Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-08-15
FOR A STATE GOVERNMENT.

We are gratifed to perceive the strong
rcyulsion which is apparent IN the puo'ic
sentiment upon the question of the adop-
t;op Of q State Government. The feeling
:, favor of that measure bids fair to be-
come as general by the seventh OF next
month as it was adverse on the January
last. From the very outset we favored
the proposition, and up to the election adj
voeated and supported it BY argument
which we considered sound. That con-
stieution was freighted with clause, in
direct terms taxing the mines and mining
property, and in the view that the people
took of that clause, it proved mill stone
about the neck. 1t was furthermore ham,
pered and trammeled with ticket which,
from the manner of its nomination, made
it almost part and parcel of the eonst-
tuition, and the adoption of the one was
made contingent upon the election of the
other. These causes combined resulted IN
the defeat of the constitution. The argu-
ments and reasons in favor of changing
our form of government from colonial
and anti-repubhcan form to that of self
government were strong and sufficient,
and the abstract proposition at the Sep
TENDER election was carried with great
unanimity, and butfor the objection which
we have reeited, the State government
would have been adopted. Every reason
that then existed for the change exists now
in full force. with the additional overpow-
ering one that the people have discovered
that the present Judiciary system, besides
being from its nature repugnant to every
principle of self government, is in its per-
sonReI mass of corruption and fraud-no
longer an arbiter of justice and right, but
an instrument of oppression and wrong.
To remedy this crying evil. the people
have it now in their power. By adopting
the constitution now presented for their
consideration, which IS free from the OBJ
iections of the old one, we win clothe our
selves with the right and the power to
choose our Judiciary and hold them re-
sponsible directly to ourselves for their
official conduct. The system of wardship
under which we have been living thus far,
with no vote or voice in the choice of our
rulers, is mortifying and repugnant to
people accustomed to regard themselves
as the legitimate source Of power. Every
American citizen has been accustomed to
the consciousness that he stood as the peer
of every other citizen, and constituted an
integral portion of the great American ma
ton, with voice for counsel and opin-
ion, and vote in It's control. These at
tributes of citizenship have been denied
Us while under the Territorial form of
government; we can assume them by
adopting the constitution. The only pa
per in the county which now regards the
movement with disfayor is the Enterprise.
The grounds of its objection possess GER
tain weight, but they are far unbalanced
by the reasons for making governmental
change. We believe that those reasons
and the popular sentiment in that direc-
ton must be SO apparent to our cotempo-
rary that it viii yet waive all minor OBJ
jections, and come out in support Of the
adoption of the constitution and the form
alton of a State government.