The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-01-18
IcoNrrNuEp FROM FrRsr pAew.l


tooSrINuED FROM FIRST PAeE.l
ly agreed to accept the amount, the
improvement has become the proper-
ty of the Government, and we may
now look for the continued progress
of the work.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION AND
AMENDMENTS.
Pursuant to the requirements of
the constitution and the provisions of
chapter 168 of the acts oflast session,
the question, "Shall there be o con
''vention to revise the constitution
"and amend the same" was submit
ted to the people at the general cleo
ton of 1870, there were EAST sFor q
convention" ETC., twenty four thous-
and eight hundred and forty.six
votes; and against q convention"
ETC., e!ghty-two Thousand and sixty
nine votes. So the people decided
not to hold a convention.
There will como before you for ad.
vancement at another stage,if you SO
order, three amendments to the fun
damentallaw. One ofthese proposes
to remove the provision restricting
the right of suffrage to amale' citi-
ems The effect of the other two, if
adopted, will DO to remove all dis
qualifications for holding seats in the
General Assembly on account Of
either sex or color.
coDIFIcATIoN OF II LAWS.
The call for a convention having
been decided in tie negative, the
commissioners appointed by chapter
IS, of the acts of the last session, i'm
mediately entered upon the work of
revising the laws. Shortly after.
wards, Mr.. John @. Policy, Of Clinton
county, n of tho members of the
commission, having removed from
tho State, tcndered his resignation.
| appointed Mr.. William g. Ham
mond, of the University Law School.
his successor. The report of the com.
mission has been printed and submit
ted to the members elect of the Four
teenth General Assembly. You have
therefore been enabled TO examine
the recommendations ofthe Commits
sioners. with their reasons therefor.
To the changes they propose, your
experience will doubtless enable you
to add others. / indorse in the main
the recommendations of the report,
and sincerely hope that the code re-
commended, with such amendments
as the General Assembly may see fit
to make, viii soon become the law of
the State.
| may remark that the changes
proposed in the criminal code are, in
my Judgment, we'll calculated to rem
der punishment for crime, if in some
cases lees severe, in all more certain
and effective. The suggestion made
by the Commissioners in favor of the
abolition of the grand jury, if it can
be done constitutionally, / most
heartily endorse and l am prepared
to go further, and to recommend, az
| now do, that steps be taken by yor
towards an amendment of the consti
tuition, whereby the control of this
subject may be brought within the
scope of The powers of the Genera
Assembly. My observation satifes
me that the grand jury is a costly
and useless relic of Dy-gone days,and
that its abolition will work no detri
ment whatever to the cause of Jus
tice.
ROAD LAWS.
Much complaint is made of the 10
efficiency of our present road laws
There are large OUTLAWS, it is said, fol
the repair of roads, with very small
returns. The amount levied durins
the year 1870 for road taxes wa
1868, 1916 and this was exclusiv,
of road-poil taxes. 1t is believed
that one-fourth of this amount. Judi
ciously expended, would effect NOR
permanent improvement than can b
accomplished under the presen
wasteful management. The abolition
of the existing road-districts, witt
township supervision under an office
selected TOR the purpose, who woul
be enabled TO systomatize the worl
upon the roads, would, it is thought
give us much better roads wit
smaller expenditure. There is nue.
justice in the complaint, and l deem
it only proper to invite your after
ton to the subject.
* II