The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-05-24
NEW CONSTITUTION AND AD-
DRESS.--OFFICIAL COPY.
Address. to the People Of Illinois.
Ix CONTENTION. May Ii 1870,

IN SoN' ENTloN, may 10, lSIu.
As your representatives in Convention to
"alter, revise and amend" the Constitution,
it is due that we should state in brief the
most important changes proposed, and some
OF the reasons therefor. Our State Consti-
tuition has been in force for almost quarter
OF century, during which time our popula-
ton, wealth and Interests have augmented
However wise and udiclous when adopted
that Constitution has become wholly made.
quate to subserve the necessities of the
State without notifications and restrictions
To secure sn efficient aud at the same time
an economical administration of the several
departments OF the government q new Con-
stitutiun is an imperious necessity. 1t is
not probable that any Constitution will. in
sll respects, fully satisfy any one man in the
State Every one will fad in it something
he would exclude and would insert some
thing 1t does not contain. 1t must be
Judged altogether, and if better than the old
Constitution, 1t should be adopted. In all
human institutions the good and evil are
mixed, aud sound sense demsnds that We
secure the greatest good sttsnabie "ht VIC
must often be content if we get more wheat
than ,a-es For wears past the machinery
of our State government has oeeh Kept oh!f
:, ,,o,;op nv continued violation OF plain
and nositive constitutional provisions
Notbing can be more peruicious. BY this
ths people lose their respect for the laws and
learn to hold then in contempt. A rever-
ence for Constitutions and laws is the best
possible guaranty FOX the stability OF the
State, the peace and good order of society
and the protection OF the lie, liberty and
property of the citizen. Aud whenever it
becomes necessary to violate Constitution.
it should be changed to meet and remove
the necessity which impelled 10 such viola
ton. Our State Legislatures are only
restrained bv the Constitution of the State.
and of the United States. Is is theref fore
necessary that State Constitutions should
contain many regulations and restrictions,
while the Constitution of the United States
may be much shorter, for that is a govern
ment of delegated powers, with only the
incidental powers necessary and proper to
execute the powers granted
ELL or RIGHTS.
In addition to the usual guarantees of
natural and civil liberty, we have declared
that no person shall De denied any civil or
political right OF capacity on account of his
religious opinions. All persons have the
right to publish the truth with good motives
and fo- us,ihabie ends. Private property
shall not be tazen or damaged tor public
use wlthou. Just CON pensstion, 10 be sscer-
.ained by jury. The fee OF leuds taken
for railroad tracks to remain IN the owners
subject 20 the use for which 1t is taken. Al
irreVocsbie grants OF special privileges OF
immuDltIes are prohibited, 10 protect the
people against privileged orders and dan
gerous mouopolies. Grand Juries maY b,
dispensed with. Our ieIis are crowded wiz
criminals during the intervals Of Clrcul
Courts ct great expense - the counties
County Courts may De authorized to try il
Bsummary manner many criminal cases aae
thus save the counties the large expendi-
lures OF keeping prisoners for trial from
term TO term of the Circuit Courts, and
persons not guilty may De promptly dis
charged or acquitted
LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
To avoid partisan injustice in Represen-
tallve districts, anc the expense and delay
OF the General bly, IN making them.
We nave provided for dlsIvIcting the State as
IN Ohio, by ratio and computation. To
guard against undue Influences upon mem
Ders Of the General Assembly, and TO afford
small counties Representatives, we have IL
creased their numbers. We have also re
CURED q stringent oath against bribery and
corruption. 70 afford security against
hastq and vicious legislation, we have re
CURED al bills and amendments thereto Il
De printed before they are passed. Only one
subject shall be embraced IN each bill and
when amendments are made to laws oil
acts are revived the sections amended and
acts revived must be stated az length. Tn
evils Of special and local legislation havf
become enormous. The expense TO tht
State in passing and publishing such laws
and the combinations By which privat,
speculatIons nave been secured, and mono
poles with extraordinary and dangerou
powers have been created. Are well known
We have prohibited the General Assent 81
hereafter from passing such laws and hav
required general laws IN a
cases where general lsw ca
be made applicable We have for
hidden the General Assembly from releas
ing any liability to the State or TO an
municipal corporation therein. We bavt
placed additional guards against speculative
contracts made with officers of the State fo
stationery, fuel, etc, and We have limited
the amount of expenditures TO be incurred
on account of the State Capitol now IN pro-
cess of construction.
We have provided for public aud private
roads, aud for the drainage Of lands We
have required the enactment of liberal
homestead and exemption laws, and laws
for the protection OF minors; and we have
submitted separate Article, designed Il
protect producers and shippers of grain
against frauds in warehouses.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
We require the Governor, at each session
of the Legislature, and at the close of nj
Of rtf1, frrrisb al
moneys received ond paid out by him, from
any funds subject to this order, with hi
vouchers therefor. We make it the duty 0
the Auditor Of Public Accounts, Treasurer
Secretary of State and Superintendent o
Public Instruction, and persons in charge O
State institutions, to keep an account of a!
moneys received or dIsbursed by then
severally, from all sources and tor everJ
service performed and 10 make semi
annual report thereof to The Governor, under
oath to be laid before the General Assem-
bly,. Thus enabling the representatives o
the people to expose and by suitable lsws
prevent inprovident expenditures and
frauds. We have given the Governor
power to remove ell officers appointed BIZ
him, IN case they are incom petent or guilty
OF ma!teasance Office. We have provided
safer mode for cauvassiug the votes tos
Governor and State officers and avoided
the danger OF colhslons in cases Of contested
elections. We have required the Governor
20 submit q careful estimate of expenses and
revenue to each General Assembly. Thi.
viii restrain extravagant appropriations aut
give the people proper understanding o
the financial condition of the State. ",
have made the veto power as in the Consti
luson of the L nited States. only to be over
come BIZ vote of two thirds of each Hous'
OF the General Assembly. Had this provi
SION been IN our existing Constitution, i
would have saved us from many injurious
ana unconstitutional acts. and many char
.ered monopolies passed by com binations o
Interested persons.
JUDICIAL NV, prupsr