Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-08-12

practically. IN, the Council created BY
the people 1.snselves more emphaticsaly
reprssents ~ poplls< voice thsn any
othee Tribunal in oaf frame Of gown
meat This was unqusstionably the lea
of the "fathGrs" in creating the CoanciL
In the opimi0n of your COMMITTEES ley
Ought to Aave gene one step fgAer.
and provided that the Council shc~ 4sub-
NIT proposed amendments to the people
directly, or to q Convention chosen in
some manner that would represent the
people, and not the towns of the common
wealth. Under the existing Constitution
it is questionable whether the Council
can order Convention called on any
other basis than that of town representa-
ton. Such has been the usual practice,
and conventions have been composed Gully
of delegates chosen by the several towns !;
and thus a small town with fifty voters
has the same voice in saying what the or
ganic law of the "whole people" shall be,
as the town of Rutland has with his fif-
teen hundred or two thousand voters. II
this construction of the Constitution lie
correct, and is obviously unjust and
wrong but your committee are of opinion
that the Council of Censors have the pow
er to call convention composed of dele
gates chosen on the basis of population
in other words, the delegates may be ap.
portioned to the different counties as
senators are, and thus the voice of the
people at large may be heard. If this
view is correct, it will be seen that the ex-
isting plan of proposing amendments to
the Constitution is one that brings pro.
posed changes "nearer" to the people
themselves than the one suggested by the
minority of your committee.
The Senate is not, in fact, chosen on the
basis of population, as Is usually claimed
Each County has one Senator at least
no matter whether it have one town OF
twenty-one thousand voters or two hun.
dred-so that in the first instance the idea
of municipality is recognized in the com
position of the Senate. AS at present
constituted, we have fourteen senators "a
fraction less than one-half), who represent
fourteen counties. The other sixteen
Senators represent the people of the larger
counties. The House of Representative;
simply represents the several town corpo
rations as corporations, without any re
gard to the number of people composing
such corporations.
1t is proposed by the minority of the
committee to submit proposed changes IL
the organic law to these two tribunal.
thus constituted, upon the ground that i
will bring them nearer to the people. L
is submitted that the result aimed at il
not brought about under this plan.
Again it is urged that the Council o
Censors is body unknown to sister
States, and has arrived at that "respecta
BILE old age" in our own that entities i
to funeral honors. We are unable to Sc,
any force in this argument. The very
soul of an organic law-of a constitution
for a commonwealth, is permanency. The
people demand some permanent law 81
that legislatures of partisan bias shall
not trample upon the rights of minorities
Again, Vermont has very many institu
tions not enjoyed by sister States, and
this fact furnishes the argument against
them.
/ Nor is the plan recommended by the
minority of your committee cheaper
than the existing mode. We are o.
opinion if the Legislature, once in ter
years have power to reach the Constitu
ton that a large portion Of their time
will be occupied in "tinkering' it. Nc
member Will think he can subserve the
interests of his constituents, unless he
strikes some blow at the Constitution
which his fancy may dictate, and thus, il
no unwise changes are made, much time
will be taken up, and great expense tc
the State incurred.
The other powers delegated by the
people to the Council of Censors ought
not to be surrendered. Through them
the people hold a check over the different
departments of the government. Execu-
tives may become usurpers, legislatures
may become corrupt, and both become
unfaithful guardians of the people.
Public taxes may be unjustly laid and
public moneys squandered, and impeach-
ments may be demanded in cases where
corrupt legislature would screens often
ders.
The proposition to abolish the Council
has been agitated several times before
| but without snooess; and although IN
deferenoe to the wishes of portion OF
our people who call for this change we
may be constrained to vote to submit the
proposed amendment of the minority to
a convention, still in justice to ourselves
we are bound to express our views against
the wisdom of such change.
Respectfully submitted,
H. HENRY,
For majority of Committee.