, 1861-01-21
coN8TTTUTIoNAL CONVENTION.
Debate thereon In the stnxo Senate,
January 16ths

.~ january 1sth.
- lrsam tns stats Register, 1sth.l
III. Brooks called up the resolution offered
by him day before yesterday, a. follows:
Wax4EAs, > decided majority Of the legal voters
general assembly, although not yet officially com.
mnnic1- I'D. voted at the late election IN favor OF
Res0lc>4, Toat It is the duty OF the general as-
seby to pass BILL, at the earliest practicable day,
provang for he election Of dslssates to snGa @ con"
Mr.. Brooks moved to amend By addiDg the
words
MI. Caser said the gentleman could move 1t
II he desired.
Er Dnmmer offered the following substl-
tute tor Mr. Brooks'a resolution:
sste 7oted Il the ste eeesioa & m IL 7o. f Cling
convention to amend tha Constitution
Ret3etd, That ts the duty Of thu General AZ.
delegates to such convention- il tia 1asnnsr =
quired BY the Constitution for the meeting Of such
convention, within three month. Of the election OF
the delegates.
Mr. Dummer-1 wish to say but word up
on this subject. nm glad to see that there Is
30 much sensitiyeness On this subject Of calling
q convention, or rather on the question rs TO
whether bill should be passed according to
the vote Of the people. I am ytry glad that
an opportunity las been afforded to Senators
to express their opinions on this subject. The
substitute Is substantially the elnc as the or
iginal resolution. II there Is any difference 1t
Is in regard to the idea that is expressed in the
original resolution that this convention should
be called at the earliest possible DAY: do not
think that just at this time 1t is proper 10 ex-
press an opinion so strict as that, Fur myself
! would be unwilling to postl the calling OF
aconyeution to j day beyond the next general
| election do not know how Others feel;
might be induced to vote for IN earlier day,
hY1*T 5t ~ h1>f- 1J,.!ff ff4r
| before committee, that there should be any
| expression Of opinion so strong as expressed
| In that resolution. I hope the amendment
| have offered will receive the unanimous vote
| Of the Senate, that there may be no doubt Of
! this question Of calling this convention et.a
the next general election.
Nj. Uude1wood-l AN glad that al last we
| have elected Ill expression from from at least
| one senator On that sida Of tho house, that u
convention should be called next fail As q
pa1tisan, perhaps might prefer fixing the
election next Monday but u citizen Of the
| State, as have acted On this subject from TIC
beginning, my opinion might be modified. It
| is known to senators that Ut the last session Of
this general assembly that l in COMMON with
| other senators on our side OF the house, st1ug-
| gled to hare this proposition to amend the
| Constitution submitted to the people. The
great body Of the Democratic party were then
disincllncl to 1t; was one OF the senators
anxious that this proposition to the people to
amend the constitution shou1I prevail, not d
| party proposition, but deemin;, that the gen.
| eTal interests Of tho State inipcratiyrly de-
| manded that our fundamental law should be
so amended is to te adapted to the present
condition, progress and prosperity Of our gstat
State The people met the proposition atllr1n-
atiyely, IS it now unquestlonAoly appears bJ
the returns presented By the Secretary Of State
It Is then undoubtedly our duty to call this
convention at sucAa time "a will best .usw wer
the end designed; and now sinking tie parti-
1ln In the patriot, aud looking at this matter
ate at the last session, would sly this: that
| the time for electing delegates for the contcn-
| uou ought to be at time when there ia . zen.
era1 election throughout the S!ate, SO thai no
unnecessary expense may be Incurred On
that account, II this election shoutl be held
next June, when VIC arc required in all the
counties In the State to elect judges Of the
circuit courts. 1t would bring no :uuitioah cz-
pense to the Statc,
# this convention should tlen assembls
within three months as this constitution re-
qnlrcs, it would have IN opportunity to sub
| nit its constitution to be So;ei upon by tho
people at the fall election in November; and
thus We could have the yote7 OF the people Of
this State in reference to ,;ii6- constitution
without having dime ci additional expense
| SO fur MS the elections are concerned.
On the fourth Of Mira next new Presi-
dent will be iuaugurnte:s. when this govern
| ment will either remain iu part as made by our
ancestors, or it wil be torn and scattered TO
the four winds before the first Of June. Ii We
~ 4h,t +;4n ,.a +,stt ~ a. - -; ~ +1't 49,
same Providence that has prevailed heretofore,
that aided our ancestors In the achievement Of
our liberties, and Infused INTO their breasts the
spirit Of compromise in making and preserving
our institutions to this day, will stlll preside
,nnI.a snraa di,, auu ,rh;a ;n lu". "
ant esI S.r ~ go - WI W ~ h.a
lit LII; hr a ue,ose a Los ~. t y, y1ne AZ Aest We
h.n,d ,,s ~. % -. 1ast - Iui ,1 ~, ~
ospaa iata nut u lsas! IL Illinois al W.; ne
dsioa. 70 '.t ~ t-Se .uau n aisans ~ cleet
| uS.os4tSs ~ .ue eoasen."H "nteu ~. - " assem-
W, auu l1aae Gonst1.os.on iol ~ ~ u, u
-! puaies ~ " ~ cuAo1ety looA4og 70 TIE
interests OF limos ~ INC lu1ufe, WAnout r.
gsIa PARTICULARLY TO these temporary party di-
''1una1 n,
~. n1o2hs oneteu vi a1nenaihcnt 10 tue
suoss.satf, - IT. ~ lo'io"s; 3i'ss ~, of
Anu at laat as lus e1! VI sncn convention
h1 "as ~ sas onty Iat.ez Ill., " ts@non oenaanaea
~ ~ feuLAo ~ > ~ ~, soee ~ @ne 1ac etee
aion' ~ IS Inc guy u tnis genera assembly 70
| .asG tne tsatassou ueananoeu ~ cn!y out
49, - ~ 1 ino seesaen1F ofes III oens1 guy
W. y mSe'11sIun ~ ,,eza, ,,. o,o.,.
- t' ~. utaeA-4 III o4spvSsu' II optahcI. ~
| :,, LIZ. t.a question l4ntt, ouu ~ spttlt VI
eoacniaton auo eaml'remlse, SO iar as : i!.hei-
80 " opant9.u 10y .:tse - tGt7 !es.sta':'e
oody 10 regard 70 Tue t1me q calling TIC con.
seation. navc ever loohea upon re cause
| ~ lnV tonst1t uti3u ~ M1hu1;er anu rc5a'ued
IL as ny sworn au'y Is laen.oer OF th,h general
assehbls, 70 Foic IN accofdilcc Win 1hv &
pFes5eo VIII N Inc peopls, t.9oush thc ball3t
noA, lof vac cai1'ns o1 aconStstu'lpnai cunsen-
tlon, INC oh'E 4nes'on t:fa! may uiflat US,
as u seems, III feiatlon ~ lh!s matter. Is TIE
one tn3t feiates 70 inc Time OF thc passage OF
| tne oili anu ne tlme 1of inc ealing 81 the
| consentlon. ~ = not 70 ing Ell, n1atteF o1
tety eIeal importance n "l'at manner 5on e.
lt~ss yuu1 qeeisu ~ eaii ltl!7 convention, OF 20
l'es tA1s plA out | am not no" PicF*H y 10
say eli, uaI cuulu LIZ ul'ua guy oel oite tlhle
! "nen II Houla pe Hsoss tpnslstcne WIN tne
true interests o. tne People OF tlis otatc 10
nave tnls constnu1lqhal convention meet. !
| say only tols; tnat 1 90 not eeiieVc ZEAL II
Wonlu he conslstent VAN Inc true lntc1s7tspt
| inc people OF tnis otates, Iesara.as OF pafty
conscientious, LOT constitutional ronVentlt
tobc cauea 10 seg1ss lle 1taoamental 1T" ot
onr Statc, as resto4 Ween VIC may bc inSoiseo
| IN reFoiut1on ana IN CIVIL war anu desire,
sir, ,nat we shon1u so aet IN renuon 10 t1is
! deliberations Of this convention will be held
| IN Hme ol peaee, ma "hen hiEoene.o
thsv c,n at' ~ +bat I,cner ih,t y ro,r,., ~
| the best Interests OF our state. This is )
| matter, sir, Of very great importance, n 60
Moeu IL party Or Pohtis't lv!!.t u fien ~
IN reference ~ otner s,e.t 4ues.ione u Hnat
thc ntn" cons tatutson sa.., ~ "u,t nto' '!slons
| IL euan colllnu, ano w. Aetlon .nAu 9e eahsn
oy tna1 GpaFentlo1 ~ the construction ot
new l0ndaHlenI6l law tol our Et11e- cay