Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-01-24

in which this demand may be satisfied II
provides FOR authorizing associations with
banking powers, by act Of the General As
sembly, 10 be submitted to the peopie at
the next general election, and not 10 tnkc
effect. unless then approved by majority
Of all the vsters. Ia framing such sn ,ct,
should you deem it expsdicnt 10 exercise
the power thus vested in you, the utnos,
care should be used 70 secure the prompt
md certain ccnvertibiity OF every note s.
sued, into gold or silver coin, upon demand
OF the holder, TO prutec, the community T..
gdinst all abuses Of granted powers; and 10
guard agairs, the evils Of monopoly by ex-
tentjng the bcEests Of the act to all who
viii give the ample securites ea1 culran-
ties which you will, doobtles1, require .Ho
general objection exists to mixed currency
oi coin and notes exchan.eabe for coin Il,
the will Of the holder without loss; while
ali mere paper money syste;as, prsgnaui
will fraud and fruitful o. ruin, Justly incur
universe re2roJation.
For severn! years past the law has a.
lowed contracts iUr interest T.. the raj. o.
ten per ccntum. There seems to Ia ~
valid reason why the capitalist shcs,d be
encouraged to demand 80 large a proportion
o! the earnings Of the producer and the
profits Of the manufacturer and the yer
chant. ] therefore respectfully suggest a
material reduction Of the maximum rate D.
lowed.
| need not commend 70 your iCi.c.9rs
consideration the Educational and Be-
nevolent Institutions OF the State. rniser-
sal Education is our chespes. defence, and
surest safeguard, and most euturins wealth.
Our Common Schools, which secure tJ ths
people this. great benefit, are hrmly es.ub.
Iished in their affections, end will Justly
claim the fostering care Of their re,resan-
tatves. Our Besevoieni Institutions are L
noble complement to our educational ayS-
TEN. Their existence honors the State
aud every patriotic citizen must fee deep
interest in their improvement and pro.peti-
ty. The du'y Of the State will not be fully
performed ua,il the benefits OF ,hese insti,u-
tions shall be extended 10 all, without i..-
linctiOn, who need their care.
The organization and discipline OF tie
Militia will require your early consideration.
The laws on this subject need thorough re-
vision TO adapt them to the require nen!5
Of the Constitution. Adequate provision
should be made for the enrolment Of 81
citizens liable to military duty, in order =
secure t, the State her due proportion Of
the public arms. NJ necessity, however,
seems TO demand actual seryics from an;
who d, not feel disposed - perform it,
Efficiency and energy will probably De bet
ter secured BY the jniciou. encouragement:
Of voluntary Organization. The patriotism
Of individual citizens. proPesI, sanctioned
and supported by legislation, will doubtIo..
supply military tofce fully csnPs,ent to
all the exigcncies Of police, and TO whai.
ever more serious contin.eDsies may pos.
siby arise. ....
The constitution Ct the Safe provides
for its own amendment, and assigEs TO the
Legslature the duty Of proposing salh
mod icatons as experience suggests. Chan-
ges in the fuaiamsnial law sh0uli =Yar be
nils with cau;.on; but ar2aHIments which
commend themselves by Ih-i- Intrinsic merits
to the judgment OF the Legislature, aud
seem to be demanded also BY a general
opinion among tn. people, hays d iIs.
claim TO be submitted 10 the fina! tc,L Of
pJpIlar decision at the ?oI7.
'rira, tho p,npla src lAe source OF all
political power is tine fundlmcn;a, principle
Of ,,democrauc institutions. To secure a
true and complete expression Of the popular
will must therefore be leading object in
every system Of representative government.
And this object cannot be attained unless
representation be SO aPportioned am9ng the
different parts of Stule as to give n
each lis just weight in legislation and ai,
ministration. Il is obvious that tharc san
De no complete expression of the popular
will unless the representative he brought
into the closest possible relations OF sym
pathy and responsibility win MS coasutu-
ents; and that there can be No Just aPpor-
,oHmsnt where the representation of one
part OF State is 50 arranged as u give ~
its delegation in the Legisla:4re = greater
share st political power than 10 given to
the delegations OF other parts of equal po-
Pula;on. .... ......
i, cannot wei! be denied that un.J.n
systc" of single districts will best secure
proper choice of repre- sentatlyss, and their
due responsibility to The people, unG lair
distribution Of political power.
Where one representative is chosen to
represent one district, there will necrssari.
ly be the most careful scrutiny OF glaiitica.
tion; the least liability TO Risiulermslioa
AID mistake; the closest sympathy in opin-
ion aud purpose; the NEST vigilsnt observs-
ten OF representative action; and the Iva
liest sense OF representative responsibility.
Where more representatives, than one are
chosen FROM the same district, all these
securities are sensibly impaired. Oppor-
tunity is afforded fer unwarraRtabis combi-
nation among aspirsnts and their partizans;
the people are disabled from informing
themselves thoroughly as to the character
and qualifications of candidates; and the
decisions OF the majority OF delegation,
conformed to the interests of party, are apt
20 be substituted, as guides of represents.
live action, for the will OF the constituency,
delefm ned By true regard for the in-
terests of The people. ... ... .-
In the Convention which framed our
present State Constitution, the subIsct oi
representation was much discussed. Dy
many OF the most enlightened and most
respected N mbers CT that boiy, of all po-
littraI nartias iha diViSinn nf .ha Nt,,a ;n,,