The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-12-08
The &egister,
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1903.
Our Next Council of Consors.
MIDDLEBURY. WI.

Every law, should be subject to
same provision of amendment Legis-
lative enactments by subsequent enact
ments of the same body or its success
sor, and organic law i'm accordance with
provisions within the instrument itself.
In the latter case such provisions are
necessary to prevent violent revolutions,
when changes become necessary; and
by wise forethought, our fathers made
such provisions IN the Constitutions OF
the United States and the several states
of the Union. In most of these states
constitutional amendment must orig
nate in the legislative department of
the government and afterwards be rat
flied by the people. In Vermont the
method is essentially different, though
the practical workings, thus far have
discovered no very serious defect in the
system. 1t is accomplished by recon-
mendations of the septenary Council of
of Censors provided for in our state con-
stitution. Upon the last Wednesday
in March, once in seven years, we are
required to elect thirteen persons called
the Council of Censors, who are to meet
on the first Wednesday in June follow
ing, whose duty shall be to inquire
whether the constitution has been pro-
served inviolate, whether the legisla-
tive and executive branches of the
government have performed their du-
ties, or exercised greater power than
they are entitled to, to enquire whether
the taxes have been justly laid and
collected, in what manner the public
moneys have been disposed Of and if the
laws have been properly executed.
This Council has power to pass public
censures, order impeachments, recon-
mend the repeal of laws, and also, to
call constitutional convention, If there
appears to them necessity of amen
ding or explaining the constitution, the
articles of amendment proposed, to be
: published at least six months before the
, day appointed for the election of such
convention that the people may have
opportunity to instruct their delegates
on the subject.
Our next council is to be chosen on
the last Wednesday of March 1869
Such matters as are likely to claim the
attention of that body are interesting to
to the people, especially those pertain
ing to the necessity of calling consti-
tutional convention.
The Herald proposes three amend
ments:
lst.-The abolition of the council OF
censors, and the vesting of the power OF
amendment to the constitution i'll the
General Assembly, with such restric-
lions and safeguards as SO important a
trust will demand.
2nd.-Biennial Sessions of the Legis-
lature, and of course biennial elections
and two years tenure of office where
but one is now provided.
3d.-Making it obligatory upon the
General Assembly topass General Laws
for the organization of private corpora
tons of every character, and prohlbI'
ting special acts of incorporation OF any
character.
Two other subjects are suggested
which might be made the subjects OF
constitutional amendment, first; estab-
fishing representation upon the basis OF
population, and, second, Woman uii-
rage" These are regarded as impract.-
cable and therefore not discussed If
impracticNbility excludes discussion
then the first proposition must be pusht
summarily aside. 1t is exceeding
improbable that any body ofm Won |
voluntarily abolish itself. fthe men
bers ofthe Eleventh Council of Censo ;
should 90 to their labors prejudice d
against the system, they would soon :
come convinced of the importance u
their mission and Office, as every one If
the ten previous Councils have done.
But there are real reasons why the abo-
liton of this body is undesirable. In
the first place this system is barrier to
hasty and ill-advised amendments to
! the constitution, hedging in that hui
wark of the peoples liberties again t
innovation and change which in itself
| ~ ulSlSter, anu qulte as cuectuai uS any
system adopted in the states. In the
second place, it is well to have body
of men whose special duty it is to exer-
else the functions of a critic, to inquire
into working of the laws and the fideli-
! ty of officers, who are clothed with pow
ers sufficient, at least, to organize re-
formatory measures. If it is the duty
of every citizen to guard well his liber-
ties, his duties are so underlined that
he has practically no power to remedy
evils that he discovers, and "what il
every body's business is nobody's BUSH
ness" The officer may be amenable to
the doubtful caprices of popular opinion,
but that is not sufficient. With all the
safeguards we now have, around offices
oftrust, we find, on every hand, incom-
potency and dishonesty.
The second proposition must meet
with general approval, but the atten-
dant necessity ola corresponding length
ening Of NIL offices, is an unwelcome