, 1862-06-11

:ra1ly hoped and expected by the true friends
If the State, that the convention would meet
aud organize and, in view Of the distracted
condition Of the country, adjourn over to q
more propitious Eeason.
But the delegates elected were not disposed
Thus to hide their brlIlian. light under
bushel. They were determined that the State,
md world at large, should have the benctit Of
their wisdom and acumen. Accordingly, /
after three months incubation, they have pre-
sented, tor the action Of the electors Of this
State, 3 document, styled, the ttnew constitu- |
lion Of the State Of Illinois, with IN address
Of some twelve pages, urging its adoption
The first object Of inquiry, was, the differ
cnce between this new constitution and that
under which the State has enjoyed SO much |
On examination it will be per-
cciycd that every unobjectionable section OF
from the old; and that all the new matter Of
this new constitution, aside from tic appor-
tlonn,ents Of Congressional, Senatorial aud
Representative districts, does not cover more
than one laG The tpace Of the address which |!
accompanies their labors. and il will also be
perceived that there is not single beneficial |
feature in the new constitution, which coald |
not have been adopted by the Legislature, 7
u1der tie provisions Of the existing coustitu- !!
lion. |
But the cony ention seem to have coagratu- /
lated themselves on the idea that they are the
only houcst men in the State-their cleo
ton to that important trust having pro-
duccd such REGENERATION where necessary, as
to make them go per Sc; and that, a. true pa
tIiots. it was their duty SO to hlrncss up all
future legislatures as to compel thcn to work
i'll the traces of the convention, SO that tue
dear people should not be swindlcd by the
representatives hereafter elected to represent
item.
Thus, at an expense of some 100000 to
the people and three months arduous labor to
tic convention, VIC have sn1ne six pages Of
wisdom, 1irtne and patriotism to be adopted
or rejected on the 17th inst.
To those WHO have carefully studied the
history Of our country for the last feH years,
anu noted the measures that led to the pres
cut Infamous rebellion, o striking analogy will
be presented between those measures aud the
transactions OF this convention.
The policy Of thc secessionists was to estab-
lish the Calhoun doctrine Of absolute, inJe-
pendent State rights, by which, there would
he reserved to each State the right Of separa-
ton, "p<acta5{e SEPARATION" from the Union,
for ::ny real or imHt t:iuary cause.
Our convention, in the 30Lh section Of tile
second article, proposes to establish this sane
doctrine fer the State Of Illinois, though in
tLc succeeding *ce:ieu, they kindly suysc-t,
"tlat the people Of this STATE regard the
r,,ion Of the States as permanent and indi5-
ti1pal right to withdraw Or seccde,3 The
.t;,.,"t il The assertion ofa stitutionaI right
Of stcsssion; the latter, tho expression Of
conservative opinion.
TIE people Of this State are not prepared in
| the presfut crisis of our countFy's history,
| thus to indolsc the action Of the rebels; and
| thus to encourage ard sustain them in their
! iuiuuitous transactions. 4 beacon Of this
kid. thus Lit on the capital Of this State,
would give new Ett. to the rebellion, eneour-
age their cause, strengthen their h4nds, aud
[ require the offering up Of another lec1tomb
! Of our valiant soldiers, to undo the Wronr
| they committed.
Tic next innovation is on the rishts Of citI-
| zcns. By the eleventh section Of the bill OF
t Rights, those citizens who are charged with
ottenses less than felony, aud in which the
punishment is by fine, or Imprisonment other-
| wise than in the penit:utiary, arc deprived ot
the safeguard OF the inquest Of tic Grand
Jury, and arc LIFT at the mercy Of uurzirci
pied enemies. Unless they can 1t once fur
nish bail, thcy :tre locked up to await thci1
tTial, at the leisure Of the court.
The tucnty-nip,1l section OF the sixth a,ti
Gle, authorizes the legislature, to confer juris.
dictien upon Justices OF tile peace, to punish
hy imprisonment for i time not excrsdin:
thirty days. This is q dangerous innovation
Of established usages: and on tho liberties o
the people; aud it is singular, to say the 1cas
Of it, thas 1be convention would be willing tt
entrust to the legislature, this confrol owe
TIT liberties Of the citizens, whc" they hlT'
practically denied them Subordinate 20 .crs
The S5th section, article Sd Of the prcsen
constitution, which declares, that "the gen
vral assur,bly shall have no power to author
: ize lotteries for any purpose, au
:, shall pass laws to prohibit the sale of lotter
tickets in this State has been wholly omi'
frd in the new constitution; nor is this omi:
sion reCtifed hr TIT. 3ttll section Of thc fuurt
article Of the iattcr, mol being of the Glass Q
kinds therein designated, in which The :sencs:
, assembly Is forbidden to pass local or speci
laws.
| Thus, This State, if tie s.ew charter prevail
= may BECOME the mart for all the lotteries &,
taDf; and tbe nc&,lest, :unst dishonest, ar
+ drmor,llziug system OF gambling be iusr
c dhced among our people. Lotteries have bee
suppressed il nearly all til. Sta;es, and Il
:, sale of lottery tjckets prohibited under scyc
$ penalties; a.id it would not By any melns /
gralify ing to The good people of this Ss.te,
y see 8 new era in! roducru here, hy authoFtzit
O this meantst and most dishonest system
d gambling.
IS earnestly urged in the address Of the conve
IL ion. This cconsDy consists in increa>i'
the number If officers aud enlargin. their $:
aries. or leaving them 10 BIZ enlarged by u
l. legislature. This is economy with Ut
% grange; and the plea for it is, that the Ia
II sum t'7 pos1age, newspapers, pencils, kuive
q | &c, in auti1ion to the members pay.
=. Tho article on banks and banking is very 8
IL we're. So fur as these Institutions are co
il cerned, they are entitled to no marcy or co
- s1ccfa'aon from :he people Of this Statc. vi
nave been rot'btd ard plundcred by them
D. The nu>t Shameless manner. In fact, ma,
= of 1Etsr ins1;tutious were established tor til
expires purpose, ard their projectors ha
Of been en1ineElIy successful in accomplish
"a | it. But 111is may be attributed rather to til
cal def cts in the system and TIC mode Of {
u r1atin:, it,, than to the abstract question
he tunhirg. Tic people Of this State arc dist
gn's shed for their energy, en-. erprsc aud prom
81 Lueiress habits. For such people TO Gu
uA their operations in farming, stock-raisis
trade, merchandise and improvements wi
out banking facilities, is au iupossibiIity; q
ar- TO hcliish those facilities altogether from
i, Sr*te would place liz among the last, iustt
~ Of the first, Of tue sisters Of the Vuion. l
'vo while thus determined apparently TO ball
ia nj! banks aud banking inst,tu 'iouc and clrcp
re- | tion 1Tt'H tho State. the fifth section Of
,;r niu:l article gives life aud vitality to all
a. A. dormant charters now extant, of which t:l
Elic is 1veion, and grants them one year ia III
ng tn commence operations. The necessities
tbc the case will compel surrvrH'ious bank
snd the circulation Of bank currency, by wh
our TIC Eeopie vii: be As thoroughly aud ccrsai
NJ, | !obh as they have been By the stock ban
au The worst feature, however, in this VII
-. matter, aud which sho1ld be siynallJ
lso' tipally rehuked By the people. is tic a>su,
The ':ou Of l'o~er and authority by this conz
tics lion, which wa. not delegated TO them hY
the FI11tt, .s-.' ~ 1e',. 81 ~ us.
tics tic CONSTITUTION. and for no other nurG
whatever. ErSa1dl.ss of their implied .
CATIONS. they have assumed to do all the lc
!ation for the Statc, for the next quarter
,.as. etntury-to eX}'el all the executive aud jud
,nl- ~, ti,nir r;,cas v;th othrTs! r. r.arrino.
,ble congressional aud assembly districts,
one III, II own personal and political views n
an ~ - ';, ou.' 49, ~ ae7.ha 1rhn1a na.
lfits ,,.ca1d1. 4. IF ,he intpraats of tho ueonle
. in have ASSUMED dics1:o :orial aud arbltrlry po
| aud by their acts cndcayored Ia prove to
world that the people of Illinois have
honesty, wisdom aud patriotism enoug
~. govern themselves; aud hrnce, this SELF
aal- situte0 li'ose I" i;psds wished ~ tei:tYo
5uut 1fnHl AL 'lat tFou:le aEa rcspoaslolttt5-
.m.s whole toursc pnr>ued ny this convention
no heen clnsely 1nodrled after that adopted b.
nss trs:ft,rs who plunged our happy and prospo
s1on unity INTO this Infamous civil war; auG
aght to proye tlat tbc people were tncapa5
rel | self-gortrnueDt; that they have not 6
:cur- enough ~ se4ecE competent anu nonest
t;h Gers and legislators; and thst they must
n1ea IN sJistoeracy, nobility, to do all
Shin thinking aDd governing, retaining only
l re- prisileee OF lahoring for aud supporting
:lriEtocracy-
arc LIST. LIT the people rem -u,ber next TUE
1tsin that this convention prepared someeis ,
ized, | ct original matter. in the new constitute
ror.- cos! to tho people OF over Sl09 900 au
= we go made the people pay for publishing
"e | sddress.
. en- I'd, That they Increased the number ol
md GERS largcly-enlargcd the salhrlcs OF SON
arranged osaers so they could and Woul
enlarged, and have called this economy
,,4ed Sd. Tint in an important class of caset