The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1862-04-22

MONDAY, March q, 1862
The convention met at 9 o'clock An
Prayer by Rev, Mr. Clover.
Mr. Peasants presented minority repo
from the finance committee, which was inco
poratcd into the journal without being read
After which, Mr. Thornton said The col
yentiou having concluded It's Mburs, an
adopted new constitution, which ha, bee
by our votes submitted 10 the people Fl
adoption or rejection, aud one which NOT n
" trust, bat confidently believe, will rccci,
the sanction Of the people, and ore which
think secures the rights and gives exact in
tee 10 aII,and preserves the rights Of the stni
government and every citizen Of this stat
] therefore move now that this convention a,
jOurn Su.e die.
T. Mr.. WESTwORTH-Bcforc that motion
L put wish 10 say that am one Of the f.,
who came to this convention uron the so.cnl
ed union ticket, pledged TO ignore all part
issues, and to do all | could to make c1neti
tuition, under which the people without dis
,lnc,on Of party, could live to the best advan
tage. The great Object Of all constitutions il
to secure the rights Ct minorities. The ma
J0rity can always take care of itself Minor
tiles must have their protection in u consti
tuition or nowhere. During my time in this
convention, have cndeayOrcd 10 look upon
each party in this country as n minorty-to
have the constitution 80 arranged that il
would be out OF my power u Cypress an 6ppO.
nent were in Il ma jOrty, aud 80 that my on.
pOnents could hot Cypress me were in a
minority. The most important thing Mt this
time, when our country has been almost drIy.
en- to bankruptcy by paying the expense. Of
this unhoIy aud wicked war upon the union Of
these United States, is the sub ect Of taxation.
! Whatever We may ray about the EXPENSE.
! right Or wrong, 1t has got TO be paid | am
! IN no sense Of the word II rcpudiator. con.
sider that my property, my blood and my life.
ani that ot my children, are all pledged to nav
the honest debts contracted by even the school
district, by the town, by the city, by the
county, by the state and by the nation in
which live Thus looking upon the matter.
! have ever deemed 1t my duty to make war
from the start, against contracting debts,
knowing that after they were made there was
| no remedy. Hence, have been one of those
who have been, perhaps, more ultra than any
| others in putting up the bars against all sorts
Of corrupt legislation. have not been one
OF those who have been willing to trust the
legislature upon all occasions, and there +,
L
| the convention, IN reference to wrong lctisla.
/ tive action. IL has escaped nv memory ON
1 several occasions, when | meant t. have pYr.
scented It Member. are elected to the leci.
/ Iaturr uIon single issue There Is one
/ question that eats up all others, aud every
time an election for United States senator
com", round, every one knows that question
swallows up everything clsc. II II man il
Autlil IIfHN That ft J.
wrong however rotten, hc may have been IN
on other lssucs--ii he j. tho strongest man
! upon that great issue, hr !, very apt to be the
! man that il chosen. Men invariably como
! here upon oIngle issue. We have Lrcnmak.
inE constitution ior all such men, when
! they come here upon this issue, and it h,4
been my object to put the bars up, So that the
people and their treasury should always be
safe. Two years ago, had the issue been pre-.
scented, with reference to the iamnable lcri-
Iatl"n pi the last regular session. not one ont
OF ten OF those men would have been elected
| to seats here. They were elected upon other
issues; but We hsyc put up the bar, 50 #
icctuaIlY that hereafter even those very men
are harmless should they ever come here
| again. We have ON this occasion remember
| ri mat We have got an immense national
! dcht TO pay. The two mil tax alone will sus.
! tam tins convention. | know men now VIII,
are active III opposing the constitution who
/ nave been buying up oar Illinois state bond.
! ana they intend to come here neXt ,Jauuurv
! ana present their bonds for payment. and sue
| OUT u "NhfdWHS from oar supreme court and
make our state raise that two mill tax to pav
thth. inns Is one OF the most alarming thiugs
u De presented 10 the people. and they can
ohIy keep 1t Oh by adopting this constitution.
ASIDE from the two mill tax we have =, econ .
omihed our expenditures that we save more
IMAM one mil, aud when man votes for this .
constitution, he votes to take three mills off
his tax,
There Is another clause in this constitution
winch viii and should justly make every Ia
porHr III our state support it. Heretofore.
Goh'ra't"rs upon public works have been Ell.
abIcd to secure themselves, and t. cheat the
poor Iaporcr~ out Of their hard earnings; hut
ny the present constitution every ahnrrr in
the state Of Illinois has a lien for his waves
and cannot be cheated out Of them bv the con
tractor. We have als2 secured to every man
IL piece OF home, and hereafter we need NOT
RAISE the issue Of land for the landcss. Eve.
ry man, rich or poor, will be an independent
citizen, and can defy the great mass of %.
preNSor1, whose character is written in the
great mass Of the legislation of the last reru
ar session OF our legislature.
We have secured to the ladies' Of the com.
numty the right to their own earnings. and
II inns we nave done IN act Of beneyo!cuce
'hu charIty that ouidoes any constitution in ,
ne united States. Then, again, when a man
IA, Il niue property, and none bat daughter. ,
% inherit 1t, he need not - to the trouble to !
make his Will Or deed OF trust. his c0nsti. "
ullon has made 1t for HIM It gocs TO hi. I
laughter beyond the reach Of a drunken and .
'ambIlng husband. 1t is hers for the rood L
u her children, torthc good Of her husband I
ma Tor the good Of the community.
We have also protected oursclyr. from that !,
gang OF Iazaroni, who hang around yopr cnn Il
tol every winter, in the shane If lohby /
gents, lour constitution saws there shall "
e no more special legislation. and | wlnld
dVlse delegates to take the book containing 9
&c laws OF laor-tbat big volume of statutes =
ana hold 1t up to the people That will Il
'caE III thunder tones. There is not money
lough IN the state to buy q volume Of the !,
WIS OF 1887 which | have in my possession: u
lear the wild cat bankers will destroy them
And then again this constitution saws that q.
cry blll introduced into the legislature must -
rca three times on three different DAYS y
lore IT can be passed, and before its final u,
s>age, and after the last amendment is VI
1de' shall be printed. That of itself is ~
ouSh u save the constitution | have look. ~
upon taxation as only another name for =.
"">e"tIoh. believe no man has u right TO "a
1t another man property except necessity q
lures H. and that necessity is only reonir g."