The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1862-06-06
HON. GEORGE ". PLEASANTS GOES
FOR THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
HIS LETTER TO THE PEOPLE
OF ROCK ISLAND, HEN
RY AND MERCER
COUNTIES.

either wholly unknown or differently repre-
scented, that feel obliged by a sense OF what
is due 10 candor m well n- to numerous re-
quests, although at this late day, and without
at all oycrrating its Importance, to define It,
My purpose Is to vote for the new constitu,
ton and for the separate article distrlctIng
the state for congress, but against the others
for the reasons briefly following
The only choice permitted us is between the
new and the old, The only question, there
fore, Is, which is, On the whole the better?
Not who devised the new, or with what mo
,iyos and objects, but how does it compare,
for merit, with the id?
All the labor, time and money necessary to
frame it has already been expended, Wecan
get back none of either by rejecting 1t, but,
! if it is really better than the old, only waste
all by so doing We cannot thereby even ct.
fcctually rcbukc any party, or the lenders OF
any oarty, for not doing still better with the
opportunity, because the several amendments
were carried and other propositions were lost
in convention by different combinations, and it
must be apparent that the adoption or rejec-
ton Of them by the people, cannot be made
strictly party question.
In my judgement it il TO be preferred to
the old because it retains, substantially, the
excellencics Of the old and makes, On the
whole important and valuable additions to
them
To illustrate All the great and essential
principles Of liberty and free government
the distribution and limitation OF its powers,
aud the rights Of the citizen are preserved
unmpared, as vii! appear by comparison Of
the bills ofrights, and unchanged, except that
indictments for petty otienses are dispensed
against injury by the exercise Of the
right Of eminent domain, both Of which
are improvements. 3d. the form and machH
cry Of government, and the powers and tunc
tous ot it> different organs, remain Is they
: were, with such changes, by enlargement OF
{ restriction rs tend mainly to good. So will
Of the two houses-treQuency Of session, mod,
of proceeding, security for experience, iutelli
gerce, independence and purity Of represen
tRtlyea, protection to mlnorltles, and the pow
4 ers for good conferred, are the same; Will
greater latitude Of chJcei1 allowed to the pee
pie by enabling poor men Of proper qualiica
l.. 80 i
due performance Of their duties, as occasion
.. may require, and additional securities, yer
c great and very necessary, are provided aSains
the evils Of hasty and special legislation, tn
undue powers of corporations, the abuse {
public credit, the release of obligations to tt
q state, eXI cnscs for useless, underlined and GO
rs In respect to the Executive department, v
W have, by he proposed amendments, the san
~ general organization, but completed and in
proved 10y the important addition Of an alto
II. ney general, and BY the suggestion o; II nc
"a bureau, Of statistics and agricultufc--sjmil,
-, qualifications duties and powers Of officer
a but tustcr method Of compensation, sccul
iy ing greater Independence il their respectiy
spheres, while their accountability to the pc,
q. pie and their representatives,, is no less STRIFE
and further improvement i'll reference 10 tn
veto power, if such Il power j, AZ all dcsir,
bic, by making it real instead of nominal y,
j. guarded against abuse.
In thcJudiciary Department greater chan
mt es were probably expected and needed, an
greater have been made and while these d
r. not commend themselves so clearly to my f.
#. yor, | reflect tina. almost any change w0u
Il be an experiment, aud It's merits or dcmeri
T. proved only by trial that the constitute
-, and jurisdiction OF the supreme and crru
ie courts are not materially changed. except
lie the dignity Of the latter is promoted by rel
IN from the consideration, in the first nsanc,
- OF petty cases, civil and criminal that il
II creased guarantees are furnished for securr
those prime requisites of good system. abb
/ ity, deyotcincss and independence OF tt
" Judges, by providing compensation adequat
i. therefor, (which is not honestly possible undo
r the Old yet not subject to change during the
III term Of office that provision is also mad
- for an increase of force hereafter on the SUI
70 preme bench, which tho not sufficient, in III,
m opinion, is better than none, AZ we now have
10 further rctlectt that something like the count
court, against which SO much is ohected, wa
v necessary in order to reduce the number .
s circuits, and that it is sanctioned by the exper
1 fence Of other states, and will be more or les
useful according to the character Of its iuds
, cs, for which the people themselves will b
G wholly responsible. ! see no reason to doub
. that the public interest will he better caret
for by county than by district attorneys, an,
none to fear that it will be found upon full
statement of the account, to cost any more.
e These are the main features Of the nstru.
} ment and upon their character would nroba
bly, depend tbs action of the people But as
TO the remaining and minor articles. whore
changes or additions are made the same gen.
is crai observation applies with equal force
Y linus the additions to the article on reyepuo
+ contemplate an increase Of the resources II,
the state. by extending the capitution fax 70
n non-yo,ers, and by new subject Of taxation
le the circulation Of hanks-greater unif,rn;,, :,
=. and economy in their collection and Greater
:. security for faithful account of them Tho
Ks modes provided for amenIin- the c,n.,;,,t;,,