The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-03-19
THE DAILY HERALD: THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 10, 1874

care In this, that an opportunity VIII
be afforded at the nGXt session OF cor
roellng and amending errors or mis-
takes, which u searching investigation
by the popular mind may expose IN
the amendments as proposed now
Thus guarded against too much haste
In their formation, aud having re-
oelyed tho mniurist consideration OF
the people and two SESSIONS Of the leg
lslniure, The amendments, when iln-
ally passed upon by the people at the
polls, II adopted, and afterwArd ratified
by tw0-thlrds Of the Legislature chosen
at the same election, viii be stamped
with the highest guaranty Of Their
wisdom. The instrument made In the
manner | suggest will not be palch-
work, hut will he an entire, consls'
tent harmonious whole ana NJ
the Same time viii he M
amendment, because, however radical
and thorough the change made, ut
least one-fourth Of the present consll-
tuition will remain untouched, which
Will be the basis of the amendment
II permitted, | would suggest 10 your
honorable bodies, In framing amend
menis, 10 bear in mind that n cOnslllll-
ton should he u wcll-diBosted system
Of purely organic principles ana lllnl-
tatiOns; that II should consist only OF
elemental landmarks aud beacon
lights, to limit and guide the govern
ment on the subjects embraced IN ~
that It's provisions should be general,
30 that legislation under II may have
scope wide enough TO meet all the eXl-
gences aud changes likely to occur IN
II growing and expanding society. Our
present constitution has not been IN
nptly termed mn omnibus bill, contain
ing spe ,Nl legislation on almost every
subject, and II Is for this reason that ut
every turn in your efforts to enact de-
slrable laws you are met ANA stopped
by some of its provisions. Legislation
should find no place In constitutions
| our legislatures meet for the purpose
of cnacting laws. Constitutions are or
dained to limit and define the powers
of the government, and to guide II IN
making and executing laws. When
ever the maker of u constitution de-
seconds in ordinary legislation, he
plants in the instrument the seeds Of
It's destruction, and does that which
will surely render Il change necessary.
II will be found universally true that
those state constitutions which con-
tain the smallest number Of provl-
sions, which adhere most closely to
fundamental declarations, and to the
fixing simply of boundaries, leaving
the interior to be filled by the enact
ments of the legislatures, have been
the wiscst aud most enduring. a law
enacted ut this session of the legisla-
turc, which proves, on trial. to be bad,
may be repealed ut the next, but put
In the constitution, and it must be sub
mitted to possibly, for years, and I'M
til the sovereignty of the state Is
aroused Many OF the vices of our
present consultation can be cured by
simply dropping out obnoxious clauses,
and leaving the subject matter of them
to be dealt with by the Legislature. In
order to provide against too frequent
recurrence Of the necessity for change
in the constitution, | suggest that the
amendments should not be SO restric-
tive, but that much should be conlided
to the discretion of the law-making
before remarked, we do not ourselves
understand, as yet, the changes which
ave been wrought among Us, 10y the
ev,l Is OF the past few years; and the
government should have room and
verge enough to meet and provide for
dcvelop ents and eXigences, which
our nov surroundings and conditions
may bria about. A constitution con-
shucted Of principles which do not
change, Il which leaves to the gov
ernmenl creates, power to expand
and adap itself to the changes which
are constantly occurring, is what we
need.
Having clear convictions of the pro-
priety ahd policy of proposing amend
ments to the constitution, which shall
be thorough, and cover the whole
ground, | earnestly recommend that
your honorable bodies, without further
delay, proceed to prepare them.
Very Respectfully,
RICHARD COKE.
Whereupon, Mr.. McLeary offered u
concurrent resolution that the house Of
representatives, the senate concurring,
that special joint committee be APP
pointed, composed of five members
from each house, to frame and present
to the legislature a new constitution,
by way of amendments, on the plan
suggested by the governor, and that
the message be referred to that COM
mittee. Adopted.
The speaker appointed the following
committee, on the part of the house,
to frame and present the Legislature n
system of amendments to the consti-
tuition, in accordance with the message
of the governor on this subject: Nc
Leary, Harris, Epperson, Reeves, De-
laney, Rainey and Simpson.