, 1869-11-09

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f,hteauo. III.
- -
TIE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The returns from the State Of the elec-
fton OF dele'ates to the Constitutional Con-
vention leave no longer my doubt that ma
jorty Of TINT body will be composed of gen
lemeu who hare always acted and voted with
the Republican party. There are some ten
or twelve delegates who have been elected
in Republican districts without particular
reference to their political proclivities. In
several Republican districts the regular
rominees Of the party have been defeated
districts, Democrats and Republicans have
been elected unanimously, both parties
uniting in the selection Of a conlpe-
tent person, without much reference to
his party politics. As political body,
it may he somewhat difficult to draw strict
party lines, though, as We have stated, a
Iasjority Of the delegates are gentlemen
who have nlwnys acted with the Republican
party. Though IN some instances very e1-
cellent gentlemen have been defeated, the
people generally have selected the best
uaatesinl that was offered them, without
reference to party. score OF more Of the
delegates chosen tAve held Judicial othtcs,
as many more nro leading members of the
lar. and some five or six vero delegates in
the convention OF 1877, which framed the
present constitution of the State, md
few were IN the convention of lsC.- As
whole. the convention will be the ablest
and most experienced body Of public men
which has ever met 1n this State.
There are those who think that this con-
ventson onght 10 hive been partisan one,
and that failure to elect such convention
will prove disastrous to the interests OF the
Republican party. This is m unfounded
| assumption. The convention does not
uect to leGlslafe* 1t has no Legislative
power or duty. II does not meet to frame
cnd put IN force constitution by which
the people Of Illinois are TO hc bound aud
governed. 1t IS simply body to prepare
the form OF q new constitution, to be submit
ted. rs whole OF in part, to the people for
their approval. The new constitution, If
We have one, is not to be enacted BY this
convention. but by the people themselves.
each voter acting independently for himself.
| The time when conventions znado conshtu-
tiors for the people Las long since departed,
in this country, and will never return.
Constitutions are now made bT the people,
and conventions are NO more than commit
tees appointed to draw up the details Of an
agreement which is to receive its force and
validity from the subsequent approval and
acceptance Of the people. Constitutions
ought not to contnin Legislation. They
should assert the fundamental law OF the
State, upon which there ought not to be, and
never has been, any serious division Of
opinion n1nong the people. Questions Of
policy should be left to the people, to be
acted upon by them according to the ever
rar. ing circumstances Of the time. 1t il a
rcnurknl,le fnct tlAt, not including the
proceedings in the reconstructed States,
there has been no constitution of n partisan
character, that has been framed ly par
tisan convention, which has not hecn re-
jected by the people, Both parties have
tried the experiment Of foistiug upon the
constitution provisions tending to perpetu-
ate party supremacy, and in ali such cases
the people have 1epuai.ted such an abuse.
The convention in Illinois, in 1852, WAS a
striking instance Of this kind. Much a
the people wanted chnnge IN the constltn'
tim, and gene1atl5 acceptable as was the
constitution then framed, the few partisan
provisions by which the Democratic major
ity in the convention sought to petpetuat'
that pnrty in power rendered tho who'll
5 work abo,ninablc, and the people rojecte'
it. The constitution Of ISIS hal nothing
uf this kind it, and it WAS almost unAn1
n,ously adopted, In the case Of Minnesota
+ in lS5517, there Ens another illustration q
o tie wisdom Of nyoiding partisan notion
q There we're three or -four delegates who's
tents we're contested, and upon the declsio
!. Of these cases depended the party majorit
l., in the convention. The night befo1
:, . the lay for tic meeting Of the convenhu
IN the Republican members met in the ha
= and held possc-niou Of it until the hos
fixed by law for meeting. They organized
o. declared their members all elected, ar
!, proceeded 10 tic business Of making Il Co
20 s,itu,ion. The Democratic members, fin
- inc The hall occupied, met iu auoth
= building, declared themselves the conrc
" ton. and p,oceecled to business, Ea'
r convention matured constitution, viii
recognized its own party rs eonstitutii
e. exclusively the people Of Minnesota. Fe
= tuna.e1y, before they adjourned, ft
q, members Of each body insisted upon co
=, ference, md the result WIS the e1purgati'
. Of everything OF 4 mere party chAractc1 a
:" an agreement upon one constitution, ~hie
ce WHEN submitted, was unans nlously faftf1
: l'y the people. The case Of New Jersey
to equally suggestive BY the advice OF q nu
,ws her Of persons belonging to both partses.e'
,;s- county elected twice the number OF de
-, gates to which it was entitled by law, div
ing them equally between the two pa1t'
IT'S This convention. thus composed OF m e9
'te- Iuu,her OF both parties, met, voted to
the jurc mere party issues, framed const
md tion acceptable to nit the members, and
in was unanimously ratided by the people.
There arc but two questions Of . pa
y. character which. by any possibility.
SO propc,ly be- brought before this convent