Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-09-02
Raftsman' s aourual.
CLEARFIELD, PA, SEPT. ?. 1857.

CLEARFIELD, PA, SEPT. 2, 1857.
AMESDMESrs TO THE CoNsrITUTIoN.-The Le-
gislature having, at the last two sessions, a
dopted sundry proposed amendments to the
Constitution, the amendments will be submit
ted to the people at the October election for
their approval. If they receive majority
of the votes cast they will thenceforth become
part of our organic law.
The most of these amendments are in the
form of new sections, being additions to the
Constitution rather than alterations of it. One
only, the third, is an alteration, and that refers
mainly to the division of Philadelphia into
representative and senatorial districts. The
Lancaster Examiner gives the substance of
the provisions which they embody, and the
propriety of the changes contemplated, in the
following article.
The first amendment is a new article, provi-
ding sinking fund for the extinction of the
State debt; prohibiting any increase of the
present debt or the borrowing of money for
State purposes except upon temporary loans,
and then only to the extent of S750,00O; res
training the Legislature from creating any
-
and providing that the State shall not loan its
credit to any individual or corporation, be-
come a stockholder in any corporation, as
sumo municipal debts, or authorize any muni-
cipality to become stockholder in any corpo-
ration or loan its credit thereto. This we re-
gard as 4 very important constitutional provi-
sion. It not ouly prevents the State from get
ting into debt, in future, but provides sure
means for the extinction of the present debt,
puts an effectuel check upon schemes for loan
ing the credit of the State to Railroad Conpa-
nies, and stops the practice hitherto so preva-
lent, of authorizing cities, towns and counties
to lend their credit to railroad and other cor
poratfons. With these salutary restraints up
on the Legislature the future will be safe from
the dangers which the past has bequeathed to
the present.
The second amendment is a new article rela-
ting to new counties. 1t prohibits the cutting
off more than one tenth of the population OF
any county in the formation of new county,
without the express consent of the people,
and also provides that the counties hereafter
TO be erected shall contain at least four thou
sand square miles. We regard this as a very
valuable addition to the Constitution. The
conditions it presents VIII prevent the division
of Old Gnd the formation Of new counties ex-
cept in such cases as will command the general
approval of the people Interested.
The'third amendment relates more particu-
larly 10 Philadelphia, bUt contains general
provision regulating the method of future APP
po-ticnnent of representatives in the Legisla-
ture. Under the operation of this provision,
the city of Pittsburgh, (aRd probably the city
of Ailegheny,) will, after the year 1864, be
erected into seperate representative districts
and will elect representatives distinct from the
county. The city of Philadelphia will also
be divided into single senatorial and represen-
tatiye districts, but this division will take place
there Immediately, it being made the duty OF
the next Legislature, in case the amendment
Is adopted, to divide the city into such dis
tricts, the disisicn thus made to stand until
the apportionment Of 1864. At the October
election of this year the entire city of Phila-
deiphia votes as one senatorial district, the
old city electing four members of the House
and the old county thirteen. When divided
into single districts there win be less danger
than there IS now of one party getting the en-
tire delegation. The only objection we have
to this amendment is that ii does not extend
70 the whole State. Every county electine
more than one member ought to be divided
into single districts.
The fourth and last amendment gives to the
Legislature the power of revoking, annulling
CT altering any charter hereafter conferred BY
or under any general or special law, but il
sdeh manner as to work no injustice to tho
corporators.
The Constitution, as it at present exists,
provides for the submission to the people o
all such PROPOSED amendments, and when there
is more than one amendment proposed, suci
amendments must be submitted separately t.
the popular vote. The last Legislature pas
SD an act for this purpose; aud at the Octobel
election the people win vote yea or nay upol
escl e-aendment separately. Ne haye M
doubt they. VIII all be approved.