Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-03-12
Tor the nolnmnrp Repnbllcan.

fOr Inc DeidWHfe hcpupHSah'
CONSTITUTIONAL REFoRM.-LIFB-TENuREs IN
OFFIcE.---One Of tho most important acts
passed ut the recent session Of our Legislature
is the act entitled, /" An Act proposing an
Amendment TO the Constitution, Tor the pur-
pose of abolishng life-tenures in office.
And the unanimity with which III passed, anorus
unequivocal proof Of the disposition oil the
people, when clearly ascertaineds. in matter
which is so undoubtedly right. In the Senate,
1t received every votes in the House there
were but two votes against it--Mr. Cummlns Oh
Smyrna, and Dr.. Martin of Seaford. And the
action on this measure affords proof, equelly
unequivoeal, that both the political parties are
pledged $50 far as they can be through their
Representatives and Senators) to the consume
nation Of this great measure.
For this same bill, under the title OF " An
Act proposing an amendment to the l4th sec
| ton OF the 9Th article Of the Constitution OF
this State" was introduced into the Senate
| two years ago by Mr.. Pussy, an American
Senator, and passed that body, "a majority OF
them being of his party,) unaHimously. (Sse
Senate journal for January Session, 1900, page
la and HAD And IN the House IL received
twelve Of the nineteen American votes In that
branch. (See House journal for same session,
page 294.) But it failed in that branch for
having received two votes less than consiita-
tional majority. In the recent session, another
American Senator, Mr.. Biggs, presented the
| first petition in favor of the measure, and was
Chairman of the Committee to which IT was
referred, and as such Chairman, reported the
hill again with the title by which il passed DoLf
Houses by such unprecedented unanimity' II
| is evident, then, that there has scarcely ever
been ANY party question, either Of men, OIL
measures, such as the election of Senators, oil
the enacting of License or Prohibitory laws
in support of which, the members Of either
party were more unanimousi ana 10 Whlc,
either party were ever moro pledged through
their Representatives and Senators than boti
parties are to the bill for abolshing life-tenure
in office. And they are also committed BY TN
indiscriminate signature OF the voters oil DOH
parties to the numerous petitions.
This is as it should be. For there u
nothing amongst us which is more anti
Amercan-anti-Demo cratic-anti Republican
or inexpedient, than such tenures. Kings
ard Queens, Emperors and Popes, Lords and
| Peers, are for life, but such tenures are con-
trary to tho spirit aud genius of our institll-
tions, and should be abolished. This is the
view taken in twenty-six of the thirty-one
States, of this Union and consequently they
now have no such official tenures in any oil
those twenty-six States. And this is the view
| taken by twenty-eight of the thirty members Of
| our recent Legislature, hence they passed the
act for abolishing such tenures in this State.
Dover, March 8, 1851. 5. q. l..
/ An ACT proposing du " INC cuh-
stitution, for the purpose Of abolishing life
tenures in office.
Whereas, liio-tenHres III Office are incompatl'
Bile with republican institutions, and the en-
lightened spirit of the age. Therefore,
| /. Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of tho State of Delaware
in General Assembly met, (two-thirds OF oact
House deeming it necessary, and by and Will
the appreciation of the Goyernor,) that the
following amendment be, and the same is here
by proposed to the fourteenth section Of thu
sixth article of the Constitution of this State
that is to say, strike out the first clause Of thu
said fourteenth section Of the sixth article, tn
words, Sc during good BEHAVIOR" and in liel
thereof adopt the following, that is to say
&c for and during tho term Of twelve years, Il
they so long behave themselves well,) the frs
term of the Chancellor and of each and all tn
Judges to begin and commence on the iOurt
day of March, A. D., 1852"
2. And be it further enacted, That tn
Secretary of State Of this State, be and he
hereby directed, after the Governor shall hay
approved of the above proposed amendmer
and this act, duly to publish the above pre-
posed amendment and this act, in two {
more newspapers Of this State, for the cons
Iteration of the people of this State, at lea
three and not more than six months, before Ii
general election for Senators and Represent;
tives in this State.
Passed at Dover, Marc h 5, 1857.