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


therefore, no less than "rincire, Feems to
recommend annual rather than biennial
sessions.
There are some collateral considerations,
tsndicg to the same conc'u lion, which should
not be overlooked.
The present Constitution allows 10 a.
msnaasnt Of its provisions, except such a,
NAV be agreed to by thrrc-6f,hs Of the
members of each House, and by \ majority
of the electors voting at the next election
for Senators and Representatives. H. to-
lbws that no amendment of the Constitu-
lion can b. made, however unanimously
sanctioned by the Legislature or demanded
BY he people, until two years ater il shall
have been proposed The substitution o.
annual for biennial sessions will necessarily
require annuil elections for Senators and
Representatives, and will thus remove this
needless and disparsging restriction upon
the exercise OF the popular sovereignty.
Il 80 happens, also, that the terms OF
sens,ors from this State in Congress of
the United States, expire during the second
years Of the biennial periods. Every elec-
tibn Of Senator, therefore, while our State
Constitution shall remain unamencsd, must,
under ordinsry circumstances. take place
more than year before the expiration OF
the current term, and nearly two years be-
fore The Senator elect will take his seat -
I, NAV sometimes occur that Senator thus
chosen 90 long in advance Of the COM
1rncement Of his term, viii by no means
represent tn. sentiments or the will OF the
people. when he actually enters upon the
performance ui his ofbciaI duties.
Th,s, who are accustomed To- look to the
Sat Cover meuts Tor the maintenance Of
State x gb,s and the security o. personal
rights, viii find another reason for "A pre-
ference OF annual to biennial sessions, in
the obyib consideration thgt while the
ses,ions ot Congress are annual, an! those
oil the S!ata Legislature are only biennial,
the regards Of the people wll b. more aud
v, ,ro absorbed by the former, aud less and
less attracted by the latter. No well wisher
10 the psrnsncnce Of American institutions,
will desire to augment the tenocncy, already
too appreut, towards the absorption Of the
State in a centralized aud consolidated
TsIeri, Government.
10 SOMETIMES urged as tn argument in favor
of biennial: aud every argument drawn
from th4 important principle OF public
economy, il certainly entitled to respectful
soadiers,ion. Bat think it may well be
s&rmed, that in this instance, the urgumen nt
Of economy is not valid. Without tu.
king into the account the COS. to the State
0. the mischief arising from the delay OF
needed legislation it must be remembered
,k,, IN. accumulation, through two years,
Of business demanding the attention Of the
General Assembly, will require protractsd
sessions for ito due consideration. The
time needed for two annual sessions is not,
necessarily, greater than that required for
ems biennial session. The argument from
EXPENSE, therefore, may be readily obviated
ky a proper limitation Of duration, and tho
question Of preference muy be reduced to
a simple choice, irrespective Of expense
between lim tied annual sessions, and un-
lin tied bienniul with occasional extra ses.
sions. Ny own judgment is 50 thoroughly
satisfied upon the whole matter, that | can
not hesitate 10 recommend an smendmeni
Of the Constitution, providing for limited
annual sessions.
Your Hrst and most earnest attention
gentlemen, will doubtless be directed to the
Imv ,rtsot nitter. within the inmeIate
sphere Of your legislative powers; but you
e.nno, lorget tina, you represent a sovereign
State Of the American Union. third OF ths
thirty.one, IN wealth. and power, and popu
tstion, aad second 10 none in patriotic de-
votion to the welfare OF the whole Coun-
try. The appointment Of Senator to
represent The State In one branch Of the
American Congress devolves upon you. aud
IN making this appointment you will neees.
ssrily be required to consider the interests
oil Ohio 40 a mernber Of the Union.
ForrmrH amvng these interests Il the
preservation q, the Unnn i.elr Establish
sd by the wi dom % "ur r theirs for the
sublimess snd ncblrst D'l tlcs! ends, II de-
scends 70 ~ n n sacred 'rdst. Under its
beni1n influence our country has steadily
advanced from Strength To strength, and
frJu greatness 1" gre''nrs extending her
borders, enl,rgi'g her r"soHrc"s, ard iug-
meu'iry her p"S"r. until tho name VI
AnsrIcsr c,t,z.n hls bee me n'bl'r dl5-
,inc,i.n th,n va. III n,in' oi Ronln c,tizrn
Ia ,hs pr, ,Ar.' dtys ,f he IN g,'iest r"pub-
lie OF snt1pi'v. 70 mhntaln the integrity
o. this Uppn; To defend tho Constitution
which i.l;s bond; and TO guard against I'll
invasion from whslever quarter those Amer.
iran Iusiiuiious which thu Union unl the
Constitution scGure to Us, have ever been.
ana I ;ro+t will ever b., acknowledged
ns sacred obligations by tho people of
I hio.
Cheri.hin! these sentiments & ever prrpnr.
cd to give full proof OF unwaver'ng fidelity
10 them, u, ID not only our right but our
duty 70 insist that the ints cats Of Ohio shall
bs duly regarded in The administration OF ,hs
General Government.
Few States contribute so largely 10
the slionAl revenues M our own The
people OF Ohio have paid 10 the Federal
Government or TO its grantees, for the soil
which they occupy and cultivate, more than
thirty millions Of dollars. OF the revenue
derived from duties we contribute necessarily
in proportion 10 our numbers.
A. thy nooulatiun of our State 10 Bbout one.