Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-07-22
Constitutional Amendments Proposed.

We print elsewhere message sent to Con
sress by President johnson, proposing certain
amendments to the Constitution of the Unit
ed States. This message, unlike most of those
proceeding from the same functionary, IS
worthy the attention of Congress and the
country.
The first amendment is. it seems to us of
little consequence, except as 1t takes from
the small states Tie weight they have in the
electoral college on account of their senate
rial representation But as the electors act
together, and not separately like the House
and Senate, the small states have but little
advantage in this respect. BY the proposed
election by the people directly, it might hap
pen that the popular majority would elect
president who would be defeated in the cleo
toral college as now provided for ; yet, gen
orally. we believe the popular majority
agrees with the majority of the electoral
college, and we doubt if anything would be
gained by any change in this respect. The
necessity of an election by the Honse occurs
too seldom to call for any reform in that re
spect and, indeed, we doubt if it is likely,
when it does happen, to make much dis
turbanec as a second presidential canvass and
balloting would. We believe, also, that our
experience with Mr.. johnson has satisfied
the country that the presidential term ought
not to be heightened. The only part of the
first recommendation which we should be
glad TO see accepted by Congress and the
people, is that providing that president
should hold office bat one term and we are
not sorry that the New York Convention
having token away Mr.. Johnsons hope of a
| reelection, that functionary has become
convert to the one-term principle
The recommendation in relation to the
succession is hardly likely to meet with much
favor There is no contingency except that
of impeachment, in which the succession as
now provided for by law is Objectionable
and if there is any need Of providing for that
exceptional case Congress has full power
to do so. 1t has never yet been necessary to
20 beyond the Vice-President in this order of
succession, and we hope never will be.
The election of L. S. Senators by the peo-
pie of the several states would be well enough,
and yet it is we'll enough as it is. We
doubt whether better men would be chosen
by the one method than by the other. We
should be quite willing, however, to see the
change made, as we are generally in favor Of
having officers chosen directly by the people,
rather than by the representatives of the peo-
pie. If the electoral college did not, in fact,
vote for the candidates whose merits had been
freely canvassed before the people, and whose
election had been declared by q popular
jority, we should favor a direct vote by the
people for President and the same reason
would lead us to favor the more popular
method of electing senators.
We should not be sorry to see the recon-
mendation in respect to the Judiciary made
part of the fundamental law. Nearly every
state has recognized the value and necessity
of elective Judiciary. In this State the
Judges are chosen every year, and yet the
fountains of justice are as pure as though
the judges held for life. And we should be
quite willing to see some change in the tenure
of-offiee of the Supreme Court of the United
States, by which the fossils of former gen
Grafton and dead and buried civilization.
might be made to give place to men belonging
to living and progressive age of the repub- !
lie