The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-02-01
Constitutional Convention.

VentlOn 10 vote Oh the people III APiA
next Our first constitution was one OF the
best in the Union if the last convention,
instead of discarding it, had made few
changes which time and circumstances had
rendered necessary-and left undone great
portion of what it did dot would have
done a far better service to the State. It's
members were imbued with party dogmas,
rather than political truths and wisdom, and
they mistook their task and undertook to
do too much. Instead of defining few
simple principals as the basis of the peo-
pies rights and limits of the powers of gov
eminent, and then prescribing the separate
spheres and powers of the three departments
of government, and the mode of constitu-
ting them, the convention undertook to
Legislate, and fix inexorably for future gen.
erations, questions of State policy. In this
they violated the fundamental principles of
Democracy, and showed an utter want of
confidence in the people to take care OF
themselves by depriving them of all discre-
ton in determining for the future many
questions of mere expediency matters that
change in their aspect with every vicissitude
in the history of a growing Stare.
The present constitution is chiefly cata-
logue of restrictions upon the judgment and
will of the people They are limited to one
State Bank, or to an impracticable form of
banking, for all time, whatever may be their
commercial wants or financial condition
Our schools may be exactly uniform, and
kept in the same manner and for the same
period, throughout the. State whatever
may be the wants of the varied communities
and the discrepancies of condition, which
time creates. It<forbids local laws, and
thereby fills the statute book with conflict
ing, injurious, general laws, made for dis
cordant local purposes. The Legislature is
not permitted to determine the length of its
own session, and, whatever may be the emer-
gency it cannot set beyond its prescribed
time. The Governor or Lieutenant Cover
nor cannot be candidate for any other
Office, during the term for which he is elect
ed-which prohibition makes the election OF
our present Governor void. No State debt
can be contracted except for the public de-
fence. No county shall take stock or loan
its credit TO a road or other corporation
The State shall never take stock in bank
corporation, nor loan its credit to any per-
son or body. No bank can do business
longer than twenty years. No negro shall
come into the State. No ssunty shallbe re-
duced less than 400 square miles in area.
The States lot in Indianapolis shall never
be sold or leased. Some of these would bt
perhaps, judicious statutory prohibitions
but they are matters effexpediency an(
policy which of right belong to the people
to decide from time to time, as circum
stances may dictate. They are not proper
subjects for constitutional provision. 1t il
assumption--it not usurpation-for the par
ties of one period to incorporate their dog
mas of policy into constitution, and there
by impose their absurdities upon genera
tons to come after them. The public car
at all times take care of themselves ant
policy or expediency arise, to determine
what is best and for their own interest
They require no leading strings from
constitutional convention that distills it
political wisdom perhaps from party plat
form.
The whole State is tired and disgustet
with the anomalous patchwork, made u
by the last Convention, and are anxious t,
be relieved of it. The old Contribution
was model of comprehensiveness and sim
plicity in its principles and provisions. 1t
re-adoption with few amendments to fl
some of its provisions to the times, woul
be hailed with joy by the entire State.
The only objection suggested to the cal
of a Convention is the expense which nee
not exceed 100000. The people woul
gladly pay that amount to be relieve
of the incubus upon their school system
and get rid of the other restrictions and il
congruities of the present fundamental Law
The public voice in this part of the State {
least, seems to be unanimous for a Conver
ton. The State Sentinel says the test vote i
the House "indicated a determination to c!
sentially change or modify the present o.
ganic law of the State. 1t is generally col
coded that the present Constitution is in
practicable in many respects, and that IL
public welfare would be promoted if in tho
particulars it could be changed, to overeon
its evident deficiencies. How these modi
cations can be made most economically al
conservatively is the issue. BY some
small Convention is proposed, to be cor
posed of fifty members, to draft Const
tuition to be submitted to popular rattle
ton. If the conservative sentiment W
represented in this body, so that the dang
of an extreme change could be avoide
there would not be much objection to I'll
mode. Others propose to adopt the old Co
stitution, ENGRAVING upon it some of t
best features of the new. If the best fe
lures of both could thus be incorporated