Un
ted States-the former in breach Of the Stat
faith. pledged to the holders at the time tn
bonds were sold, and without which the
would have sold at an amount much less, Q
the sum advanced on them in consequence
of this inducement held out at the time Of sail
more than fully equals all this tax the Stat
could have realized on bonds of the kind ha
no such consideration been held out. Beside
having the effect of driving State stocks ini
foreign hands instead of allowing them to n
main in the hands of our own citizens it il
wolves the great State of Ohio in the naeannS,
Of shaving its own paper. after borrowing tn
money to build those public works which has
contributed so much to the prosperity of ii
! State. Whether the people are willing thu
to tarnish the fair escutcheon of the State b
petty reputation, effecting only its own cit
J. al =.