Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-09-17
COMMUNICATED.
EDITOR CHRONICLE:

citation to the adoption Ofthe proposed
lew Constitution, has been told in a
voice OF positive disapprobation. The
people of Ohio are as intelligent as
hose of any other State in the uulon
20 far as it has relation to the great
principles ~itich are to
bind themselves and their children al
ter them for age yet TO come. Ohio is
largely composed of emigrants of all
the older States, who have carried with
them many strong prepossessions which
lead them to reject most valuable
measures rather than yield a proposes
sion of but little moment; and, indeed,
AS rule, human nature strongly leads
in the same direction. The pro oSed
new Constitution had in it a number of
highly valuable and absolutely neces-
sary provisions, but at the sane time
with various pet PROPOSE
tions, and some of which were of grave
import, too mOmentous to be lightly
passed, and wholly unnecessary and
uncalied for by the people. b 'ery per-
son who knows the workings of our
judicial courts, feels fully satisfied that
the administration ofjustice requires
speedy reorganization of the courts by
an amendment of our present Constltu-
ton. An intermediate court, with ap-
pellate jurisdiction, between the Su-
preme court and the Common Pleas
courts, so as to relieve the litter of the
anomalus duty of trying the same
cause twice over in the same court, Is
much needed; in fact it is a disgrace
on our judicial system that we have no
lsuch appellate court. The people, in
calling the Convention, had two lead
ing objects in view-tirst, to hasten
and cheaper the administration OF JUS
tice, and the second was to tighten the
burden of taxation on the people,
Those were matters which required the
speedy action of the Convention. All
other matters might have been dis.
pensed with. But other matters had
to be tackled on, .'like kettle drum on
the end of a dogs TAIL" calculate to
weigh down all that was valuable IN
the new Constitution. 1t Is evident
that the proposed Constitution tettered
as it was, must have been an lnStru'
lment of compromise to satisfy the
great contrarity of opinion and cherish
ed objects of the respective delegates
1t is evident. too, that no political par
tizan strife had anything to do with
the action of the Convention. Judge
Cowen, among gentlemen OF the lines
legal ability in the State. was our deie
gate. He has had large experience
OF the hinderances to fair admlnlstra
ltion of justice from want uf such in
termediate appellate court. He, witt
every other able jurist in the Conven
ton, must have regarded that as thu
/, one question of the most urgent neces
sity before the Convention, as it Ger
tainly was,
1t is a common occurrence in all delib
. crate bodies, that the at lest statesmen
i'm order to obtain valuable and lndIS
pensable measure, are forced to TAX
Objectionable provisions mixed with it
or take nothing. But the time ha
: lcome when the people Of the ate vii
have at least two amendments to Ou
| present Constitutions: first an appellat
court, and secondly to restrain the Leg
islature from imposing sucn eXtrava
: CANT and oppressive burdens Of taxa
: ton on our people; and as incidents t
a the question OF taxation, to protect Tn
!, people against all frauds of corpoia LAT
nonopolies, and 10 wipe out all neet
i les offices and sinecureS, and reduce Il
/? salaries and fees to amounts Whlc
5 shall be reasonable in view of the e1
= tliyencies of che people, especially unit
our State debts shall be paid. The
with an expectation of another Const
l. ltutionaI Convention we may gather
If little wisdom from the objections
the Constitution which has just bee
!. rejected. The objections were man
{. fold; and it may be profitable to motto
7, IA few of them. Then, 1st: The pTop'
j. sition to give fixed salaries to membe
Is of the Legislature is objected to Tor u
reason that it may be a temptation
81 hurry over their work. and fail to pc
r. form the necessary legislation require
10 by the interests of the State. Ind: III
r. leading objection to fixed salaries
Probate Judges, and Clerks of Court
is that it removes the chief induceme
is to a speedy and faithful collection
is their fees and costs. 3rd. The pr0po,
o. ton to make women eligible to 9TH
y under the school laws, is an insult
ST modest lady, and for the reason tn
d, trailing woman round with mt
o. hunting for sites for school houses. al
ne for other matters pertaining to her
,g lfice. would make Intermediates pla
in her in the same category with tt
)u .sfree love crusade" 4th. Persons su
Is- iect to perform military duty, alwa
We feel that they ought to have the rig
en- to elect their own officers; and iot
ne upon the proposition to give the excl
n, sive power of appointment to the Go
ne lernor, as a cool insult. And if the pr
posed Constitution had been rattle
st the negro would have become eligit
he to hold any military Office. Now let
I'll be supposed that a Governor appoint
is negro to command division, b1igad
I'm or regiment of white men, and viii
e. is a supposable case; then in view
.ss that ever present antipathy of rac'
nd how long time would that poor ne :
O. he allowed in which to say his |,
On PRAYER? Whether such deeply root
Ie- preiudices are right or wrong Is not
les question, for we must deal with rae
ar 5th. The proposition to give to t
er Legislature power to fix the amour
of and manner OF payment OF money,
ID lieu of the performance of military du
er- in time of peace by men who are &C
of scientiously opposed to bearing arm
ill lasking men to do indirectly that whi
ur their religious principles forbid the
nd doing directly is "a mockery, and off
M sive to the entire society of Frien'
De- and It's fair to presume that not o
M worthy member of that Society vot
an in favor of the proposed new Constil
I'M ton. 9th. There Was an objecti
he which pervaded the whole of the p
posed new Constitution, and whi
ch- deeply impressed, as it ever will, a
cal ought, the hearts of the whole peop
its That objection did then, does now, a
tal ever will, stand out as the cyno5u
,ut the truest polar star, to guide the wh'
mt people, free from all partizan feeling
Ill the hour, in the choice OF all our pub
lIy officers, in order to fill all Offices wi
he honest and capable men, the peol
IL ought to retain, and will retain