The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-08-02


The following communication from
Judge Ranney, appeared in the Cleve-
land Herald Of. a late date:
EDS. -HERALD.-I notice in the
proceedings of the late Republican
State Convention, a resolution favor
ing the call of a Constitutional Con-
yention, which. like all other resolu-
tions reported by n committee, Is said
to have been unanimously adopted by
that body. No easons are assigned
for so grave a recommendation; and
as I was somewhat responsibility con-
nected with the provisions of the ex-
listing Constitution, upon which, the
voters are this year required to act
having beens.chairman Of the commit
tee on Future Amendments in the
convention which adopted them, and
having labored for their adoption
against a stubborn opposition-l do
not think / am presuming too much,
when I call upon the chairman, or some
other member of the Committee on
Resolutions, to inform the electors
through your columns, what specific
amendments to the constitution were
thought, to be more desirable by those
who reported and adopted his resolu-
ton ; and why q Constitutional Con-
vention was thought necessary to effect
such changes. When this informa-
ton is furnished and the merits of the
proposed amendments shall have been
fully discussed through the press, and
otherwise, the electors will be in a
condition to act intelligently on the
important question submitted to them.
If it shall be made to appear that the
amendments to be desired are numer-
GUS, and so complicated as to require
digesting and arranging with great
consideration and care, it need not be
doubted that the electors will think it
of sufficient importance to justify the
heavy expenses incident to two special
elections, and the assembling of
convention, and will, as they should,
give an affirmative answer to the
question.
But if, on the other hand, there are
no amendments which can command
the clear assent of a majority of the
electors of the State, can be pointed
cut, or if those which are needed are
of q character to be submitted conve-
niently by the General Assembly di-
rectly to the electors, end in this
inexpensive mode be acted upon by
them, it cannot be reasonably sup
posed that a convention will be auth
orized merely to make additional
-1,aao fO. 1O1o,e nv 70 .nnnl1n
special interests to grind their private
axes at the expense of the State, by
tampering with its fundamental law.
This method of authorizing a con-
vention is founded upon a very clear
and very just principle, and deserves
to be acted upon in the spirit which
operated its adoption. 1t was de-
signed at the expiration of twenty
years to enable the electors of the
State, upon their own motion, and on
careful review of the provisions of the
Constitution and their practical opera
ton, to determine whether 4 conven-
ton was necessary to revise, alter,
or amend it. 1t was not intended TO
excite periodically a spirit of discon-
tent with the instrument as it is, or to
foster a very prevalent disposition to
pull down without any agreement
amongst those who would destroy it
as tt what better be put in its place;
nor was any affirmative action invited
on the part of those who did not favor
a convention. AS was said at the
time: ga majority of all the votes
cast at an election is required. If the
people do not need a revision of their
organic law, all they have to do is not
to vote for it. To refrain from voting
is to vote in the negative"
1t results from what I have said,
that very proper, as well as highly
improper ear may be used to OBJ
tain an affirmative answer to the
question required to be submitted to
the electors.
1t is very proper that those who are
convinced that a convention is neces-
sary, should make a plain and fair
exhibit of the defects which they claim
to find in the constitution, and the
substitutioEs which they would make;
of the mischief in the fundamental
law as it is, and the remedy they pro-
pose, and invite the cooperation of
their fellow-citizens to suppress the
mischiefs, and advance the remedies
But it is highly improper that the free
choice of any portion of the electors
should be restrained or controlled by
the pressure of party organizations;
and it is an utter perversion of this
great constitutional privilege, when an
affirmative answer is endorsed upon
printed tickets. for party candidates,
which would be voted by tens of thous-
ands of persons, either ignorant, in
the heat and hurry of an election,
that their tickets contained the en-
dorsement, or too Indifferent to take
the trouble of erasing it.
have made these suggestions with
the single purpose of eliciting intor-
nation and discussion upon a subject
which seems to me highly important
to the interests of the people of the
State; and / can not doubt that the
intelligent gentlemen to whom L have
appealed, will take pleasure in per
forming the public duty which L have
asked of them.
R. P. RANNEY.
CLEVELAND. ,July IA. 1871.