, 1859-02-26
SPEECH oF1THE fii; nov: e: D. l.:ftFxsa

SPEECH ()E11TfIR my ..:ot.~ss
W
or WILL COUNTY,
on TIE nrsor,,r,ou .,,-,,on,.,x,. .
TuT1ors,. 1.enrrHrIn~ oo0ei1'
WI" 'A-'A'o"'-
=" '"e oSate senate, FttFudTY "a, 1852
Ar. P1pks said: T ,b.n occnpr brt h-;.f
snaco IN th;. a.s,,~ ~1H '.,e'
4e'AIe nos on'J peeauso' the
k'oanu has oeeu pretty thoroughly travelled
over, but because, as look ut it, there il small
room for serions eontrovrr.v. 1he or,.+io.
n~on,..d ~, .l.-,..:
~ ~ "4o feso'o"on ID smpT: nus. ~
4lss' "o' 'na' nc think It would be whs TO-
amend the Constitution; no. how far. or in
what particulars, ve think il should be- amend
Gu oo' "ne'oef me oecaa'on u one which justi-
nes ns, as the custodlans OF popular sovereign
II, in giving the people q chance attended vtth
m ernenss of ,nh,;, ;,-o,ve,;.,,. =. s..:s.
.,.,. .,-, ~ oes'oe
'ut0 "no'o "o''et 1o9 themselves 10 use an
ter days, the true intent aud meaning of this
rasotnt,or ra,,o m. :, =, ,,;n.,. . ne.-..,.
nnor tha neonls ~ s-erda ,hsn, bon.'on +ba.s1
Int leavnr tIem nerterti. {, a. tn dets-ns;aa.
oneat;on in thsr avn way snh;act on1, ss ~ sle
awn conyictions at e1nr3iencT SA'' ~ 'oei'
be]eya. Hir. .the ntonla nj th;a stata .t ~.
tins are nrarIv nnanimnns fnr A. ens"5n. .. .ola
tha Constitution. / refer ot conTse - ,So.a "
claases Of the entire popuiation wbo hare a;,bee
irom obseryation or ernerience. had the;r .t+.e
t;on drawn II in Yarious defacts- 7,ha .rns"n.
tinns which have been msda 10 nrnva TIA 80
trary. seem to me entirely withnut vei1ht ~
sier,ticance. We have been reminded If tha
absence of petitions On the subject. This ooes
m the nresnmption that To kuoH nnfh;nT nf
The will Of Cur commitments, upou maitera If
universal interest. except as We receiye Il
through the medium of petitions and remon.
strancea The truth is aud our daily exne.
rieuee here proves it. this is q yerT nnnsns1
mode Of maniiestin9 the popular will on aub;ecta
Of general Importance. A project to relocata a
Stete road would be far more likely to call mt
food Of petitions than project to remore ths
government
We are also reminded that The peopIa have
once voted down similar proposition. Not 40.
Sir, The occasion referred to the experiment
in ls5e-demons.ssted that Of those who ex.
pressed their will 1T all, an overwhelming ma
jori!y we're in tavor Of Convention. The rest
the question, from well remembered causes; and
tho terms OF the Constitution made 81 omission
to vote equivalent to q vote in tho negative
But whkteEer the apathy Of the psople then
it exists no lupger. We have suffered seyeraI
energetic turns of the screw since then upon
the most sensitive nerves Of the body polite.
The condition of our Judiciary has become far
more deplorable. aud has been brought mora
strikinslY to the notice Of the msss Of the pso.
Pile and our recent intercourse with our con-
a.ituents does not permit us to doubt that the
cry for amendment has become nearly uniyer-
sal in all sections of the STATE
But Sir, If this we're otherwise, If the u1ass of
the people we're as careless on the subject al is
alleged 1t would not stfect my vote in the least,
l am satisfied that the we'll being of the State
demands an amendment of the Constitution, |
am satisfied that il proper meauB are employed
to draw the attention OF The people to the eub.
ject and secure full vote, convention, viii be
called. And ritb .he view i entertain Of ,he
relations between q representative aud bis con-
st,tuents. it is nv duty to take the initiatiya in
the matter. We represent the soverej.ntv NJ
the peopie, but We do not represent all ia -.-:.
Gus moods Of mind WHICH ;.ay vuauce to befall
them from time 10 time
But, Sir, some Senators WHO have taken part
IN the debate haye intimnted. cautinuulv hnt ~
significantly enough. thet ia their judgmentihs
era is unpropitious for q prudent. considernte
exercise Of the great right iuherent in the mo-.
pie Of modifying their fundamental low. Huch
dlstruBt Of the masses from whom We derive our
authority must pronounce at war with every
verslon Of the principle of Popular Hoyerienty.
That principle means that the citizens Of every
Independent State hare the political right and
lDQQIl
model their institutions 10 suit themselyes. By
q logical necessity it also u1esus that they hsva
this right and this capacity 1t any time and at
all times. And it certainly negatives the idea
that there is or ought to be nnY where ia nny
body Of their official servants q supervisory
power to determine when they are nnd when
they are not in their sound political senses
Senators on The Democratic aide Of Ibis chounber
have with an ominous shake of the head rn-
ferred 10 The headIoug spirit Of the ace. to onr
growing habits of urlyote and public extrava-
gauce, 10 the danperous fapaticis:a ani ,sre;ies
abroaG in tho jaud, aud have Expressed their
pasTiarchal apprehension that this is not it
ii ne to place back in the hands Of the peonlo
the sceptre of their aoyeraisntY, ! am not Of
their political faith, but ask, sir. wro made us
the guardians and conseryatots Of the neonie
of Illinois, with power to decide when they are
and when they are not in proper time TO reeu-
late their own municipal atfairg in ,heir own |
wayy Who made mo or any other Senator on
this floor the conductor of the train of ponular
progress, with the right to whistle down breaks
when l or be thought it moving at toc c.aat a
-cte ct spcei1
Irepud;ata TIA uho,a ;.s, Cho,oao or +t.
orpuuie Inv. VA nil avrea ahonld NJ, ba rnsJs
lixhtly ar ot,en T;me snont,t h. a;rsn ~ n
full consideration If al, Tia srt,ects snvnIr"d ~
are sure 10 l,avs in ,he tardv nrnre.s ~; ansndo
ment prescr1brd in our nr.srnt Eonst;tu,;an
Let nil cbanyes nf the or.ten;c iav ha rnr,;nu.
slow and ousrded. Int vhen affer fiji md con
tidtra.e exneriencc und the trial nf pverV arne.
tleat sho5t Of coost,,u,i,uul reform. to mit;oa,e
The evil it is found that there nre il he nan nf
radical defects. iriur,onslv atfert.
ng the most vital interests Of tbe STATE then
lei them 10 CORRECTED with he lso5t nnsx,hte a..
lsy. The oreat object al uniform,ty md ata.
b1!itT does not reouirs s,olid. desnerata endu.
rance, al isfnitu,n. Of tuch STATE Of thinva
Az 10 the various points in which our t;nns,;.
tution needs amendment. I shall mt nndsr,ota
10 add anYtaiue 70 what hos been alreadv a ws11
,nd fully exprsssed by other Senators. M nrA
las denied that there are cre.t defect. such ~
operate mos. disa,trously upon our hirhest nnh.
ic interests. Among thess the erosa insd,aoa.
y Of official co,npensa,ioos. tbe abaurd lirlta,
Elou upon the length Of our Leeislatlyr = sessons
he enasculated and imnotsnt condi,ion IT,
7hich it reduces the exscutiya ofiice. he in.
Of our judiciary oreaniz ,,ion to meet
he present public necetsties. tLe nnmer,.u:
nsutiiciency of our Leoislstiye renresenta,ion in
ao.h branches the prssaure Of the tso mill tar
md the unxise rcstrictious unon 1bo di,cret;on
II legislation in which tha instrun-nt ahonnds
1ave been most prominently named in sha d.
,ate. For myself / sav frankly, If wsra .
member of The Convention to amend ,he ian
ltitution I .hontd raoa,d Al, tba.a nh;a.,;o..