Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-05-18
For the Journal.
CONSIDERATIONS


OF THE CONSTITUTION.
First, It's history aside from its intrinsic merits,
entities Il TO respect, and the important place
it now occupies in the organic laws Of YER
mont. Our State constitution, adopted IN lf1''
though considerably amended in l756 and l1OJ,
continued essentially the same after that more
than 40 years to 1896, contained this section YER
baiim with the exception Of the substitution oil
1899 for 1885 This slight change was made by
the convention of 1893. which was itself provided
for by this section, numbered llth, being last and
most important in the original constitution We
say most important This appears from its dc
clared intent, the honorable board of council IL
provides for, and the highly important and deli
cate duties assigned to that council The reading
of this section will impress even the most careless
reader with it, Importance, in the estimation OF
those fathers Of the State government who or
dnined IT, almost 10 n day one year after the Dec
aration Of American Independence.
This section, in any view entitled to high con-
sideration, after holding It's conspicuous place in
the charter Of our State government marty oen-
hirv, It is now proposed to abrogate, and suhsti-
tute provisions for amending the constitution
giap different in mode of procedure, and designed
ultimately to produce results which the prime
movers in this assault would not care 20 explain
=, ~, ,.,.o,,,;,,, ,t,,., IN 10 assembled Mt Mont
IL rt. 5.s;,,r IL ultimately to chang. the
basis Of representation, with other changes
But this section has intrinsic merits, both in
its declared design, and the method by which &c
- 90 ~ accor,nlisbcd In order that the free
1,, r. ,,is o,,,,,,or,vo,i,b may he prcscrycl in
lit c,.o,.r - ,bcre IL IN h. elected A council
NJ ,,ons,ry co,s;.ting If thirteen pcrsops. and To-
bc elected once in seven wears. and this council
: T., l, o,or,,od with vari,ps and dcli,ate du.
ti.. ,,bicl eibr,liv rcrr,rped are to have
n ,,o,,ort,,s irg,onco 4, the affairs of the
commonwealth Tbis council 4. q, be entireiy
d,,,n,, c,,,s The bgj,lqiire and er,ci,,rs branch
o. or the Government and its first duty is
IN cno,ire whether these branches of the gov
eminent have porf,rmed their ,iity a., u,qrd,aa,
arm, mani, - 8. whether toves have been Justly
Iia;d and collected 90 They ore IN hive authority
| IN mass nublic censnrcs !, order impe,chment-.
| ~ recommend tbo rcnooling spcb laws rs they
tbink have been na.sed osntrary IN the principles
| or tho constitution This b,dv t,o i IN have
mower ., IN eall a convention. if there appears %
| them an absolute necessity of amending any arti-
clio or this constitution which may L. defective
evnloipino sncb A. may be thonght not clearly
EXPRESSED and adding such MS are necessary for
the preservation of the rights and happiness Of
the neople - A body of men charged with such
dnties as these most evidently shonld be selected
from the wisest. most experienced and best citi.
would he rcsnected rs are the judicial decision. OF
the highest court. or ipstice
II il nertincnt IN inopirc Was the orioina
plon or constitptinc spcb n Copncl of Censor
,r,,e mr. was it odapted 10 the purpose ip view
namely the preservation of Freedom We nh
NOR ,bot in a., ro,rtiicor farm, ,r ,,v,r,,,,,.
zach and erer,, one nj has. ,psaf,3 dg,,,, mu.
or nscessitv he s.si,neJ q, s,r,o ,,, mp ,,,r,
than ono branch ,r .,,,c-,,,,.rt ~ to r.s,-g,i D,
the neonle themselve. regnlarlv constitute,
government on.o oro,,i,sI dor. ,,,s, h. ,.ro
vision far its nresoryati,n and H.. 1,o admin
,r,t;,, and au,o,5,oo,t Of H.. c,-,,,i,. who,
c,,,nd desirable nv ro.dr,l. homo mos, ;c ,,
all constitution. r,int amt th. mode ,f cr,cti,.
amendments What better ,y,,, ,b,, co,.tit,,
inc b,or5 or men collected will, c,ro e,r
anon, ,ho bost cit;,o,s If ,te ,bol. Sal. an,
consis,in, or number noi,bcr t.,, l,roo Cr r-,.
and dol;bor,,o d;sc,,.s,,, nor l;,llo ., 10 ,,,;.,
mont. ,,cide,, =, l,r,e osse,,li;,y M, T.. =.
s,r,vo1 bv tho elo,rcnce If a sir.,l. ,,.,,l..,
b,, sue,jer,I,, ,,,,,or,,, o. r,,,roso,,, ia.
sec,ions or territory and dif,rcr, i,,cros,s in
dustri,l commercial and rroc.ss;,rol mi. h,,r.
Is elected with ,,,,;,y ,,,r.,o,,, !, r,,, no
To make laws or IN cxecnte thcm lint in mar
to see that these dutie. are dome in the .niri, ~
the constitution he those ann,ipte1 e,- H.. r,.-
poses The eitbfpl nerg'rmopce of t,is mart n
their duties will in s,mc c,se. s,toc, tbo C,,,,
ell IN censure b,, cl,s, mot ,riIlir, g., i,o,
conduct scrr+ini,eI Tho C,,stit,,,i,, a. ,t,.;
guide and also the principal object of their care
When this bodv has found derocts I'M tt,. c,,,st;
tuition. and has matured saitable amendments an,
in due form offered the result. of their most ma
,ure thoughts to the consideration of the who'll
people, to be considered by them at least sii
months before eleciing delcgates To convene an,
decide upon the merits Of the Councils pr,p3.e,
amendments the people have ample time t5 con
slider these proposed changes in their Constitution
and may either elect delegates kaoira o, be tru,
representatives Of their views. or they can On
aruri them as to their wishes. What more oil
better could it be if they voted directly YES or II,
at some general election when various other sub
-, - ~ e''C' ~ '''A''s W
amendments No, we shy; let 50 important
questions receive imdcided attention, separate as
possible rom inc ihhuence OF party politics
II tue uounci' propose alterations IN the Con
n th;s ;as,anoo o, 49, W Wv PIOs' a. we ''''
n, 49, W P'op'' CIV '''s1'''