Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-07-08
The snih ar,lrle of amendment.

True it is that the people did not use their
p5uer in electing the last Council of Censors,
and the towns did not use their polcei il re-
iecting the whole of the miserable work Of the
Council In that we agree with the Free Press,
and it ought TO agree with US that nevertheless
the pOlUer was in both the people and the towns.
| We regret that both did not use them faithfully,
assured that if they had, or even if the Council
had faithfully observed its own commission,
none Of the amendments would have been adopt
ed We believe the people will ere long demand
back their power to elect and be elected annual
ly. and that the independence and equality Of
all the towns in one branch Of the government
| shall be forever preserved. The States have
such a guaranty as to the Unitei States Senate,
and in Connecticut not a town can be deprived
Of its equal fright but by its 0rH consent In
/ Vermont we wish to see the Connecticut rule
adopted, a. the nert amendment to the Consti-
tuition We suggest four amendments for IA
ture consideration:
l. A restoration Of aunus elections snd ses-
sions, limiting the annual sessions Of the Legs
laure TO thirty days, fixing the pay Of members
in the Constitution and allowing pay for days
Of actual service Only. This service will pre-
serve all the power and privileges of the people,
and save 81 least half Of the expense Of the
Legislature
/ H. A Council, with all the powers Of the late
Council Of Censors, but to consist Of thirty
members, and to be elected by the people al large
once in SIX Yeas.
III. Conventions, when called by the Censors,
to consist Of one delegate from each town TO be
elected as town representatives are, and to have
power 10 amen proposed amendments Just 20
far. and so far only, as shall he necessary to
effect the purpose designed and avowei 10 the
people 10y the Council and Of course the final
power 10 adopt or reject. Had the late Conven-
ton possessed this limited power 10 amend the
I articles proposed, very valuable results would
have been secured. or, alternative to this
/ ". An article ia the Constitution providing
that each town shall have enc member Of the
! House Of Representatives and no more, and no
town shall ever be deprived Of this RICH; Of
! equal representation rit0m rs CrH consent.
/ In that case all future amendments TO oe SUD-
wittei directly to the people p large, - he
adopted by the consent Of two-thirds Of tie
/ votes cast.
The lale Convention has postponed these aud
/ s.l amendments for ten years but if the Pc.
pie are not disposed 60 wait, they still have re-
served power, 20 use AZ any time, under the .ih
article Of the Bill Of Rights in these words
" The community hath an Idubitatle, iuaheua-
Die and Inaccessible right to reform or alter
government, IN such s. manner as SHAH Pc by
that COZ muni;y judged most conducive to the
public al
The last Uat-tuap & J5uHq' replies TO
the FREE PrEss in an extended article, Of
which we copy above the closing paragraphs. .
The Hncimaa writes a li.de testify, in
spots, as when il asks if We can tell If two F.
and two make four; but having said nothing
unkind.y or 10 bad humar ia the discussion,
We choose to take nothing unkIully from our
Montpelier friends
We have neither space nor desire TO dis
cuss distractions We see 10 use in retain
ing power which the people steadily re-
fuse to use We re-ali-m that a Council.
hab.taally elected by a mere fraction Of the .
freemen and a Convention elected by very
small percentage of the voters, arc by no .
melu- as adequate and proper representa-
tiyos of theIc,ple, as Senate elected am-
monty }y the majority ami a House Of Rep
rc>nuuyes chosen in Ike manner We
say that the fact that five siz-a- of tie
amendments proposed Ply tae oari5a- Coun-
els were rejected by the Conventions, shows
how seldom the Councils represented any
popular demand f1- haa-e- or ,ac popular
Judgment in ra-.rl t,theu. We lave sand
that d Senat. OF thirty members was bet
ter body TO originate amendments than
Council of Thirteen, and -he Hn.1uqe
r-7rtiaaIIv comedies the 7.,irr l, re...u-