Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-06-11
The CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The Constitutional Convention should
adjourn aud go home as soon as possible
1t has lost the prestige that was manu-
factured for it by its lofty pretensions
its fifteen hundred dollar grab has put il
m bad odor with the people. ard proven
TO them that it is not the lion it pretended
TO be, but that it is that other creature,
with only lions skin drawn over it.
The people do remember the lofty dig
nty the convention assumed, and they are
huniliared now at the common grabbing
propensity that it has manifested. 1t is
with regret that they realize that the
purity that it pretended to have when it
refused TO bold it's sessions at Harrisburg
because of the corrupt influence that
would be brought to bear on it, was all a
sbam. How unsophisiicated we all were
TO believe that these gentlemen really did
fear Harrisburg influence, and that they
earnestly desired to maintain the dignity
Of the Commonwealth How we believed
ihem as honest when they denounced
the Legislature for having an etching
palm fer gold" But it is all over now (;
our vessesstfsn is gone; the illusion has
vanished. We realize that it is not gold
that we looked on and admired, but it is
the commonest of "fre gilt stuff" The
convention is made up principally of gen.
tlemen who have preached reform and
retrenchment in all things that relate to
public affairs, and have been loud in :heir
denunciation of the legislators who en-
deavored to make money out of their
place by lending themselves to the fur
therance of corporation schemes, private
enterprises, special Legislation, &c, all
of which are injurious to the Common
veal and which the convention was
called to remedy through stringent con-
stituiional provisions. 1t matters little
what these gentlemen may preach they
practically accepted and iadulged in the
very faults and shortcomings that they
condemned in legislators and public men.
They have sqaandercd time, and en1ea-
vored TO make money cut of their place
the corrupt legislator does no more
and if they had jurisdiction to legis-
late for corporations or take a hand at
special legislation, there is no telling
what they would do. 1t is not unreason-
able, however, to believe that they would
totally eclipse the work of the Legisla-
ture in the grabbing business.
Doubtless these gentlemen were ex-
ercised over Credit Mobilier." Doubt
less their pliable integrity was seriously
offended when the members of the Leg
i.la,ure were incautious enough to breathe
aloud the desire that their salary should
be raised from one thousand dollars to
fifteen hundred dollars and how they
worried over the increased salary and
back pay of Congressmen. But how at
the first chance. when the Legislature ap-
propriated $500 600 TO defray tie ex-
penses of the convention, they come to
the front with covetous smile, grab the
fund, and hold it until they have in
creased their salary from one thousand
dollars to twenty-five hundred dollars, is
demonstrated to a conclusion.
Friends of this pretentious, but really
fire gilt" convention are foolish enough
to set up the plea of much work and loss
of time. The work that the people e1-
pected of the convention was not work
of great magnitude A few changes in
the fundamental law were earnestly de-
sired, and they were Of such character
that honest, intelligent, and learned men,
used to work, could perform without
much labor. and at the expense Of little
time. The reforms needed and demand
ed were apparent, and required little else
than simply reduction to regular pro-
visions or articles for incorporation in the
Constitution.
The minority members. who were NOR
ally and intellectually strong enough to
stand firmly for the honor and integrity
of the Commonwealth, are worthy of the
highest respect, and they could do no
more popular act than to bring the con-
vention to an adjournment
The government organ of Mexico. the