Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-01
. 60
STATE CONVENTION.

seems tnaJ 'mlSiOfJunes never come
singly."
STATE CONVENTION.
The measure for Constitutional
Convention, now before the Legis-
lature, meets with general favor
We hope q Convention may be or
dered. And then we also hope that
the ablest and most discreet men of
the State alone may be selected and
empowered as delegates. The Con-
stitution is capable of being great
~ improved on. But without q de-
termination to make the best selec-
ton of Lawmakers, the whole mat
ter would be better left as it is.
Memphis Regigter.
We agree with the Register, that
unless the best men be selected, the
proposed Convention would sub
serve no public good, and be practi-
caLly a failure. Is it probable that
a better class of men will be cho-
sen? In looking over the names Of
the delegates, who made up the last
Convention, our eyes light upon
many of the noblest and purest OF
the sons of Tennessce-thosc who
have shed lustre upon her shield in
the camp, and who have contribu-
ted largely to her advancement in
every walk of life. We do not
mean to be invidious, but simple
question or two, coupled with CT
tation of names, can settle this point.
Will West Tennessee send ADLER
men to represent her in new Con-
vention than Stephens, Heiskell,
Fentress, Campbell, Taylor and
Shelton?
VIII Middle Tennessee send an
ADLER delegation than her NichOl-
sons, Jones' and Browns? Will
East Tennessee do better than Meth
erland, Carter and Baxter? Better
names may be suggested, but the
best men are not always elected to
popular places. The multitude is
tickle, and the statesman is too often
outstripped by the demagogue.-
Popular elections in our own good
State are replete with examples to
verify this statement.
Again, we ask in the name of that
repose which this State needs, why
the sudden precipitation of this
question upon the people? For the
first time since the subsistence Of
the floods of civil war, have we been
able to exclaim, 80 light breaketh
in the East" Everybody has been
enfranchised; the Courts have been
opened, and the State debt under
conservative rule has been reduced
from 43 to p millions of dollars-a
debt that can be controlled and paid.
Is it not the height of folly to aug
ment this sum by resorting to the
panacea of Convention, which po-
litical quacks commend for every i'll
of the "body polite"
Agitation is the bane of Repub-
lies, and wise old Jack Randolph
has told US, that 'change Is not al
ways Reform" and some one else
has said, "a hand that can not erect
howell may demolish a castle" 1t
is no ordinary step to undertake TO
demolish the supreme law of the
State, aud to dismantle, under the
uneasiness which a salutary restraint
sometimes begets, Constitu-
ton, which even as it now is, must
be recognized as the work of our
fathers. Before we begin the task
of demolition, let us see our way
clearly. We hold that the present
Constitution is an Improvement on
that of 1884, where it has incor-
porated changes, and yet, upon ex-
animation, it will be found, to a
great extent, to have rc-enacted and
copied the old instrument. Very
wisely our law-givers held fast to
that which was good, and retained
those clauses which had been time
tried and ire-tested in the crucible
of experience. In 1896 tennessee
entered the Union, and generation
elapsed before her people met in
Convention IN 1884 TO remodel the
charter of her liberties another
generation 1ourished and passed
AWAY great war swept over her
limits and engulphed many of her
cherished institutions before anoth-
er Convention was deemed oppor-
tune or demanded by the exigencies
of the crisis. Let us follow in the
line of safe presidents. Our pres
eut Constitution has been produo-
ticc OF much good. 1t prohibited
the loan Of the State credit to cor
porations, saved us from entangling
alliances with Railroads and their
Rings, preventing tho depreciation
of her Bonds, re-establishing her
credit, and postpOning the evil day
of Bankruptcy. 1t has established
a rate of conventional interest. I'M
locking our home, and inviting for
eigA capital! 1t has limited the