The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-07-21
TuE SEW CONsTlTCTION.
WORD TO DEMoCR RATS.

the prominent features 81 the instrument,
aud tie chef objections 10 IL.
We cannot go into detail, lest we may
weary tile patience n our reader, AMI even
4. Il i. sc fear we ,hnll ~ tedious. We
.ru., nurc will w. deferred from giving ~ =
iaiiet Nra.4ug II. change IN ~. Organic
/ Az nf = state y aH important quei ana
! Asnld not iae decided hastily, hut after hon
+ { ani mattltf elaboration.
I TEt pfaf.tf ~ tEc State dccmIng that
! .nnc change. were neces AIRY IN the present
! Ynstitrtian. dccidcd in favor 81 holding .
invention. tie ,lclegatcs I. Which Assem-.
I'D ~ Iowa city. January 18th, 1857, and
.,maitrl IN ,t.ssinn thirty five or forty days.
fls convention wa composed ~ thirty TX
aember,, twenty 1no # whom We're Re
mllican-" aul fifteen, Democrat Ihes.
lclraalc.. -pcciallv, ~amc ai the Democratic
ne were among the oldest anil most intel
itcnt eitizrn- uf the State. They carried
~ their ta.k grcat experience aud talents
.nl the influence of that Democratic minor
us will Lc found p,ryalne the new consti
,utiun The provisions ii this instrument
~ with tew exceptions, nf very cnnser
| yati,c character, and for this we are inleht
/ "a 10 th. Democratic minority Ii Is ~ III
] trument hirii camncnt> it.rli q the sup
| port If ug '.saf, mcgt, AMI will bc objection
/ able alone o. thc J'.f Of bath parties Il
/ i nat e. W. aNPrst.t that ans constitution
an bc prc-tut'd Which Va eaoH particular
/ yi.l meet the We've OF ,Ir,t voter u a. q
/ 1t5L. the ...s contribution more s.cptahle
I than the oi,l ono il /. all that can he ie.ir-
/ cd
| IA. recent constitutional sohvcnts,n cost
| 4 large sum II Inunct, aad If tic new con
,tituiion = defeated IL Val be years before
inpthei convention viii he held. Ii BE-
ta.ye. a., therefore, 10 lcok ~ the wiol.
ubicci unbiased by prejudice. and vote with
ull knowledge.
We arr aware thai the delegates 10 the
7onycn,lyn laborci faithfully, that there
Wa but litIie mere paFti1en voting therein,
anA that thc democratic minority 10 great
Ntcnt. influenced T. RESULT We desire 10
slc tne.c labor fairly treated and in cN-
lnriins the new constitution, defend that
minority from tie indirect and perhaps UNI
,s,ent1aal assaults made upon them by
overall IT ,heir own party papers
ARTICLE !
Elli "a ElGEl-.
iae change III tbs Article L. winch OBJ
iertinn. an rt,."i arr IN see 4 and Sec.
a.
>cctlou / rroyii"- that all persons not
disqualified by interest niay b. made wit
ire,-rs. sc. Tie objection u thl. IL, that IL
would render Negro testimony, competent.
lnc testimony u negroe,, Is now admitted
y, lan laygc !, - prohibition on the
,nblcrt III the pre- eut constitution. IL Is
,anpefiy left a, We think with the lcgi-la-
.Irr. y i4crr inr HcH constitution ought Ia
aye ieit ~ alse. Vi. 10 not dc.r. o. de-
+ vi negtp testimony hut would sal that
i tac ruiz. III regard o. thu competency Ut
+ ai tne,-... 1T. GREATLY relaxed c,ert where.
i objections are mot generally made 10 their
rrihiiit, AMI nni o. their aslm. sihili,y
III TIL ilatnb III IL, constitution l. found
Objectionable j, caa be- readily amended.
i A.,a slhi,, opinion shall demand it. IL l.
M IT Pyr a. a..at tlfe whole constitution,
I tyc.a.p tIcs.. n,ay he a few objectionable
.eature- IN + briar.. leaving thi, point,
.yc call the attention II cur readers IL the
pgyyIs. - Il Ire constitution At th. Stat, ut
,iirylaid trough which n. bruad ncarl,
j. the prat i.len 1T thc new constitution in
r,!crenr' 10 Ikic competency 81 witnesses.
las never excited opposition. although IA
'ascr II n slave STATE. Sec. 81, Of the Dec
T liratton ~ Rights al the constitution -
/ Maryland provide. that ".fag Itfsea' VIII
lrieyes ia tie existence If God. and
tate a future rewards AL punishment
an he a competent witness.
SECTION ~ provide. t.i~ in cases m,ol
iug liz .te and l.bsrty IL al individual
rial ~ lur. Is occurred, a.. u l. VERY oh
ec,io..,blc, IL appear, and denounced rs
rat Outrage tie securing u a trial by jur,
wArre life aad liberty is involved II i
,r.cd that this provision secure, e. fugitive
loun lahUr ami fugitive. from Justice risa
i TRIAL Is jury II may he that fanatic
lu ~ eun,tgste e. hui taic question i moi
..ow they desire IL IL hc construed, but wha
.t TIE iegRi construction ~ the language .
rhc pfo'.-,en.
Tie r.el,t # TRIAL u lurs ! secure IN th,
eiet tttMs ~ nearly every constitution
IL tl!c Union For example, the constifu
tl,u Of California, Article |. Section 3, PRO
vide. that III. right Of trial bs jury shal
! ,c sretircd ~ an and remain iuviolatc Tor
yer 80 IL the sanc pnrport are the con.
stitatian oi Hgrti, Article III, Section :
l IrtfaF Article section IL, aud the pre-
,nt constitution Of Iowa. Article l, Section
". repeat. tue same great principle i.
/ ,alui III all the American un-titnsrune
| AZ ref.cn, are allowed bail by the pro, :.
i,G, II nearly every constitution Do these
general rlpse -lan. n allowing hail and trial
y, Jars geiei IL iaeitis.s irnm labor OF jus
tie. DO tA,y refer 10 an. other cases
t.ian tAesc at.siiag Atke a. Constitutions an
4 Tie state ii which such ban and
,f..l b .uTy .re allowed IL the language
s. Jude liail. al B.s Mean. rs good a
ncm erat ani better LAWYER. titan any 81
~. assailants. >prskin9 Il la. very sab,cci,
to. wor,iia2 al the section san onls apply
q ca-s- uftsita H.alsF The esasii,utfea a..i
+ Z 0s :. the state II Iowa.
! ii. the interpretation aieh la always
/ htcn si..n ~ similar provisions, and now Tor
/ Tie first time ncw rule Of construction OBJ
luns. Il nav do for ianatleal Republicans
vino DISREGARD the law al 4lgrc-s aud lie
constitution u the nitcd State. 10 give
eur. eBei 10 such a construction. but w ART
a.toni,h she'd t. sc il come from men putport-
sar - be Aa'tgaa' Democrats.
>eeti5n /, provides for the summary dis
is'-' 81 a mtHar grade 81 Offences, which i'll
-tte sa~t afl1uat, annually, in count, cx-
f len-e.
lie vote - the taal passage %. the Bill
~ Rights was hpt party vote. In was sur,
ported rs sslnc whose Democracy is about
! a, sound. and knowledge uf legal eon.trnc.
ton about ~ reliable a. that ii an, the on.
I l,iicns. ~ tie nra constitution
ARTICLE II.
HialiT na ArFFRa.E.
I Tl,ie was no material change made IN hi
article, and the vote ON It's final passage was
almost nnaninpms.
ARTICLE III.
HtsIEiBt TiaN oh TuMIEs--IIs.isLAINE
DEPARTMENT
Section =. provides for the bcnnlal meet
ing of the General Assembly. on the second
Monday Of January This j, an important
change. as IL avoids tho necessity IL adjourn
ment for the holidays.
Section 3. fixes the general elections ON
the second tuesday IT October. and on the
wears of the Presidential election, on the
Iuc. day next after the first Monday OF No
,.nber. This !, AN excellent provision and
will be universally acceptable 10 the people
Z. The State.
section Ii, requires the Governor either
a. sign or veto bills. He can't dodge rcspcn-
siblity by putting them IN his pocket.
Section II, provides that Il shall require
. majority u the members elect to pass .
bill, aid that the yeas and pays ON liz Gnal
passage shall be entered ON the journal.
ms i most important change from the