New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-13
PENNSYLVANIA REFORM.
TILE NEW CONSTITUTION.

FROM THE NEW CONSTITUTION
,vpou AN occ SIGNAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUsE
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12.-The Hon. Alex.
L Mcclure spoke at mass meeting in the Twentleth
Ward in this city tonight, the New Constitution
Athletic Hall was well filed and the speech was re-
ceyed with close attention Speaking OF those VINO ue
nounce the Constitutional Convention, Col Mcclure
said
II they were to before the people and state their
reasons truthfuy for their earnest opposition they
oyerwhemed But instead OF avowing the true grounds
of their hostility to the Constitution we mud every pup
10 The gin-mil bummers and gutter.snlpes, loua
mouthed In denouncing the Convention Tor eh
of the people. Tue political officials OF Philadelphia
rule are The fountains Whence comes ' nnd Sa
requirements which would ente them. II honest anu
unbiased To popfsr aceser The Mytefoas PIT
rims" echo the charge at every meeting had 10 part
rament Of the @ ana fa T TS 'or rtcoes
the indignation OF the rings at. the lawessness OF
! the Convention In attempting to restrain by the
| most arbitrary and summary process the now
nrns The "Ten.Forties5 send up savage howl
of opposition to the usurpatons which cluster about
the new Constitution aud in the name OF the law they
stop trained FOUNDERS from repeating for favor
| lie candidate, and then perluring themselves IN
condidate to make their frauds count double |
have not lately heard from the accomplished sclen
lists iu modern selections popularity known as Gopher
BIi 80 Suffering Jimmy" the Educated Hog" and
| the Flying Dutchman. has invaded the
9aS q6T9estSaon but deem Il due to those cOnss
tent and devoted artists 10 that they would regard
| Neutrality criminal when convention Az
iempts any violent action for the overthrow
OF crime. The gentlemen Who in - October ls,4
IN shame by their wanton and unconoeaied aitertion
the city returns and who contracted last ran iVp
snecfc maiOritiesOr! Republicans Democrats ana on
the question OF license Will doubtless thank me or say
ing that they ARE T s one aSd % WITH that
treess energy that indignant virtue only can display
oppose the Constitution to yiudcae the integrity ana
| supremacy OF the laws.
Col Mcclure then gave an elaborate historical sketch
of the Conventions Of l6 aud 1870 and traced the rise
and Ieya opment Of the sovereign powers or COnstltu
tional Convention He said
Whatever views may DE held by jurists on the abstract
question OF the sovereignty OF Constitutional COnven-
| ion 70 cannot be denied that State we have
| uniformly regarded such convention as strictly
mowers from the sovereign limited by the tenor OF the
Commission delegated body may recommend, but not
body IL "a virtual assembage OF the people, and pos
sesses by actual transfer all the powers inherent in
the sovereign Such was the accepted authority OF the
Conventions and OF $780, The late VicePresdent
Dallas, in 1885, said II" A convention Is the provided
machinery oT P9fcs Wb e onrs
! shall assemble 1t viii possess. within the terri
| sovereignty. except such as may have been yielded
| aud are embodied in the Constitution Of the United
states" committee OF the leading jurists OF the Hi
no5 Convention OF 1861 made report the powers OF
the body IN which they said at the convention Is
virtual assemblaga OF tho people OF the state.
| sovereign within It's boundaries. as to all mat,
ters connected with the happiness. prosperity, ana
| freedom OF the citizens, and supreme In the exer-
| else Of all power necessary to the establishment
OF free constitutional government except as re re-
Illinois Convention had the teachings OF nearly 10 years
OF experience and preeedonts under our Tree govern
or local necessities to influence ITS declaration Whle
tue Convention held chat It's sovereignty was supreme
policy OF submitting their work to popular vote FOR
| ratification or rejection
Showing the motive Of the opposition to the subm is
sion clause Of tho proposed Constitution the speaker
| said:
Blu, the crow,ng o.nso Of the Convention is its ord
Of submission. It made mourning in the land OF
rings II flung bereavement into every circle OF our
modern politicians who have just brought the science or
manufacturing election returns TO the most exquisite
perfection, when they nave notice rom me sovereign
They woq nSL gHTe Tor wben me-
lucrative offices to ILL., but for the fact that omit
ting them the play for one time only omits them for
and after Ihe Constitution comes the deluge. 1t
an insult to Philadelphia and her laws" cries some
sublime, unsophisticated citizen, who, in his sim
picy. sees nothing knows p2hhlRg aud courts
honors from 'es ng los when ai ne pays rond G5S
than a distant view OF the promised land. And along
the whole line OF Oiice.hOldcrs, and repeaters and
FOUNDERS the cry Is echoed that Philadelphia insulted
by the special election ordinance passed by the Conyen
ton 70 sy shS and the
classes Of calling are not the men who complain
that Philadelphia ia insued On the contrary, every
intelligent citizen who desires an honest expression
Of the balotbox now aud hereafter profoundly grato
mi TO the Convention for its bold vindcaton OF the right
of our city TO relief from the most Infamous election
laws ever enacted executed. The pride OF Phadel-
pha that "a offended, and the self-respect that is
wounded have their habtat0ns were the pride OF hon
est citizenship and tho sefrespect OF vrtuous manhood
are utter strangers The complaint comes from those
who have made elections mockerY aud a fraud, and
Justly earned for our city and her government the con-
tempt of the world.
Abiding TO the threats OF Executive Judicial inter
ference Col. Mcclure spoke follows:
The threat OF inunctons by the courts 90 restrain the
officers appointed under the provisions OF tho election
ordinances u the dle gaDDle OF snall pOitcaus FOR
courts attempt to eDjQn the execution OF an ordinance
of the Convention would be the subatern attempting to
direct the c0mmanderinchef, and as few, II any Judges
i'm this either mbece or recklessy dishonest 10
will dc done Equally futile will DO the appeal to Gov
Harranft TO issue proclamation declaring me regstry
law applicable to the special election and multiplying the
election ordinance The Pope issued bull against the
comet but that obstinate luminary kept on IN the even
tenor OF its way and II Gov Hartranft were capable
OntboTity Of the Commonwealth we would have
only little bombSst ana disgraeed Ex tx
ysed him. and perhaps urged him most earnestly 10 do
80. would DO politically and perhap. personally un-
ordinance, and they hope that the Governor might
venture bell the cat while they wait In security
Cow Cow. HaFtranit would not throw himself into
breach to ha the Rsy am law S asp .5rs
that he could not II he would Secretary Quay Will
doubtless transmit tho Whole Jaw oil the LrgHIe 10
officers the ordinance, bur he IL not likely TO attempt
a revolutionary side show on his own private account
or TO Imagine that he is Lord Chancellor, with power
IN reverse the solemn action OF the immediate represen
tatives the peoples He has been blamed for several
things in his time but do not reooec OF having heard
him denounced us q fool
After sketching the reforms which the adoption of the
new Constitution would effect in the courts and fnsn
caI administration OF the State, Col Mcclure spoke at
great length the anticipated regeneration Of popular
elections He dwet on the value aud importance OF
pure elections and said:
Fraud not accidental exceptional, but studied and
perect its qualifications riot In every channel
Marta Al fry Ia n
palpable fasehOodtens of thousands greater than
votes, while thousands OF our citizens denied the
RIGHT suffrage All judicial restraints upon the registry
are practically destroyed and the supreme control OF
the of citizenship cOnded many instances
~ M COutr Tor rafu