The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1858-03-27

10 alter tlv Constitution" but were pro,
vss,sd from doing so from want Of leisure.
To mach that 10 contained in that speech
We yield cordial assent. Many OF the
propositions. in fact, need nothing more
than a simple statement. to ob,sin universal
approval. Not 20 with Others. or with The
deductions which he draws iron them.
We readily ascent to tho proposition
tina! the rights which we acquire a. citizens
are conventional We admit tina, repub
lcsn fora Of government is better than u
democracy, il even tho latter were attain
able. We recognize the wisdom Of thai,
form OF government. with proper checks
and balances TO prevent nasty legislation,
usu'paiion., inhiugements upon individual
tights. OF popular outbreaks. Aud we cor.
daily endorse the declaration that " the
representative form Of government ia the
discovery Of m,defu times and modern civ.
ilna,iou;" that it is monument to tho ois.
dom Of our ancestors, moro lasting Than
brass"
Bat while sc Hdmi, thesc propositions
we must not necessarily couccdc that IN
ordaiuing Government, tina, the arbitrary
power exercised, 10 silxing citizenship aud
The rights OF citizens, !. unlimited, To do
this, would be TO sanction the mos, ilagr ant
usurpalons, and to justify those who would
place the control OF the govefpmentin the
hands Of limited few, aud to establish an
oligsrehy in the name Of a republic, Nor
while we admit the wisdom and propiiety Of
checks aud balances in government, mus,
We necessarily coucede tina, on. can be
Justly established which canno, be uttered,
amended, or abolished, whenever tho PEI pie
in their wisdom see n.
he Constitution Is the organic act es,nb,
fishing the diheten, departments Of the
Government They are bound imperative.
y by its provisions Hence II the entire
Legislature, with the concurrence Of the
Governor, were to authorize an amendment
to that instrument. or 10 call n Convention
in conlrayention Of Its authority, such n
movement would be revolutionary But II
We admit that tho people are sovereign and
that all power is derived from them, we
must toncede their rgh, to rsyoke any sgeu
cies whleh ,hey may create, and 10 ordap
and establish governments at their Pleasure
Any other doctrine. it seems to rs, would
be denial Of their sovereignty and would
make ,he agent greater than the prncipn
This view was evidently held by the framefs
Of our State Constitution.
The l.. Section Of the Is, Article Of the
Constitution OF the State Of Tesn Is in
these words; AN political power ia iuho-
rent in the people, and all free governments
nre founded on their authority, and usli'u,
ted for their benefit; and they have al all
inmes the uudenisble right to alter. reform,
or abolish their form Of government. in
such manner as they may deem espe,
dent"
They might not deem it cSpedient to
adopt the mode pointed GU, By the Consls
tuition, hence that body admitted. to prevent
ali controversy. their rigil to choose aaoth>
or. This seems TO ms the obvious meaning
of this section. We therefore hold that
the momeu, the sanction Of the people /. obs
tanned in favor of n Co.yenion, it can be
called. and that soeh act is not, in legal
sense, revolutionary.
We readily admit that we do not live I'M,
der majority governments that they are in
fac, so constituted as to check the power of
msjontie. But lha. is not the case in the
formation Of government, 4 majority elect.
she delegates to the Convention, and II the
Constitution ia submitted for ratification to
the people n majority gives it validity \
majority IN such cases governs from The law
of usage from expednney aad necessity,
aud from universal aeqniescence.
CD Wigfll says that sovereignty resides
in the poclle en- masso. That is true, but a
majority mus, give voice 10 tina, sovereignty,
or It cannot speak. No government was
ever established, or can be. thai has or will
obtain universal aoqaieseencc |, seems TO
us equally so,eeism to speak of mob
composed OF the entire population.
We are told tina, an alteration of the
Constitution in any other mode than thu,
pointed out ia forbidden. Forbidden by
whomi lie people. No, to themselves !,
for in tina, case they would be no longer
sovereign. Not poslerily. Tor that would
be usurpntion But il is forbidden to their
agent til" government. which they ordained
aud established.
Col. Wigiall SAYS. If we csn cal Con
yen.ion. we ('he I.egislnture) can authorize
II q ordain aud establish Constitution"
lhn seems 10 us an absurdi,y. 4 Leg
lsla,urs 10 the creature of the people, cons
rolled bya written instrument, setting meets
and bounds to its powers. A Convention,
on tho contrary. isa coHvocation clothed
with nfauurv pnWera In csnrass fho sov>