American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-10-25
TIE COnssituslon Of Ohio.


in cur opinion. greatly impede the pros
perity Of The State, and which We would
be very glad therefore 70 see changed
weats mdch opposed to making frequent
changes in as solemn an instrument as a
State Constitution. The very word i'm
ports something 6xed and permanent. "A
fundamcntallaw. Hence we regard that as
a very unwise provision in The present Con-
sttution of this State. which requires the
people to vote every twenty years upon
the question, :"shall there be Convention
to revise, alter or amend the Constitution?"
A Constitution should only contain gem
eral limitations upon the power Of the Le-
gislature calculated to secure the liberties
Of the people from encroachments. 1t
should not go beyond this, and seek to leg
.islate for posteri,y. Whenever a Consti-
tuition Is subject to be amended at stated
periods. aud contains limitations upon the
power of the Legislature in regard to al.
most everything which can become the
subject of Legislation, it becomes a mere
hindrance to the passage of useful laws.
not an instrument restraining tyrannical
and oppressive Legislation. The great fault
of the present Constitution Of Ohio is that
it legislates too much. and restraints the
power Of the General Assembly in regard
to many matters in which it should have
been left at liberty.
A striking example of this. is found in
the provisions OF the present Constitution
relating 10 taxation, which have involved
the commercial interests of Ohio in en-
barrassments from which they cannot be
believed until the Constitution has been
amended in the slow manner pointed out
by that instrument. The old Constitution,
under which Ohio hourshed for near fifty
years, contained no provision at all in re-
lation to taxation; yet, when had any State
ever more equal and just tax-law. than
that passed in 1876? Taxation is sub
ject, above all others. in regard to which
Constitution makers should not interfere,
for We know from sad experience in Ohio,
what ruinous consequences may flow from
the incorporation Of false principle of tax.
alton into the Constitution.
We think, then, that our Fundamental
Law would be in much better condition
were every provision in it relating to tax
alton swept away. We are willing to trus
the representatives elected by the people
to give us from time TO time such tax-law'
as may suit the changing necessities o
our commercial and enterprising State.
One OF the most unwise and uneallet
for provisions of the new Constitution il
contained in Sec. 7, Art. XIII. 1t provides
that, "No act of the General Assembly au
thosizing associations with bankingpow
shall take effect until it shall be submitte,
to the people at tie general election mex
succeeding the passage thereof. and be ap
proved by a majority of all the electors 70!
ing at such election" Uuaer this pre-
'ision, although the business interests {
Ohio demand an immediate increase c
banking facilities, and although majorif
Of Tho representatives. whom the peopi
have Just elected are favorable to gvin
the people liberal and safe system @
banks. yet it is impossible to get any sys
tenn into operation for moro than a yea
yet. owing to the section Of the Constitu
ton above quoted. Thus, will the mex
Legislature of Ohio be compelled to Sc
every department of business embsrrass
ed. while the power OF granting that relie
Of which there is such a pressing necess
ty, viii be taken away by an unwise pre-
vision of the Constitution.
The people of Ohio have imposed tw
important tasks upon the next Legislature
, 1t must. in the first place, devise and pre-
pose such amendments to the Constitu
ton as will effectunlly unclog the whce
of legislation. In the second place, it mu'
prepare sound and safe system Of bsnl
ing, such as will be fully commensurat
with tho business wants Of Ohio at Til
crisis. a .1'
RARE PLANr.--The Cincinnati Con
mercial of the 26th inst, contains the 70
lowing account of rare plant, exhibite