Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-03-12
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.


CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The Senate bill to provide for eallinl
a Constitutional Convention passed II
second reading in he, Senate yesterday
AprOpos to dis m4oct we rive be
ow the minority report of-ths com
mitiee, mads h the House lately, ad
verso to convention. The doeumen
is worthy Of consideration. The mem
beers Of the Judiciary Committee VIII
signed the minority report were Holmes
cummins. J. A. TrousdAle, Lee. Head
Jacob Leech. II. NJ. Meade, J. NJ. Elder
They say;
Ii has become a irile saying that that
people are best governed who are leasl
governed; aud again. that ia frequent
changes OF the laws OF people uncer'
tainiy, instability and misirust are be-
gotten.
In looking back through the history OF
our State we find the lrst constitution OF
Tennessee TO have been adopted IN the
year A. ID. 1896, aud that this stood the
organic law Of the State with no amend
ment until the year A. ID. 1884.
In the year A. d. 1884 second con
stitution for Tennessee was made and
adopted, and this stood the wear aud
tear of years, and with but one amend
ment in A. ID. 1853, served aud protected
the changing political conditionss Of the
State until A. D. 1865. when the schedule
of the 22d Of February Of that year
changed the constitution OF 1881.
With the changes OF A. ID. 1860 we
seem TO have entered upon an era OF
change, for in A. d.. 1870 another con-
stitution is adopted, and now with scarce
three years test thereof We are called
upsn 10 provide for Annulling that and
making a new law IN its stead.
We believe such frequent changes of
our organic law, attended as is always
the case with changes Of peace and
place. holders TO be productive only of
bad effect upon the people Of the State.
Ii is conceded that in the Constitution
Of 1870 there are many good features,
aud as in all government there must be
compromise and concession this, in
fact, being the basis upon which all So
ciely is organized as il is impossi-
BILE to foretell who may compose the
Convention OF 1874, il one should be
called, or 10 know what views and inter
es,s may control that assemblage, or
whether anything so gooa-to say moth
ing Of mprsyement-will be agreed on
by that body; and as concessions and
compromises will be made by its mem
beers, we cannot see the good TO come
from the passage OF said bill.
Again, we submit that the cost OF the
experiment is too dear luxury for Ten
nessee, in her impoverished aud tax
ridden condition TO indulge in, when
every amendment to the Constitution
that has been urged as needed can be Sc
cured under the provisions Of section 3,
article II of our present Constitution
without any Of said cost, and that, too,
within six months Of as soon as IS pro.
posed by said bill The cost of said
Convention cannot be less than SO, 900.
Our State is now cut off from all en-
tauglng alliances with corporations, and
her credit is hedged about with many
safeguards. We enjoy an immunity from
these corrupting influences which has
not been felt for many long year before.
The question comes sternly up before
us, had we not better bear those ills we
have than fly to others we know not of"
And in these views we respectfully sub
nit that, in case some amendment Is
needed, and no one can or will pretend |
that our present Constitution is perfect,
It would be far more easily, just so surely, |
and with no cost whatever, be accom- |
plished by the passage of House Bill No.
29I entitled "An act to provide for sub
hitting TO the people certain amend
ments to the Constitution under Section
3 OF Article XI Of the Constitution, and |
which we believe contains every change |
that we have heard urged as necessi-
tating Convention.