Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-01-23


der III own laws, contributing. in ia
measure, to u own revenues, and sufl
cient to furnish the necessary faciliti,
for the transaction Of business. I'll
Constitution of the State indicates ii
mode in which this demand may be sa
is6ed. 1t provides for the authoriEin
associations with banking powers, BY a,
Of the General Assembly. to be submit
ted to the people at the next generI
election, and not 10 take effect, unle:
then approved by a majority of all tn
voters. In framing such an act. shoul
you deem it e~xpedient to exercise tn
power thus vested in you. the utmo:
care should be used TO secure the prong
and certain -convertibility- Of every moi
issued, into gold or silver coin, upo
demand of the holder ; 10 protect th
comma ity against all abuses of granite
powers; and to guard against the evil
of monopoly by extending The benefits G
the act to all who will give the ample Sc
c~urilies and guarantees which you will
doubtless. require. No general objec
lion exists to a mixed currency OF coli
and notes eIchangeable for coin a
the will Of the holder without loss; whil'
all mere paper money systems, pregnan
with fraud and fruitful Of ruin, justly In
cur universal Reproduction.
For several years past the law has al
lowed contracts for interest at the rate o
ten per centum. There seems to be NJ
valid reason why the capitalist should
be encouraged to demand SO large a pro.
portion of the earnings Of the producer
and the profits of the manufacturer and
merchant. / therefore respectfully sug'
gest a material reduction of the maxi
mum rate allowed.
l need not commend to your judiciou:
consideration the Educational and Be
nevolent Institutions of the State. Uni.
versal Education is our cheapest defence
and surest safeguard, and most enduring
wealth. Our Common Schools, which
secure to the peop'e this great benefit,
are firmly established in their affections,
and will Justify claim the fostering care
of their representatives. Our Benevo-
lent Institutions are a noble complement
to our educational system. Their exist
ence honors the State, and every patri
otto citizen must feel a deep interest in
their Improvement and prosperity. The
duty of the State will not he fully per-
formed until the benefits Of those institu
tons shall be extended to all without dis
tinction, who need their care.
The organization and discipline of the
Militia will require your early consider
alton. The laws on this subject need
thorough revision TO adapt them to the
requirements of the Constitution. AIDE
quale provision should be made for the
enrolment OF all citizens liable TO militia
ry duty. in orler to secure to the State
her due proportion of the public arms.
No necessity. however, seems to demand,
actual service from any who do not
feel disposed to perform it. Efficiency
and energy will probably be secured
by the judicious encouragement of vol
untary organization. The patriotism of
citizens, properly sanctioned
and supported by Legislation, will doubt
less supply a military force fully compe-
tent to all the eIigencies of police, and
to whatever more serious contingencies
may possibly arise.
The Constitution Of the State provides
for its own amendment, and assigns to
he Legislature the duty Of proposing
such notifications as experience suggests:
Changes in the fundamental law should
ever be made with caution ; but amend
Inenis which commend themselves by
heir intrinsic merits to the judgment Of
he Legislature, and seem to be demanded
ilsO by a general opinion among the peo-
Die, have a Just claim To be submitted to
he final t-sl of popular decision at the
That the people are the source of all
power is the fundamental princi.
lie Of democratic institutions. To secure
true and complete expression of the pop
Lar will must therefore be a leading OBJ
ect in every system of representative
government. And this object cannot be
.itained unless representation be so ap-
'orioned among the different parts Of the
State as to give each lis just weight in
egislalion and administration. 1t is obyi.
us that there can be no complete express
ion of the popular will unless the repre-
entaiive be brought into the closest pos
ible relations of sympathy and response
with his constituents and that
here a be no just apportionment where
he representation of u part of a State
5 so arranged as to give 10 its delegation
n the Legislature a greater share of po.
itical power than is given to the deleg..
ions of other parts of equal population.
II canno well lie denied hat a uniform
ystem of single districts will best secure
proper choice of representatives, and
due responsibility L the people,
d fair distribution of political power.
Where one representative is chose TO
epresent one district. there will necesSa-
be the most careful scrutiny Of quail
the least liability TO misinfor-
nation and mistake !; the closest sympa-
ny in opinion and purpose the most
observation of representative ac-
on ; and the l~iveliesi sense OF represen-
tive responsibility. Where more rep.
esentatives than one are chosen from the
anne district, all these securities are SEN
IDLY impaired. Opportunity is afforded
,r understandable combination among
and their p~ariizans; The people
re disabled from informing themselves
loroughly as to the character aud quail
cations of candidates; and The decisions
f the majority of a delegation, confirmed
the iuIesests of parry, are apt to he
Instituted, a. guides of representative
cilon, for the will of the constituency,
by a true regard for the inter-
'ts of the people.
la the Convention which framed our
resent State Constitution, the sutject Of
presentation was much discussed. By
ANY of the most enlightened and most
members of that BODY, of all
parties, the division of the Slate