The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-12-29

the question, OF noldtn9 CONVENTION ioi the
purpose OF amending the the Constitution OF the
State There are no evidences before the Legs
l,ture. so tar as we are able to Judge, that the
people desire such a question submitted to
them and certainly the Legislature would hardly
be justified in taking position of so much i'm
portance without general expression from the
people authorisng action upon the subject. A
Course contemplating radical charges IN the
fundamental law of the State, should be enter
ed upon with goodly degree of caution and at
ter mature reflection. The constitution has not
been in force sufficient length of time yet, to
fully test its qulites; and if it had, there is al
ways great danger in tamperng with, and
changing such laws.
1t is often the case that the people are made
worse, than better, by such changes Under
the present constitution, our state has moved
along for six years prosperously and our people
are in the enjoyment of every blessing. which
freedom from debt, an extravagant system OF
Internal improvements and exhorbitant taxes,
could crown them with. Industry and econ
omy mark the career of the husbandman,
high state of mental cultivation begins to pre-
dominate among our rising population and a
general thrift and prosperity pervades every
class of society For these blessings we are
indebted in very great measure, to the wisdom
of these who framed our fundamental laws
These laws have been in force but short time
Shall we propose then, TO barter away all these
blessings, by tamperng with the constitution,
and at time too when we are almost ready to
go mad upon the subject of Internal Improve
mentss Shall we run the risk, by opening the
door to revision and alteration, of adopting such
the weather. class of community? Shall we
allow the state to become deeply involved in
debt, to run into profiigate legislation and ex-
:ravagant improvements, to encourage an inhat-
ed state of public credit and prosperity and call
down upon the devoted heads of our people, a
system of taxation which must weaken their
energies cripple their resources, and promote
poverty, discord and unhappiness' These are
questions which appeal directly to the sound
judgement and discrimination ofeyery rejecting
citizen and they should admonish those who
realize their force, to meet the issue with that
tirness and determination, becoming to the faith
full and consistent adherent to old fashioned
democratic principles. We are by no means
opposed to submitting this question to the peo-
pie, when it can be fairly shown, that majority
of the citizens of the state desire it, but we do
not wish to see the Legislature act upon the
noisy clamor of few interested individuals or
the vague surmise of members of the Legisla
ture, in SO grave matter, as that of radically
changing the fundamental law of the state.
Iowa Cry. Dec. 23rd 1852.
bill restricting the interest on money was
discussed in the Senate to day by Messrs
Shields, Henderson,, Preston Love, Leffingwell,
Hepner, Clark and others. The interest limited
in the bill is ten percent, with a penalty of ten
percent for the benefit of the School fund,
when violation of the law is established, the
borrower to be proper witness in all cases
There is but little, if any doubt, that the bill
will become law. We doubt much the expe-
diency of any such law, believing that money
like every thing else, is regulated by the demand
and supply of the market Laws have little
effect to change the rates Of money, although if
too stringent, they may keep money out of the
country. Money always has been and always
will be regulated by the demand and supply. A
bank entrenched with all the legal restrictions,
that human ingenuity could devise, was never
established in the world, that it did not violate
it's Charter, il the market value of money was
more, than it's charter restriction. Their dis
counts are always regulated by the state of the
market When the market exponds their dis
counts are easy and when it contracts, the dis
counts are tight
An effort was made in the Senate on Wed
nesday to adjourn the Legislature from Friday
the Oath inst, to Monday the 3rd of Jany, but
it failed.
On the 22nd inst, MIR. Lewis Of Dubuque
presented the petition of II. w. Sanford and 30
others asking an extension of the City limits
OF Dubuque, and moved that the reading be
disposed with, and that the petition be referred
to the members from Dubuque, which was car
ried.
Numerous petitions were presented asking the
removal of the capital to Fort Des MONIES,
which were referred to appropriate committee S.
had almost forgotten to inform you that
Messrs Holt & Mahony have been here during
the session, laboring for various projects antag-
onistic TO the interest of the North and the
county of Dubuque. In the first place, their
great paramount object, was the defeat OF Gen
Jones, which they were sworn to accomplish
and which they boasted that they could and
would accomplish. Holt, pred,cted-immacu
late prophet! FIVE minutes before the democratic
members convened in Caucus, that Gen. Jones
would not get 16 votes. But sure enough the
Doctor proved himself neither a prophet, nor
the son of a prophet. Gen. Jones was nomi-
mated on the 1st ballot and so far from his
strength being l6 votes or less, his strength was
50 against "a votes, which was the vote, for the
adoption of the "t,co third rule" The "t,oO
third rule was proposition brought forward