Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-07-23
The New Constitution.
SHOULD 1T BE ADOPTED?
LETTER OF ]. NJ. EsTEP, ESQ.,, IN THE
CADIZ SENTINEL.

CADIZ SENTINEL.
MR.. EDITOR-In theory the people
are the source of all political power, and
have the right to govern themselves.
This numerous people can only do
through their representatives,. The ne
cessity ofa fundamental law is to limit
and restrain the powers of their SER
rants, who frequently assume to be
their masters, and to establish mode
of procedure to protect, and to enforce
their rights when violated. Our pres
ent Constitution having failed in sever
eral respects, to accomplish those pur-
poses, we called a convention to form a
new one. Its work is now before us,
and on the 18th of August next, we
must decide whether we believe the
new one to be better than the old. This
being very important matter, our
own interest should impel each one to
make a careful investigation of the
matter for himself. The means are
now at hand. The Constitution, and
the address of the committee, which
briefly sets. fOrtii the changes and the
reasons therefor, have been published,
and l would advise every voter to
read, and then retain them for further
examination. The reasons given for
the changes made, seem to me to be in
the main good; and while do not ap-
prove everything they have done, yet,
taking it a5 whole, 1 cannot hesitate
to say tfat l regard it as great i'm
prOvement on the present one. l new
er expect to See a new constitution
formed by a hundred minds which
shall please me in every particular. l
prefefto accept and enjoy substantial
good thing, rather than to seek after
things ideal and unattainable-the i'm
practicable good OF the dreamer, that
never is, but always is to be.
The main body of the new Constitu-
ton is the same as the old; therefore
we need only to look to the changes
made. | will briefly mention a few,
which l think will be worth more to
the people than all the Constitution
cost-changes intended to take away
the corrupt motive and interest, and
thus diminish, if not do away with cor
rupt legislation.
L. No person interested in claim or
contract which may come before the
legislature shall hold seat in the Gen
eral Assembly.
accept bribe in the shape of "Rail
Road Pass"
3. Corporations shall not cheat the
people, as they have done heretofore,
by the trick OF watering their stock.
1. Railroad Companies are prevented
from discriminating against the local
trade, and their officers are prevented
from being interested in State Lines
and Union Lines and thus growing
rich in few years, by taking the
cream from the stockholders who built
and paid for the road, but who never
get dividend.
5. Members of the legislature are not
now to be paid by the day. TLey Will
do their work sooner and come home. !
6. The provisional veto will be of
much use in preventing hasty and ex-
travagant legislation.
Z. Every item of the appropriation
Bill is to stand on its o,C1a merits; and |
the Bill cannot now, as heretofore, be |
made pack horse to carry through,
in the last days of the session, every |
species of extravaganza and rascality. |
This one feature alone, believe, will |
save the people thousands of dollars
each session.
8. The change in the Judicial system |
IS, in my opinion, the most needful and I,
beneficial to any. 1t may not be gener-
ally known that our higher Courts are,
and have been for many years, entirely |
blocked up with business. 1t ordinari-
Iy takes from six to seven years to reach ]
4 decision in the Supreme Court. This !
is no fault of the Judges. l believe |
that no five men in the State work !
harder than our Supreme Court Judges. |
1t avails but little to declare that we
have the inalienable right to life, liber-
ty and property, without providing an |
efficient Judicial system to protect and
enforce our rights. 1t is of the highest |
to the people to have JUS
tice impartially administered, without /
denial or delay 1t is pactical denial !
Vt justice to say, that 1 am entitled to /
certain righ but that may be wrong /
fully deprived of them without remedy |.
for seven years. We do not live long
enough in his age, to endure such de-
lay ns this. Besides, few men can en- I
dure the anxiety and vexation of spirit
caused by a seven years litigatiI n. The
new Constitution provides an efficient
remedy for these evils, with as little
change of the precent system as possi-
BILE. Our excellent Probate System re-
mains as it is. Our ether Courts will be :
independent and separate, with Il suf-
ficient number Of Judges to do the
work. We are not to kave the same I
Judges trying the same cases over and
over again.