Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-08-13
SPEECH OF JUDGE CowEN.

Mr.. president ana FetJ0aC Citizens
am very glad to meet and greet so
large an audience here this evening.
Since the adjournment of the Conven-
ton which agreed upon the Constitu-
ton that is to be voted on by the peo-
pie of Ohio on the 18th of this month,
1 bave been so busted in private pur-
suits, which were long neglected, that l
now, for the first tine, have an oppor-
tunity to discharge what suppose has
been duty imposed on me-that is to
meet at least some of the citizens of the
county who saw proper to select me as
one of their delegates to that Conven-
ton, and talk over with them the work
which we have attempted to accom-
plish.
REPORTED APATHY AMONG THE PEo-
have learned, fellow citizens, in
the course of conversation, that there
was great apathy here in relation to
this Constitution. I have feared until
tonight that it was true. l no longer
believe it. 1 believe there is an earn
est intention on your part to consider
and understand, and advisedIy dis
charge the very great duty which is
imposed upon you in relation to this
instrument.
IMPORTANCE OF THE QUESTION AND
/ DUB DUTY AS VOTERS.
1t is a duty which only devolves
upon us about once in generation.
We have got to determine whether or
not this instrument shall be the funda-
4 mental law of one of the greatest
States of this Union for probably at
least generation to come. 1t is diff
cult to magnify the Importance of this
tQuestion, as / think. When this re-
publican government of ours was FORM
ed, and it was determined by its foun-
ders that the people should govern
themselves, the great question that
troubled them, as L read history, was
not so much whether the people could
properly govern themselves, as wheth-
er they l0omld do it. And the great
peril we are in DOW is that we are dis
D posed to trust to others to do our think.
ing for us. 1 beg of you, gentlemen,
while this great question is pending,
.. termine on it, to think for yourselves,
and not trust to me or anybody else, to
; do your thinking for you. / have
COuf lCUlOuo 40 ~ NuOtucI lIlS
work we have submitted to you is 8
|, , good work; but 1 am not here so much
, tonight for the purpose of advocating
that work-although l propose pres
emily to give some reasons for my c. n.
+ victions-as to urge upon you to read
r it, to think about it, to compare it with
the present Constitution, and then de
, termine for yourselves. If that is done
E 1 have an abiding faith as to what the
e result will be.
4 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE U. STATES
al AND STATE CONSTITUTIONS.
0 There is a great difference in the rule
4 flupon which our National Government
8 and State governments are based
: There is great prOpriety in exercising
: an eminent degree of conservatism
8 when amendments to the Constitution
: of the United States are proposed. The
q difference is this: 1t is provided in the
CONSTITUTION of the United ST. tes thai
: all powers which are not delegated BY
y that instrument to the United States
u nor prohibited by it to the States, are
; reserved to the States respectively, OF
!, to the people, while in the organization
. = of State governments the principle is
: that everything that you do not pro
: hibit the Legislature from doing, it car
:, do. Therefore, while we should bt
= exceedingly cautious in determining
. whether there shall be changes In eli