The Potter journal and news item. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1872-1874, 1873-02-07
CONSTITUTION HALL,
-Tffllly. 20 Isl

T
An election for members Of the Gen
Cral Assembly shall be held on the day
/ fixed for the general election next sue
ceeding the eadoptionof the Constitution,
and at the general election held every
| two years thereafter. Their term of Of
flee shall begin on the first day of Decem-
Der next succeeding their election.
The discussion on this section took
a very wide range. The chief argu-
ment made in favor of biennial elec-
tions of members Of the Legislature
was that the Legislature was so cor
rupt that the people desire to have as
little Of it as possible. The changes
were rung on this subject until it be-
came offensive.
Mr.. Mann obtained the floor and
opposed the section as proposed and
condemned the manner of advocating
it.
copy the following from the re-
port of the eproceedings in the Ercnitg
Telegraph, because | have no time to
do justice to the subject, and his con-
stituents have right to know the po-
sition occupied by him.
Mr.. Mann Potter having the floor,
deprecated the efforts that had been
made on this floor to belittle the Legis-
lature of our State. He had been a mem
Der of that body in 1871, and despite
what had been said, he had felt it to be
an honor to occupy that office. He
thought there should be no needless an
tagoniSm created by this Convention to
the Legislature, as 10 good and much
harm might come Of it. He thought
this Convention might do its work pro-
perly without disparaging another body
that had been created like it was and was
fully its equal.
As to The pending amendment, he OBJ
jeCted to it for the reason that it pro-
posed revolution in the machinery Of
the government of the State. which the
people did not want nor ask for. The
main arguments that are thus far adj
duced in favor of the change were to the
effect that other states had adopted it.
That was no substantial reason to his
mind. He did not want this state to
initiate others, because he believed it was
capable of adopting a system of its own.
He wanted no changes unless we were
tolerably certain that they would work
better. and hc did not believe the system
proposed would.
Mr.. Mann argued iii favor OF annual
sessions. He cited an instance to show
the fallacy of biennial sessions. \ L.
;. Senator would have to be elected two
years perhaps in advance Of the com
mencement of his term, and might when
he took his position not represent the
sentiment of the people.
The Convention in committee of
the whole has just adopted 4 section
providing for biennial sessions Of the
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! il' oe0is'oii ~ ilolU Tue 10" ilN"'P
eleclloilS On 'he same Gay throughout
IIle 'o''Ve II SeeIllS 20 lie i Il illl7'a>e'
l'ec'use II unnecessarily ll'eIIeIeS
WIN ''e ooiiilol anu coiIN eH'eh'e ol
'l' Peolne' " il"' harm COMES o' Ill
10" my 'lle PeoIie u e'cil county 70
eject Vheir Io"hship oihcers on such
u''y ''S = most convenient N"ch mas
iiele'oIoie oeeil Vlle PI"c'lce since 'he
organization Of the State.
Inc democrats were S"iid lor the
cll'll9e' BECAUSE because is tue Ia" no" S'"hdS
tne hlulllclPai elecIloii' III TlllIaoel-
phia' Harrisburg ana some other cl-
'leS are heid on the same day OF the
gene raj election, and they don I stand