Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-11-05
Some sophistries from Hon. j. G. Pal
freys Pamphlet.

l.
DR., Palirey, IN his pamphlet upon the Revised
Constitution, remarks
"Make the sheriff the officer, not of the Com.
monwealth, but of the county, and it will be The
countys will, rather than the Commonwealth.
which he may feel concerned to execute. The
population of Boston is not worse than that of
other great cities. Ii is much better than that Of
most others But it embraces elements such as
cannot prudently be trusted with control over the
question whether or not the laws of Massachu-
sets shall be faithfully administered and executed
within 1t. SO take an Illustration from sister
State, what chance OF execution would a process
tor collecting rent have IN an dnti-rent county
with the constitutional power TO choose lis sher.
iff?"
We are surprised at DR.. PaI(rey's ignorance or
rather at his almost cul pable negligence to obtain
information, which must have been ready at
hand. The Constitution of New York, the
State to which he refers, says expressly, Art X.
Sec. L.:
''Sherifs shall be chosen by the electors of the
respective counties, once in every 3 years, and
as often as vacancies shall happen
The Revised Constitution of Massachusetts
makes the same provision But let US continue
the article from the New York Constitution
"rhe Governor may remove any officer, in
this section enumerated within the term for which
ne shall have been eleced; giving to such officer
a copy OF the charges against him and an oppor-
tunlty of being heard in his defence
We presume that DR.. PaIfrey must either be
Ignorant Of, or else must have overlooked pro-
vision IN the Revised Constitution TO similar eff.
feet, which Is contained in Chap. XII Art A.
We do not see but that both the Doctors argu-
men as well as his illustration must fall to the
ground, in view of these facts. To be consistent.
he should object TO the election of representatives,
senators, or councillors, in any other manner than
by vote of the whole people, lest they should
legislate, not for the benefit of the whole Com
monweaIth, but only for their particular towns,
counties, or districts.
DR.. Pallrey complains, on page 9Th, concern
ing the Revised Constitution that,
'Of the mass Of changes, we have no choice
but to take the whole or none.''
And OH page 4th, he says of the Convention of
1920 wiihapproval, that
''Single questions" were submitted by it ''to the
people, TO be by them considered and determined
on their respective merits, separately and inde-
pendently of all other questions sin fourteen
distinct amendments"
Now for the Inconsistency On page 9th, he
says Of the 9th of these amendments, that the
PC'P'o, utOduSe IL tNlDidCeu variety OF pr0Vi-
sions, some intended as they thought TO force the
Others through, voted it down"
And on the same page, he says of the 9th of
these amendments that sit made useful and
popular addition to the provisions respecting the
tenure of the office Of Justice of the Peace !" but
was voted down 'because ii was connected with
and designed TO carry through another provision
restraining the liberty of removal by address, =
Thus on This page alone, showing that two Of
these fourteen were not as he said on page 4th,
submitted separately and Independently of all
other questions"
There are numberless other Inconsistencies and
soprislrles Of similar description.
We know Of no excuse for them, especially
when they are presented to the public upon so
grave subject as the revision of a Constitution !;
aud more especially when they are presented by
person usuallyso exactly accurate and method
Ical as DR.. Palfrey.
Looking at the matter only in a partisan light,
we should say that DR. Palfrey could not have adj
vanced the cause Of tho new Constitution more
than by writing this pamphlet and we should par
ticularly encourage the Wings to persevere 10
their efforts TO circulate it, for we arc sure that
its weak and inconsistent arguments must defeat
the objects which they aim at in its distribution
-~Salem Freeman