, 1870-06-27
THE ELECrI0N on SATURDAY
NEXT.
The New Constellation

/ tco t1ust tnAt every HepublN1n who goes
the polls will support these three judic,
candidates. They ARE worthy, and nc
qualified, and entitled TO the fullest con1den,
and esteem OF our citizens. None Of the o.
posing candidates are superior to them in III
respect, and their Democratic friends on
prefer them On political grounds.
Dut the main object Of this address is n,
to persuade Republicans to vote fog these @,
ceAent nominees Of their own party, az it
haru to conceive of any cause or motive thu
should induce Republican to vote:asains
any OF them. What we wish to impress upo
citizens is the absolute and imperative neccs
Eity tha. exists for tho adoption OF ths ne,
constitution.
The present constitution OF Illinois ia note
riously tue HnrBt and poorest organic Law uu
der ~hi<h any State Government in the Unio9
isnow administered. It may have answered i,
ahort OF way Quarter OF century ago, whe,
tue people wero poor, and their stste Govern
nent bankrupt; when dollar WAS harder |,
procure than five dollars now; when thes,
were neither cities, railroads, corporations
manufactures, banks, capitalists, newspapers
or public improvements, and only a scatteree
handful OF impccunlouH agricultural pioneers
! Almost any kind Of constitution would do il
these uaSs-cven one framed uu ytue1uun cun
! naence principles, leaving everything to thu
discretion ut tho Legislature. But those pio
| neer dars have passed. Illinois il now the
third state in the Union in population anl
wealth, and the first III railroads and progress,
and Chicago il looming up to tho very from,
rank oi great cities in commerce. enterprise,
aud Inhabitants. Tho old constitution Il
found to be utterly inadequate to the public
wants in any respect It has wholly failed ID
protect the Taxpayers against the enactment
of tho most corrupt and prodigal revenue
bills, for the rights Of the people against the
encroactments aud usurpations OF chartered
monopolcs, md it is no longer regarded with
respect, but has fallen into contempt; ;
and the people nre practically loft
without constitution, IS tho bitter OK
pc1scpce Of several past yoa1H have amply
demonstrated.
The recent letter Of Governor Palmer, in
discussing the comparative merits Of tho new
and old constitutions, says that stthe real
point to be decided at tho election is whether
the people will live in future, as they have done
for several years past, under government
that haa such powers as the Legislature, tor
the time being, may choose 10 claim fo, III
Tho constitution Of l847 has been abandoned
by the people AZ an obsolete thing, and / an
pained by the confession am compelled to
make, that itH authors and trainers had nothing
ike q correct idea OF the true meaning OF its
provisions; there are not many Of them that
arc not habitually violated, and that, too, opon-
ly and notoriouHly." He continues:
THE truth Of this statement needs no proof to
those n ho ate ID the habit Of visiting Springfield
during the sessions Of the General Assembly, and
have observed the e7od. Of iobbys.s dtractsd ieye
~ The raginq e>mand to1 speeiaI I,isiatioU. TSey
demand thu most valuable franchises and grants
OF PUBLIC property, mud By the combination OF
ut !s Impossible, under onr present coussttu-
Ton, to reform this OF any other political abuse.
me 1lat reason why Tcforn Is Impossible t. that,
nhder the provision OF the constitution Of lSl1 the
responsibility for y1ccns legislation cannot be 4red
upon any itpa' tnezt e5 the Stats Government Tnc
Gosein1r c1nnot fairly be held responsible for jm-
proper Legislation, or tmproy1dcnt, or reckless ad-
a mere ngure-head. wl,hout influence Or power"
Startling as are these declarations Of our
Chief Magistrate, they are nosoriously true
and nndeniable. The State is practically
without constitution, az everyone who has
watched tho performances at Springfield
knows. No stretch Of Legislative power seems
to be prohibited no plundarer Of the Treasury
or people, for which the ehysters of the lobby
can purchase majority, IL in any way i'm
peded. The Governor is powerlesS, sud the
constitution is Just what ths Legislature, for
the time being, chooses to call it. By the
adoption OF the new constitution alone can q
reform be effected. But, strange as it may
sound, it is, nevertheless, true, that tho new
constitution ia in danger Of defeat by reason
OF it's many admirable, useful, and beneficial
provisions. It's manifold axcellencies have
indamed the hostility and united the opposi-
ton Of a numerous aud influential class, who
live by fees and perquisites, lobbying for cor
rupt bills, procuring special privileges for
monopohes, and subsisting generally On
public plumber, These, and all other
persona whose interests are Affected by
m economical and responsible administra-
ton Of State, county, and municipal govern
ments, are secretly aud silently laboring to de-
feat the new constitution. They reckon on
on light vote, which they hope to over
conc.
It will be real public calamity to allow tho
new constitution to be defeated. Its adop-
tion will save millions year now reckleBsly
squandesed, and, What il Of more importance,
it will put stop to the eucsoachments OF cor
porate monopolies on the rights OF the people
that have become 80 overshadowing md
alarming.
While the old constitution is known and
admitted to ba the most defective Of any in
the Union, it is conceded By the press and
public men Of our sister States that tho now
instrument is model constitution, superior in
many respects to that Of any other State,
and, al whole, excelled in good