Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-05-05
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1870.
The Election of Delegates to the
Constitutional Convention.

On Tuesday next, May 10th, an impor
tant election is to be held in our Com
monwealth The people have been called
upon by an ordinance to choose on that
day one delegate from each town, in the
same manner as town Representatives are
chosen, to represent them in the Constitu.
tional Convention which is to convene at
Montpelier on Wednesday, June Sth, to
adopt or reject six amendments to the
Constitution of the State, proposed by the
late Council of Censors. The decision Of
the Convention upon these six amend.
ments will be final. 1t may be well to re.
iterate these proposed amendments for the
information of the people, and they are Of
follows:
First, Forbidding the creation of cor.
porations by special laws, except for
municipal purposes.
Second, Changing from annual sessions
of the Legislature and annual elections OF
State and County officers, Senators, Re-
representatives., Judges of Probate and
Justices of the Peace, to biennial sessions,
and biennial elections and terms of office
for the officers mentioned.
7hird, Enabling the Legislature to
provide by law for the filing of any
vacancy in the office of Senator or Town
Representative.
Fourth, Changing the mode of appoint.
ing the Judges of the Supreme Court
from election by the Legislature, TO APP.
pointment by the Governor with consent
of the Senate, and extending the term to
six years.
FIN, Adopting Woman Suffrage, en-
titling women to vote on the same terms
as men.
StTth, Abolishing the Council of Gen.
sors, and giving the power of amending
the Constitution to the Legislature and
to the people once in ten years, under
very careful guarantees, such as requiring
two'thirds vote of the Senate to propose
amendments the concurrent vote of two
General Assemblies; and final submission
to the freemen of the State.
We have stated these propositions in
our own way rather than cucumber them
with the phraseology of the Council, that
each one may be plainly understood.
The several amendments have received
little discussion save that of woman suf-
frage and the appointment of judges of
the Supreme Court by the Governor and
Senate. We do not propose to discuss
them at length now. believing that more
force will be given to the discussion of
the question between the election and the
assembling Of the convention, as the peo-
pie seem Indifferent, and will take little
pains to ascertain the views of the dele.
gate before the election. Therefore, if the
people will not discuss these questions
oandidly in advance, they must not be |
disappointed at any result. And the
friends and opponents of the measures
must go before the convention to be
heard. The want of discussion of these
measures, with the exception of those re-
lating to woman suffrage and the APP
pointment of the judges, indicates gen
eral apathy in relation to what seems to
be for the welfare of the State.
We are in favor of forbidding special
corporations of biennial sessions and BIZ |
ennial elections; of filling vacancies in !
the offices of Senator and town Repre-
sentative of woman suffrage; of abolish
ing the Council of Censors, and providing
for amending the constitution by the
legislature once in ten years.
We are opposed TO the appointment of
Judges by the Governor and Senate. If
the question could be divided we should
favor that portion of the amendment,
making the term of Judge of the Su-
preme Court for six years. We believe
in long tenure of Office in all judicial
appointments.
We have thus briefly presented to the
people these propositions as a reminder of
what they are to act upon at the election
on Tuesday next. We trust the very
best man will be sent to the Convention
from each town without reference to his
political relations, and not as has been
too often the case in former conventions,
weak men picked up because they have
never had anything at the hands of the
people before. The best of men for this
important position should be the rule.