The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-21
The "New" Constitution.


Long before the election it was
quite evident that the New Consti- /
tuition would be rejected by the peo-
pie, but we doubt whether any body /
expected defeat SO overW helming
as it sustained last Tuesday. The |
majority against it will more Proba- /
bly exceed than fall short Of fifty
thousand. This result is remarka-
BILE. more from the fact Of 1t
having been brought about by neg
ative, rather than positive causes,
though q remote positive cause of
grave significance underlies all.
The proximate cause of the de
feat, is found in the fact that the
people at large had very little knowl-
edge of the new instrument. Few
of them had ever read it, and al
most none had given it such study
as was requisite to understand it.
Nobody seemed to care anything
about it from the first. The press
ut large did little more than notice
the fact that New Constitution
iyas submitted to the people. But
no elaborate arguments, for or
against it were offered. The poll
ticians Ignored it, and even of the
men that made it, but few gave it
able support, or vigorous opposition.
But the people: they who were to
pass judgment upon it, to condemn
or approve: why were they so care
less about it, that they voted it down
almost without examination?
Of the reasons above indicated all
are superficial and merely secondary
but one. The politicians ignored
the New Constitution. That is the
deep lying, and only positive rea-
son for the utter defeat of it. This
is significant. Will the people at
large always wait for the politicians
to call, before they will move? Neg
lect examination, and withhold sup
port from policy, only because they
are not fully informed about it, and
because politicians have not propos-
ed to enlighten them in relation to
it? Circumstances in this matter
seem to warrant affirmative conclu-
sions upon the foregoing interroga-
tories.
How many of the thousands who
voted against the New Constitution,
did it with full knowledge and con-
viction that the new was worse than
the old? Not many. The units,
who thought for themselves, may
have done so, but ifgeneral expires
sion before the election is of any
value in making up a judgment,
then the conclusion is driven upon
us that the hundreds voted against
it, more because they knew nothing
about it, than for any other reason.
BIT suppose the politicians had
tai en it up: what then? We ven
turs the prediction that it could
have been carried. There were
many good things in it: things bet
ter than we have in the old, which
could have been held up to approba-
ton by cunning politicians, and a
little energy, and thimble-rig, and
hoisterous partisan stumping, in
every county, might have carried it
through. In the present instance
the result is, on the whole, we'll
enough, but the sentiment we wish
to impress upon every reader is:
Examine, reflect and decide for
yourself, like an intelligent man
with a duty to perform, and never
mind whether politicians and place
hunters bluster or be still. 1t is and
ought to be all the same to you. The
duty is yours, and yours the respon-
sibility for the proper performance
of it, and hence your own knowl-
edge and your own judgment must
be your guide.