The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-02-05
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.


4 -s-ea@'ss sASWbs Feet y, wv
MIssRs. EpIToas:--.
This body has removed
from its close quarters in the Supreme Court
room, and is now fairly ct work in the Sen.
ate Chamber, The Democracy are active
in trying TO obtain some advantage in the
phraseslogy of amendments, that will serve
to benefit the Slave Oligarehy of the coun
try, An amendment has been introduced
and carried, but reconsidered, inserting after /
the word contracts in the Al st section of |
the Bill Of Rights the words "or the rights
OF property" That section now reads, aNo |
bill Of at,aindor, or eS post .acio law, or law |
lmpsiring the obligation Of contracts shall
ever be passed" You will readily see the
effect Of inserting the amendment in that
section, Under it prohibitory liquor law
would be unconstitutional, and the South
Carolina slave owner would be permitted to
bring his property" to Iowa. The amend
uien, was adopted without discussion. intro.
duced BY leading Democrat, intentionally
framed to deceive the Republicans in regard
to its effect; its only object wss 10 promote
the darling schemes o. tss party--iree wbis.
key and slavery. II was afterwards recon.
sidered and rejected.
Several of the Standing Committees have
made reports, The Chairman OF the Com
mittee on the Executive Department has
made report which provides for the cleo
tion Of Lieutenant Governor, who shall be
elected At the same time and hold his of6ce
for the came period a. the Governor. II al.
20 provides that "citixsn Of the United
States who has been resident Of this State
two years and attained the age of thirty
years." shall be eligible TO either Office, the
qualification for both being the same. The
Lieutenant Governor 10 to be ex-oficio
President Of the Senate, aud entitled to .
vote only in case the Senate il equally divi.
ded. Il provides also that majority shall
be sufficient TO carry . measure over the
Executive veto. This provision is regarded
as purely Democratic; the Republicans on
the Committee will hardly support ii, al.
| though they have consented TO make the
report embodying it. The Democrats must
have faced about rather suddenly on the veto
question; at least it appears % to one who
remembers with what tenscity they used to
hang to ito virtue. But it will not prevail in
the Convention. II the Constitution 10 to
be amended in that manner the veto might
as well be destroyed at once. as it requires a
| majority to favor a measure before It goes
to the Governor. and in the hurried manner
in which State Legislation is transacted,
| some supervision should be left to executive
hands. 1t is not like the national where
everything 10 discussed, but here many BILLS
pass which are read BY their titles alone
The Convention will be more lengthy
than most anticipated before its commence.
ment. In oil probability at least month
will be required yet.
Johnston and Hall, on the Democrats
side OF the House, are men of decided talent
bat il is conceded on both hands that the
Republicans as body have much more abb
lty than the opposition 1t was always Il
peculiarly of the Democratic party to send
to every deliberatvs body few able men
TO manage and the balance to pots So tits
here, while with the Republicans, they are
sill sensible, efficient and able men.
The Judiciary Department appear. to be
given aimos, entirely to the control of the
Chairman of the Committee, Mr.. Clarke, Of
Johnson, who is as we'll qualified Tor that
place a any man in the State. He has ha d
many years of extensive experience at the
bar, is ia1yer in the true sense OF the
word, and whenever a legal question is
sprung in the Convention, bis opinion is Ger.
tain to settle ii, fnotice his name used in
Connection with the ofice Of Judge OF the
Fourth Judicial District, and in case he
consents to accept it, il would be grea,
oversight not 70 elect him Besides being
qualified for the Office he is an active and
efficient Republican. and one whom the
party should be proud to honor. Mr.. Clarke,
of Henry, 10 Chairman OF the Committee on |
Interpretations, and 10 regarded by all ss |
rising man. Our delegate, Mr.. Els, can
control the attention Of the House as we'll
as any other member In this city, and his
opinion is always regarded ~ correct. He ia
an able and effective debator.