The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-11-03
The Co institutional Convention.

Ohio is to have new Constitutional Con-
vention, bat whether a new Constitution is
more doubtful. The verdict of the people of
the late election decided the former, hut the
latter will depend upon the wisdom of the
Convention to frame the proposed new Con-
stitutien, and the temper and Judgment of
people when it shall be submitted for their ap-
proval or rejection. At the late election the
proposition for a Convention was carried bv
n majority of over 6fty:thousand votes in the
sixty-four counties heard from at this writing.
OF the sixty-four counties reported, forty gave
majOrities in favor of Convention, and twen-
ty-four against. Of those voting for the Con-
vention, twenty.one are Republican, and nine
teen Democratic counties; and of those voting
against, fifteen are Democratic and nine Re-
publican. The Convention, therefore, was not
treated as party measure, and its deliber-
atlons will be as free from the intrusion of
merely partisan political considerations and
propositions, as in the present state OF politics
any legislation can well be.
However, The history of constitution making
IN several Stat contains warning and eau
ton which should be needed by those who
may be charged with this business in Ohio,
The people have shown themselves quite con-
servative about sweeping changes in their fun
damental law. Both New York and Michi-
gan undertook to revise their constitutions
some four years ago, and the instruments
framed in both States were considered ad-
vanced specimens of constitutional legislation:
but they were defeated by the people with the
exception of single article separately submit
ted in New York. And only a month since
Nebraska consigned to the legislative waste
basket the draftofa new constitution prepared
with great labor and at great expense by
Convention which imagined itself to have set
up model OF reformed constitutional law. Il
llnois has been more fortunate in securing the
framing by convention, and the adoption by
the people of undoubtedly the best constitu-
ton now in force in any of the United States.
That the Convention was ordered by the So
vereign people of Ohio for the revision of our
fundamental law, may result in something bet
ter than debate and expense and an abortive
ballot on the newly contrived instrument, the
business must be undertaken in a patient and
Judicial temper, and conducted by the employ
ment OF the best talent in the State. There |
must be no hurry, no crowding of work, if pos
slble no passion or partisanship; the great ques-
tons OF reform In some directions, and OF re- |
action In others, which will assuredly arise, |
must be considered and discussed in a temper |
betitting their gravity and the permanence OF |
their results We hope, dt least, that the Le- |
glslature will 50 arrange the details relating to
the calling and election OF the Convention and |
the vote upon its adoption, as that it may not |
be involved in the coming Presidential cleo |
ton excitement. 1t would be better to wait |
over another season, than to have to encoun- |
tel the constitutional amendment question in |
the midst OF the partisan heat and. conflict of |
the great campaign OF 1872 Cleveland Lea |
der.