, 1861-08-23
Constitutional Convention,

Editors Chicago Tribune:
Under the head Of s' Constitutional C2nyen-
tion No. g." find an article II your columns
signed illinois," in which the writer pro
poses to discuss various reform In our organic
law.
Without designing to enter into contro-
versy with Illinois, think the people should
consider what they would have the Ccnyen-
tion do-whether it should spend its time at
TIE expense the people in legislating on the
subject Of fees Of Members Of the Legisle-
tu1e, Co1ono1s and Justices O! the Peace. OF
whether it should be confined to the more
dignided business Of adapting the organic
laF Of the State to tie wants Of the people,
are questions the people are to consider and
act npon in electing delegates. While have
no doubt that members Of the Legislature
should have more legitimate pay for their ser
vices,l deem it unnecessary to make inst Issue,
for there are other questions of vast import
ance to be canvessed in selecting members Of
the Convention. The question as TO whether
an officer ehall have four dollars per day in
stead OF two, eau very easily be Settled by
any respectable Legislature. II it cannot be
50 settled, the Convention had better refer
the matter to board Of supervisors.
It as said Increased pay removes the temp
tation to bribery and c;rruptlon." Il it Is
the business Of the Convention Of the great
State Of Illinois, when assembled, to I7ay :.
premium for honest members Of the Leglsls-
ture, the people would like to know, so that
they might Instruct the Convention to pay
high wages, sid thus enable ua to have a L..
gislAture of saints-thGt is, supposing the
higher the price the more honest the member.
II men toW steal before they go to tho Legis-
lature, they will not be reformed after they 70.
simply because they are not obliged to steal
| to support their families.
Illinois says further, it enables men Of
ta1ent, who are in reduced circumstances, but
| who are honest, patriotic and experienced, to
render service to the State at al tim IS, and
especially in the hour Of national or State
"pezn-" Nov the substance Of this is that
| loose-lots Of talented poor men, who cans
| at1ord 70 live in Springfield On TWO dollars
| day. They are not honest enough. A nan in
redncsd circumstances but honest can't live
the b1siness Of the Convention to pass SONG
law the object OF which shall be to fIsh out
mendleant genius and send it to the Lesisla-
tnre. and it u for the Convention to de- er-
be warmed into doubtful patriotiain when the
State and Nation are in peril BY raising The
psy Of RembeIs Of the Legislature. What
grave questions!! If there are any evils to
be reformed, we should strike at the greatest
6rst. If the greatest evil Of our Constitution
I is that the members Ct the Legislature are
not well paid, then We don't need Conyeu-
t1on. Bat If it ia really true that the Consti-
tuition don't allow the peop1s to elect
honest men to the Legfs1stlne, then let Us
change it 90 that with our additional fees NE
can elect thete men Of talent who are In re-
d1ced circumstances, but who are honest~n
It is useless to bring such questions before
aConveohon. Let the Legislature take care
81 the subject Of fees, aad i onrmembers vote
1cr fees which arc too low tor men Of talent
VINO ere poor but honest, turn them out and
elect men who viii zaise the fees, The Goa
yention is not called to legiglate about fees,
It's business Is with the Organic Law, which
is not founded Oh fees
Again, Conventions should not 1egislate. II
tne5 DO, the laws they pass ase no better than
those OF any Legislata,e, aud # the Conren-
tlon should happen to pass some poor Law it
would not be easy to change it. Ne have too
much 1egtsla.ion nowfor the good Of the
people members eonid go TO Springfield
and stay as long - the7 pleased On good salA.
rlss, praeucing the honesty which high fees
eEEenderE, they would keep the courts bnas
Ill the time In constituting 1aws, while the peo
pie would be taxed to their utmost, not only
to pay these high salaries, but also the ex,
Fenees Of conrts and lawyers il settling the
| law.
TIE Legislature and the Supreme Cour,
since 1648, when tie last Constitution went
into effect, have had about an even thing Of it
ard the new Convention will probably upset
s1l both Of them haye doae. So that we shal
haye Few Constitution, 8 new Legislature, I
new supreme Court, and 60 the merry danct
| viii commence again aud the poor people vii
have to pay the fiddler.
The Constitution Of the United 9tstes cover
fourteen pages emily, Including amendments
while that OF this State covers tweaty4si1
pages, Nov why should there be 30 mucl
GifeFence7 Let Us have Constitution fte.
psge#, aud then aGjonza the Legislature fo
four years and the courts would eettIe tn,
| law. and the people in q abort tma wo11s
| know something about It, HIDE PARE