Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-06-22
The Sixth Article Of Amendments.


tons special pleading after the time fo
special pleading has passed" and it is hard
" to be called an argument So says the Ere
Press and then it attempts to make minced
meat Of the proposition, by asking US whether
The people initiated woman's suffrage, or on,
in ten Of the amendments ever proposed bJ
the Council. The editors Of the Free Pres
doubtless think that is crushing argument
but we unhostatingly say that it proves only
a surprizing degree Of ignorance or needless.
ness in themselves 1t cannot be ignorance
however, for these gentlemen are not ignor-
ant Of the great words in the preamble Of the
National Constitution: " w. HE pcople Of
tle UHited Staies,' ETC., do ordaiu and es
tablish this Constitution for the United State.
Of America viii the Free Press accuse
Washington, and Franklin, and Madison. aud
their associates, Of special pleading 2'
! viii il claim that the people did not initiate
and ordaiu the Constitution Of the United
States, because it was made by delegates
elected by the people for that purpose or
that the people did not initiate one in ten Of
the amendments to the Constitution, through
Congress, because lorsooth some amendments
have been proposed that were distastcful to
the people? We will not argue o. point that
Daniel Webster trIumphantly demonstrated
against llayne forty years ago, and that this
nation has just now fully ratified by suppress.
ing rebellion. If the gentlemen Of the Free
Press are at this late day converts to the
exploded dogmas Of nulliders and rebels we
do not think it necessary to dispute with
them for Mr.. Waltous sake. He is in too
good company on that question to be in any
danger.
The Free Press seems not to have any con.
ceptiou Of the objects Of Constitution. or
the duties Of the Constitutional Convention
as for instance, that the object of Oonstitu-
ton is to grant or restrict the power to be
used by the people themselves, and also
through their representatives in the various
branches Of the government; and therefore
that the Convention was to consider such
questions of pocer as were presented. Every
| question actually was of that nature and so
far as Mr. Walton discussed them, or we
have discussed them it has been primarily as
questions Of powers to be granted or re-
strained all other considerations being sub
ordinate. On the sixth article, Mr.. Walton
stated the theory ON which the old forty.third
section was originally adopted, aud showed
that it was entirely harmonious with the
theory Of our frame of government That
theory was that the peopie al large should
iaitiate amendments by a Council elected by
mere plurality vote, and that the people
acting by to,oas should have the final deois.
ion. The Free Press denies the first propo-
stion, for the reason that only fer people
have voted for the Council, aud the recon-
mendations Of the Council have often been
unpopular. But the fact that only feic
people have voted for the Council does not,
as the Free Press claims, show that the peo-
pie had not the Do,rer to initiate amendments
but only that they did not use the power
which the old iorty-third section gave to
them. Mr. Walton was literally and cors+i
tutionally accurate, therefore, iii saying that
the Do,eer was in the neonlo and avon -
hare ,b,yo1jtu Of tbo reorlo L. oo...o..,
inc that nositior tho E.oe pro,, o,t;L;.. ...,.
a very moor snecinen of q. sroc;ol ,looain.. =,
or neglect of very plain nrovisions Of tho
Constitution. In This conncction wa noto ,bo
fact that the Free Press of6rms that 90 tho
Senate of thirty members is o elected always
Jv majorifv of The roters." Possible That
may have been The fact generally tbougb no,
" always" and it is NOT The 2q,,-o moro ,,J,,-
rality vote being required for the election Of
Senators. precisely as for the old Connoil of
Censors. The only difference il that p MIN.
rality of the votes in the State nj zoroc .ould
elect the Council, while plurality in each
county can elect the Senators. In fact the
o'N NVu"',' VI O'"ao'a was more ulreotiy ana
more iairly subjected TO the power of the
neonle than tho Sono,, o,.o.,o L.,
- ''N WV Va" w. Ho' the
people consider the utter Inequality OF their
mower in initiating amendments to ,bo w..
r.. '''''1'''''''"'' ~ ''i' Col'
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o,o.s nil o.oh s.. =; - 49,. ~ ~
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nowor Of ono,hor and 20 aao,,,r.,...;..' II w
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