The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-03-09
The Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention.
When the voters of this State with
great unanimity decided at the last Octo>
bsr election in favor of calling convsn
tion TO alter and amend the constitution,
they had a right to expect that their wish
would be substantially and practically
complied with by the Legislature. A
few days after the present session con-
yened, the business of preparing the ne
cessary legislation on the subject was re-
terred to special committee, consisting
Of nine members, with MIR. White, OF
Allegheny county, as chairman. About
n month ago bill was reported by the
committee fixing the number OF delegates
% the convention at nanety nule, tho cleo
lion of the members to take place on the
l4,h of May, and the convention to meet
some time in June. BY the terms ot this
bill, each, Senatorial District would elect
tho delegates TO the convention, which
would give siaty SIC, and the remaining
tbi,fu three were to be elected by The yo-
'ters sf the " hufe State, no elector to vote
for more than eighteen. This bill, which
would nearly preserve political equality
In the convention, was well received and
appeared to give general satisfaction. a
shor, time ago il came regularly before
the House of Representatives for conslG
GRAFTON, and then it was discovered, NOT
withstanding the committee had bestowed
upon the subject careful and mature de-
liberation before arriving at CONCLUSION,
that about one~fourth OF the member had
pet proi.cts of their own entirely at varl-
ance with the views of the committee as
embodied in their bill. The bill was dis
cussed at great length-amendments IN
numerab,s were otfered-snG the result
was that when the mountain had got
safely through with its labor, another and
quite different issue was brought to
light, so that the astouished MIR. W hite
was unable to recognize a single feature
of his OWN bantling
The bill, as it finally passed the House,
fixes the number of members OF the con-
vention at 1873, to be elected at the next
October election in the present Senatorial
and Legislative districts, and provides for
the meeting of the convention on the 10Th
of April, 1878 This is not the enters
iainment to which the peop.e supposed
they would be invited. If it WAS desirable
that the convention should consist OF l33
members, that change could easily have
been made by providing for the election
of three instead Of tIO0 members IN each
Senatorial district and electing thuy .tonr
at large, each elector TO vote for seUeHteen
We can tell the House that it has signal
l.. C.,I
that the people will never sanction tbe
manner in which it has disposed of this
vital question.
The only argument, if it can be so CALI
ed, which Was urged against the conven>
ton meeting next June, was that Pres-
idenlial contest would then be vexing and
disturbing tho country. Does 1t neesssas
rily follow from that cause that the men,
bars of the convention would lose their
brains, or otherwise berendered incapable
of performing their duties? Men who
could be SO easily operated upon by the
sound and fury of''a political campaign
would be unfit to ocesPy seats in the con-
vsntisn. This is the ostensible, but it is
not the true reason for postponing the
convention until April, 1873. The Sens
ate Of the State, RS at present constituted,
is hostile to a certain well known project
Eleven new Senators will be chosen next
fall, so that the present. views of the Sen
ate may not be the same that will be en-
tertained by the members Of that body
when it assemblies IN january, 1878 -
Another session of the Legislature i.
therefore needed before the restraining
action of the convention can be applied TO
the unlimited powers of the General As
s.mbly, and also before the work of the
convention can be ratified by the people.
One more chance is wanted to consum-
mate the legislative project to which we
have referred, and hence the mysterious
pos;ponement both Of the election of the
members TO the convention and the time
of its meeting
We cannot believe that the Senate will
concur in the conclusion arrived at by the
House. Public sentiment is unmistaka>
bly, in favor of speedy meeting of the
convention, ard looks 10 the Senate for a
reversal of the puerile, unwise and unex-
pected action OF the House. If this is
done, then let the members of the House
refuse TO concur in tho amendments made
by the Senate at the peril of incurring the
indignant wrath of their constituents.
An election will be held in New Hamp
shire on next Tuesday for Goyernor and