Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-11-15
For the Rutland Herald
Notes and observations at the
Capital.

The passage OF ftheConstitutionala amend
ment through the House on Tuesday, Oct.
both, 1866, was as smooth and unruffled as
the soft whispers Of an evening breeze.
Eleven heroes in impoverished utter
ance crept forth from their hiding places,
and disturbed for a moment the harmony
of the occasion, the stiffness of the hour,
forming singular and solemn contrast
with those clear, full and manly affirma-
tions so natural and characteristic of
the freemen of Vermont. The unanimi-
ty of feeling throughout the hall, was to
the "unterrifed" truly gratifying. Such
an unbroken expression of loyalty and
patriotism, representing as it did almost
every town IN the State, politically re-
garded, is an event historically grand
and POLITICALLY beautiful. 1t is another
unmistakable evidence of true, genuine
devotion to the country, and points to
Vermont as fixed star in the galaxy of
the nation,
The people of the United States have
ever wisely refrained from hasty and in
cOnsiderate changes in the letter and
spirit of the Constitution. In all parts
and sections of the country over which
freedom has shed her benign influences,
high and sacred regard for its provis-
ions has grown with our years and
strengthened with the diffusion of intel
ligence among the people. The subject of
amendmet, therefore, is the last to be ap-
preached, and only 20 be entertained
when public interest and national neces-
sity prompt the consideration. Frequent
additions to the body Of that instrument
only tend to enlarge its dimensions, and
to lessen popular confidence in its wis
dom and fitness for our government.
In order fully to appreciate the care
and watchfulness Of the people in this
particular, reference may very properly
be had to the date of the adoption of the
Constitution, and to the periods of its
! several subsequent amendments.
AS far back in our history as the union
of the thirteen original States, no man
however clear his perceptions, and no
body Of men, however wise and thought
| full in their deliberations, could possibly
| have framed and fashioned an instru-
ment, or drawn up and perfected articles
Of confederation, suited in all their pro-
! visions and Determinations, to the future
wants and requirements of a progressive
and constantly increasing people. The
| frame work of the Constitution as it
was adopted in Convention in 1887, was
as perfect and complete as the wisdom
and intelligence OF that age, or perhaps
any age, could make it, The division
and distribution of its powers and pro-
visions were SO carefully and prudently
guarded, equalized and balanced among
| the different CO ordinate branches of the
government, that their leading and dis
| tinCtive features never have been altered
or amended, bettered or improved; and
it may well be questioned whether the
| test and experience Of near eighty years
could originate and combine a more per-
feet and practical system Of national
law and jurisprudence.
During the first session of Congress
| under the provisions Of the newly
adopted Constitution, Sept. 25th, 1882
ten proposals of amendment were sub.
mitted to that body, and on due delib-
Grafton passed the same, and subsequent
! ly were handed over to the several States
| for ratification. A constitutional num-
Der of States acquiescing in the amend
ments, they were eUgrafted upon the
original chart of our liberties, and be-
came part Of the supreme law of the
land in the year 1871, thus enlarging
and developing in more clear, definite
and more special manner, the great truths
and fundamental principles of the origi-
nal instrument.
The eleventh amendment to the Con-
stitutiOn, constituting the judicial powers
of the government in certain cases,
passed the third session of the first Con-
gress in 1898, and wss declared adopted
by the requisite number of States in an
Executive message to both houses OF
Congress under date of January Sth,
1898. The twelfth Constitutional
amendment was proposed and passed at
the first session Of the eighth Congress
in 1908, and was adopted by the neces-
sary number of States to give it the
force and validity Of law in 1904, thus
completing and establishing a system OF
constitutional, prosisionary authority,
which for more than half a century,
governed and controlled the destinies OF
the American people, and elevated our
model Republic to high and command
ing position among the nations of the
earth.
1t will thus be seen that as early in
our history as 1871, the great body OF
the Constitution was fashioned in har-
m ny with the wants, and completed to
the satisfaction of the American people,