The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-02-29

no less than seventeen amendments
have been added, at sundry times, by
/ joint resolutions of the Legislature, ap.
proved by popular vote. Another Con-
/ stitutional Convention having now been
orderdered the practical question is, what
further amendments should it adopt?
do not understand your association as
expecting the forms of suggested amend
ments to be submitted but rather an
enunciation of the principles and ideas
which should be Incorporated into the
Constitution. In accordance with these
elementary principles, and general views
OF the subject, | proceed to enumerate
the amendments l have to suggest ac-
companying them only with such argu,
mcnts and explanations as will make
them Ineligible, and, it is hoped, com
mend them to public favor. 4,
l. TIE Constitution should require the
Legislature to enact general and uniform
! laws on every subject which can be so re-
gulated and prohibit local aud special
legistion in all cases where the same ends
can be attained by general laws.
Special Legislation is one of the great.
est evils of our system and of our gen
Grafton. In recent letter, upon consti
tutional reform, in reply to sundry gen
tlemcn of this city, some of whom, be-
lieye, are members of this association, |
gave my views, arguments and illustra.
tons on this subject so fully, it is deemed
unnecessary to repeat them. In this con-
nection, however, it is considered pro-
per to guard against misapprehension.-
There are many who favor the principle
of comforting large jurisdiction upon the
courts enabling them to do much of
what is now accomplished by special
and local acts of the Legislature diff
4 fer in opinion with all such. On the con
trary, whilst many of these things can be
properly done by the courts, as at present
| believe we have gone quite far enough
in this direction. have an abiding
/ faith in the soundness Of the system by
which the powers OF government are
/ divided into the Legislative, executive,
/ and judicial departments and it follows
/ that each of these three CO ordinate
/ branches should, as a general rule, be
/ confined to its legitimate and Datural func
! tions. All encroachments BY the one de-
partmeut on the domain or Jurisdiction
| of the other, are departures from sound
and established principles and if not ar,
rested, or confined to narrow and excep-
tional limits, will destroy the symmetery
1 of our whole system and sooner or later
will result in disastrous Consequences
Special legislation has demoralized the
| Legislature, because it has subjected it
to temptations greater than it could bear.
The judges of our courts are but men, Of
like passions and infrmities and it is un-
wise to subject them to the influences and
! temptations by which others have fallen.
/ LEAD US not into temptation" is an ut
terance of divine wisdom and the prin-
ciple is applicable at all times, and to all
classes. ...
IL Our Constitution needs amendme Mt
in that part which confers authority up,
on the subject of education. At present
it reads thus: r .-
ART. VII, SEC. 1. The Legislature
shall, as soou as conveniently may be,
provide by law for the establishment of
schools throughout the State, IN sucI.
manner tlot tile poor may be taught
/ gratis"
La democratic or republican govern
ment principle aud policy unite in joint
4 protest against all distinctions and dis
examinations among thepcople. All such
classifcations are odious in themselves
and apt to bring any laws which embody
them into disrepute ;and make them DIFF
fcult or impossible OF enforcement; and
II especially where such distinctions are
made between the rich and the poor
This was the main reason Why our early
public school laws were failure and the
present Constitution, though a great ad
vance in the right direction, falls Ear shor
of what it ought to be in this respect
Instead, therefore, of the equivocal and
invidious provision just cited, woulc
substitute the clear aud manly declaration
of the new Constitution Of the State o
Illinois, as follows taurs
s.The General Assembly shall provide
a thorough and efficient system of fre'
! schools, whereby all the children of th'
State may receive a good common schoo
education. 10 aH - 3h"7 ..ie
4 aa III.j What are known as the sinking
fund sections Of the Constitution shoulC
be amended. a Do er8d8gtra 7aO
These were amendments Of 1857 anC
their history shows how impossible it j
to foresee, and properly provide for tn
indefinite future. The balauce In tn
sinking fund on 30th November, 1863
was two million eight hundred and iilteer
Thousand Eve hundred and iortyise dol
I lars and twenty cents, whilst the balanc
/ in. the Treasury, at the same date, wa
enly 81 ,400,S62 40. The balance in tn
sinking fund 30th November. 1870, wa
S3.OI4,52 40, and the balance in tn
! Treasury at the same time was only 81,
? 302.742 80. tfhe balance in the sinkin
| runi 30th November, 1871, was So, 4oT
: 93s 40 aad the balance in the 'ffeasur