Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-01-08
The Council of Censors Again.

The Council of Censors Again.
We have got as good Constitution as any
other state-the Free Press will not deny that
Let us not make it an easy task to disfgure it.
Let that be an " awkward " work, yea very
troublesome work Too great efficiency Of amend
ment does not commend itself TO our judgment
40 long as we have a good Constitution ready
made If it we're a bad one if the rights of the
people were not guarded, and the executive,
Legislative and Judicial powers properly distri-
bated then, if a Council Of Censors would not
help us TO a better Constitution, II would be
uroper time to seek some other mode Of amend
ment. Montpelier Journal.
The above paragraph is the nub Of an extend
Cd article by Mr.. Walton, in reply to our last
editorial on the Council of Censors. 1t is IN
doubtedly the most plausible argument in favor
Of the Council tn I it tends to make the work
of amending tie Constitution slow and difficult.
But is this the case We think not The sta
bility of our Constitution depends upon the
stability of judgment and temperament Of our
people, and not upon the mode now provided for
changing our organic law. Does the Journal
,uppose the Council would stand as a barrier
against any strong and general desire among our
people for an amendment Of the Constitution
1t certainly would not. The power of saying
what State Constitution they Will live under
rests with the Freemen Of the State, and no
superannuatei piece Of machinery would or
ought to stand in the way Of clear necessity for
change Nor has it in other States. In Penn
sylvania itself, from which Vermont took the
device of Council of Censors, when the people
wished to amend their Constitution, they waited
for no seven years to come round, or for any
Council to recommend changes; but assembling
in their sovereign capacity they abolished the
Council AID amended their Constitution as they
chose. Of course, if the people Of Vermont
choose so to do, they have the same power, and
the stability of the people is thus the real safe
guard Of permanence in the Constitution. In
fact there is likely to be less OF the element Of
permanence with the Council, than without it !;
for body elected expressly to recommend changes
is not likely, as a general rule, to consider its
work done till it has, recommended some al
teration, and is liable thus to suggest changes
for which there is no general demand.
Moreover, there has twice been pretty gene
raj demand in the State for a change which
should do away with the Council. 1t has not
been SO pressing that the people were disposed
to mske any great fuss about it, or to consider
other modes of getting at it than through the
Council itself Still the desire has been sufficient
ly indicated through the press and through dis
tinct instructions from the State Convention
which nominated the Council; but it was dsre-
gAried by the Council.
Under the present system, then, there is no
more certainty of permanence in the Constitu-
ton, if permanance is desirable, than under
some other. There is no certainty either, Of a
change, if change is desirable. The only Ger
tainty is that there will he Council once in
seven years, and that there will be as often a big
bill for the State to pay.
The Journal does not approve Of the plan Of
amendment suggested by us, possibly good
SUI stitute for the present one But We do not
care to he drawn off from our main point, to dis
cuss side questions There are various modes
u amendment in use in other States, any Of
which, we doubt not, is better than our own.
winch is the best, we do not undertake to say.
That Is a matter for due consideration and
sound Judgment. Some better way than the
prr.ent is demanded, and it cannot be very DIFF
fcult meet the demand
To what the Journal says az to the value and
efficiency Of some of the ancient councils, We
have only to reply that our point has been
throughout, that whatever the old Councils may
have been, when the office of Censor was con-
sidered one Of high responsibility and repute,
the later councils have, been useless and iueff-
Gent. The Importance and honor attached to
the Office have greatly fallen off. The people Of
late have cared nothing about the Councils, and
the Councils have been quite aware Of the fact.
They have drawn their per diem with care.
Some printers have had fat job, in printing HE
worthless records OF the meetings, and that !.
ali that the Councils have amounted to. We do
not say that there have not been able and honor
able men among the Censors,-there hare been
such; but it will not be denied that as whole
the Council has fallen into disrepute. Such
usefulness as it once had, is ended There is no
prospect of a change for the better in that
gard. and consequently the sooner the whole
thing is abolished, the better.
The one, and indispensable qualification, to
which we would have regard, therefore, in Sc
Letting censors for the next Council, would be to
chose men who are pledged 10 recommend The
abolition Of the Council 1t will not be difficult
to find such. No man ever holds the Office twice,
and the most popular thing Council could do
would be thus to destroy itself. Why, then, can
We not have such Council and such a result
Divers other amendments have been proposed
by one or two Of our Vermont exchanges. The
Rutland Herald, in some evidently pretty care
fully considered articles, has recommended three
changes, viz:
LIST. The abolition of the Council of Censors.
End Biennial elections and biennial legislative
sessions.
Sd General laws for the organization Of pri- |
waite corporations.
To the first Of these we heartily subscribe. For |
the second, the State we think is not ready now,
and we doubt if it will be very soon. The third
requires constitutional change. If the Legis- |
lature wishes to save the time now spent in pass
ing private charters, and does not care to have |
All such charters come under its eye-which is |
the present and probably wholesome rule-it has
only to amend the present general law so as to |
remove the requirements of the elaborate formu-
Ia Of organization, advertising, &c, which now
prevent corporations from organizing under the |
general law We can ourselves, perceive no
change that is specially needed at present, ex-
cept the one we have advocated.
Montpelier Journal suggests as good way the
nomination of Censor for each County Qeaving
out Grand Isle) by County conventions, duly
called To this plan We have no especial OBJ
lection A correspondent, whose opinion is en-
titled to consideration, suggests in another
column that the two State Committees unite in a
call for State Convention. This would also be
well enough. One State Convention would per-
haps be less trouble than hirfcer County Con-
ventions We want no more " fatherless con-
vention,," at any rate The quest how the
Cen.ors shall be nominated is really the first in
order. What say our brethren of the Vermont
press on the subject!
Iii. reported that the Kentucky Democrats are
anxious to have John c. Breckenridge return to
that State, and be elected Governor No doubt
that the State which elects him will probably
lose one of its members Of Congress, in conse-
quence Of not allowing her negroes to vote The