The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1862-03-01

Hon. Isaac ~ Morris. formerly member
OF congress, writes the following letter to the
Quincy HraH:
Mr. EDITOR II notice in your paper OF
this date paragraph urging the cOnstitu.
tional convention to bring their labors to a
speedy close. | think you are mistaken in
your supposition that such n course, on the
part Of that body would result in benefit to
| the people.
| 1t NAV be set down ~ almost certain that
/ if time and delberuton is not bestowed upon
the constitution it will be imperfecty made,
and perhaps may be rejected at the polls -
1t is no easy or idle task to frame properly
an organic act, and let us not be too impatient
for its completion. Give the delegates ample
time to do their work, and if they do it badly
hold them responsible at the bar of public
opinion. A least it strikes me this il the
/ best policy, and that it will prove itself so in
! the end.
There is a struggle now going on in the
state Of fearful import to all. 1t is whether
banks. railroads and other corporations shall
continue to rule it through the courts and
legislature, or whether hereafter the people
shall rule it." Unless the convention can en-.
tircly break the grasp Of these soulless nsti.
tu,ions. and turn Illinois loose from them, it
will have met 10 but little purpose, The
mass of our citizens have only Il limited idea
Of the extent and power OF these chartered
companies. They are now clamorlng at the
door of the convention tor the protection of
what they claim rs their % vested rights |
must confess my inability to discern how
those so.caled "rights' can rise above the
sovereignty Of the people. There are dele.
gates who SO claim, and thus retute their ar
gumcnts and votes in favor Of the power Of
the convention to do any and every thing it
pleascs SO it docs not conflict with the COnsti-
| tuition of the Uuitcd States. This is the only
! limitation upon their action the members are
willing to admit, and yet some Of them say
that an imprudent act of the legislature in
granting extraordinary special privileges to
a body OF -harpers, spectators, or foreign
capitalists, to swindlc the people for thirty or
forty wears to come, cannot be disturbed or
annuled 1t would seem that such men have
but limited notion Of sovereignty. They
keep the word of promise to the ear and break
it to the sense. In their estimation the sover-
eighty Of corporations is above the sovereign.
ty of the people, just as the supreme court
holds that the right of such associations are
above and superior to those Of the citizens
The creature is exalted above the creator
or, in other words, the creating power is held
to be inferior to mere franchise, --the off
spring OF sovereignty greater than sovereign
ty itself; and thus the people have no power
to rid themselves Of oppressive and ruinous
institutions, This novel and extraordinary
doctrine, to call it by no harsher name is be,
ing seriously advocated in the convention by
many OF Its members. and it is doubtful if
they are not in II majority. Let us give
those who are nobly battling against it, time
to overthrow it, and present to us strictly
democratic constitution, recognizing, to the
fullest extremity, the sovereignty Of the peo-
pie. Yes, let us give them time, and not be
in too much hurry to complain
l. \. NORRIS
Quincy Feb 81 1860