The Lincoln County herald., 1873-01-15

such subjects ought never to be tried.
Toe macy solous have been found in all
eur legislatures wishing to give laws 10
the state and gain immortality for them.
selves. Let me suggest to oil such, that
1t is much wiser and . much sursr viy
to distinction, to understand and an.
preciate . good law, than to bs the su.
thor Of and held responsible for bad or
even defective ono.
There are some matters to which
wish to gall your attention upon this
occasion, and lay before you my views
in regard to them. Otherwise my frank.
ness, or worse, my motives for silence,
might be impugned.
Since the present constitution Of Mis-
souri, hss been in force, down to the
present time, many Of our people have
not only been opposed to it, but 10 favor
Of calling . convention and getting rid
of it as soon 40 possible. Some have
favored this policy upon one ground, and
come upon others. A few Of our people
with whom I have conversed have said
that If they lad no other objection to it,
the fact that il was justly called the
Drake abomination" would induce them
TO favor its abrogation. Others have
said that it was patent upon the face oil
the constitution that it was conceived in
revolutionary times, and was intended to
operate as q party measure, and perpstu
ate power 10 the hands Of its trainers
that the spirit of bigotry, fauaticism and
hate covered it all over and ran from the
FIRST to the last clause in it that as au
organic law It was at war with the feelings
aud wishes Of our people hence, that
the sooner We could rid ourselves of i,
the better.
1t is possible-larsly so, 1 think-that
some Of the foregoing objections are too
broad and sweeping to be just, even
when applied to it as it was when it
came from the hands of its trainers.
That they are unmcrited now, in many
respects, is evident. The most odious
aud Objectionable features in it. think,
have been eliminated by tho various
amendments to it. Still it retains many
provisions that are not 10 unison with
the wishes and feelings, or promotlve Of
the interests, as l conceive, of our people.
The provisions requiring universal regis
tration before every general election is
annoying, expensive, useless and odious.
No less hostile to the moral sentiments
and enlightened views Of the people, is
that other aud most illibcral clause which
prohibits the general asse mbly from the
exemption of church property from tax
alton. And | am sure that no one whose
mind is not Influenced by prejudice or
fanaticislh can, or will, defend he twelfth
and thirteenth clauses of the 6rst article,
which, whether so intended or not, arc
so much at war with that spirit of relig
ious freedom and federation that has al
ways characterized the people of the
United States, aud which has justly been
our boast so long. That it still retains
many other Objectionable features, no one
doubts. And in addition to all l have
said, there are many important and wise
provisions found embodied in the consti.
tutions Of other states of the Union that
have not, but should have place iu ours.
Still, | am not prepir, ID to say that my
judgment favors the ealing of q convsn
ton, either to revise the present or draft
a new constitution. In the first place, il
is patent TO oil observing men that the
Republican party, as we'll as the Liberal
Republicans, of Missouri are opposed to
the measure. 1t is equally clear that
the Democratic party is by no means a
unit in favor Of it. 30 far from it, that
q great many Of the most intelligent,
prudent and sagacious Democrats in the
state are opposed to it. Looking over
the whole ground, with the best lights
obtaiuable before me, 1 greatly doubt
whether majority Of the qualified voters
Of the state would vote to sustain the
call Of convention, or would ratify any
constitution that might be submitted to
them.
The objections to calling . convention
are, when calmly considered, extremely
formidable. Iu the 6rss place, the prop
os,tion would be exclusively partisan, if
| am right 10 assuming that Democrats
only favor the measure. A constitution
should not be framed by psrtisans to
promote partisan ends. 1t should spring
from and embsdy the wishes and senti-
msnts Of the people who are to live under
it. The Democrats of Missouri have
been united in their denunciations Of
Republicans who forced u partisan con.
stitutlon upon the people. Would it be
becoming 10 them now to bs guilty Of the
very same act for which they have de-.
nounced ethers? In the second place,
the great expense necessarily involved in
the measure should be fully considered.
Wo hsve. ~ Democrats, opposed tho
extsavagance and .scklsssusss Of exPeu'
diture that have characterised the Reput.
lican party during hs domination iu the
state, and have pledged ourselves to the
people that VIC would ecouomiss 10 every
way We possibly could, having . due and
proper regard for our hosos as . people,
and the promotion Of shs gsest public
Interest committed to cue care. Evss BY
4 -. - Al -