The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-07-16
+ The Constitutional convention.


n The Constitutional Convention.
There is IAN cminous silence" among
the press and politicians Of the State, in re-
gard to the subject Of q Convention for the
revision Of the State Constitution. They
appear TO be wary in committing them
selves upon the question. In recent ex-
cursion through the river counties in the
First and Second Congressional Districts,
the people Of all parties appeared to be
unanimous for revision. In this part Of
the State, il will be hazardous for aspirants
seeking popular favor to oppose Conven-
ton. We were glad to hear the Hon. Ham,
ilton Smith, who has proved himself to be
as efficient az reformer, as be is sound as
Democrat, declare that il Il became neces-
sary 10 carry the measure in the Second
Congressional District, he would take the
stump and devote all his energies to its sup
port. He says all the important measures
that had been matured by srduous and even
excessive LABOR, during the ninety days Of
the extra and regular sessions, for reforming
the financial system Of the State, were final
ly defeated by the absurd constitutional re-
strietion limiting the Legislature sessions
10 certain day. The power 10 prolong its
sessions for two or three days, or for even
a single day, would have enabled the Leg
stature to battle the nefarious schemes Of
the Governor, and have consummated acts
that would have put stop to the outra-
geoUs populations upon the treasury, and
saved, in years to come, millions Of the pub
lie money, wrung, as it is, from the hard
earnings Of the yeomanry of the State
Was it not q most preposterous assumption
in the Convention Of 1851 to undertake to
say how many days and hours this thrifty
giant OF a young State-doubling its re-
sources and population in a decade should
spend in each biennial period, through all
future time, in legislating upon its own cou-
Germs. Such provision shows that the
Convention had little OF the faith of true
Democracy in the capacity OF rising gen
erations to manage their own affairs. There
could have been but little confidence in the
people in Il Convention that undertook to
prescribe the number of hours they should
occupy, once in two years, in discussing and
maturing their legislation. If Legisla-
Inre were incapable of determining the tine
necessary to spend in considering a system
of measures, it must be composed Of body
OF men very unfit to determine what the
character of the measures themselves should
he. II they were likely to be incapable Of
jndgins Uf Ale propriety of one, they would
certainly he unfit for determining the other
and the only logical conclusion the Conyen
t:on could have formed, on the grounds al
legged for the restriction, would have beer
To have abolished the I.asisiainrs altogethei
Ms body of ineapables.
The only objection which any Quo ven
tnre5 TO suggest against the call for Con
vention is the cost, which may be from
$4,000 TO $4,000. 1t is probable that the
State viii, this year, lose more than twic,
the cost oi the Convention, 10y the unwar
rantable use of her funds, which would hay'
been saved to the treasury by the removal
alone, OF the absurd restriction upon th
term of the legislative session. The cost o
thr Convention is a matter unworthy q
consideration in comparison with the mora
political and financial gains that may he Sc
cured by it. The expense would substrac
huI drop from the volume Of benefits tina
may he secured by relieving ourselves fror
the preposterous trsmmels OF ont presen
. inJudirious. Constitution.