Ellsworth American., 1877-05-31
Senator Morton on the Constitution

The North .Impicln Rerie,r for June has
au article by senator Morton, from which
We quote the following paragraphs;
This election tan election by the House
OF Rrpres. natives when no person had re-
ceivrd majority OF the votes OF all the
electors appointed was TO BE- made by the
members OF the House. who had been elect
ed nearly TWO years before. and who could
not bc supposed 10 represent the latest ex-
preston Of the popular Will. Thus the
choice ~ the President was removed a.
fir ~ possible from the peopleto have the
office elective at all. The constitution pro-
sidrs that the judges ofthe supreme Court
shall hold their Offices during good be-
hAyior, that the Senators shall be chosen
hy the Legislatures of the State, aud not
by the people, thus removing their choice
A. lar q, possible from popular passing
and control. The only department OF the
Government IN which the voice OF the peo-
ne Was 10 be directly eXpGr>.ed was IN
The election Of Representatives rhc
trancrs Of the constitution di not believe
that t was safe 70 trust the people Direct
~ with the administration Of the Govern
meut. except Ia very limited degree.
They had been educated in the fear Of de
claraton Of Independence their belief In
the natural rights OF man, ana that gov
ernment should exist only by the consent
OF the governed, they afterwards showed
how theoretical and shadowy their no.
tious upon that subject were, by permit
tin. the continuance Of slavery and giving
to il cons stitutiOnal guarantees, aud hy 50
constructing the Government n to leave
the people out rs far rs possible. The
trainers OF the constitution were masters
OF the English language. Perhaps no in-
/ \
ia which words were used with so much
precision. and in which 80 much has been
embraced in comparatively ewIsentences
They were consummate masters OF words
and the debates ir tie convention show
the remarkable care aud accuracy display
ed in the selection of word intended to
convey particular idea. but not liable to
misconstrurtion or mistake. In other re-
spects the wisdom Of the trainers OF the
constitution has not been SO conspicuous.
The eyentS OF a hundred years have shown
that their fears Of democracy were not
we'll grounded, aud that the true danger
70 Our Institutions lay Iii other direction,
than those which We're ever present IN
their minds. What i true in architecture
Is true under our system of government
the broader the base the safer aud more
enduring the structure. The great body
- 1HS -h'hNi'N'i fNpPAS 1AI ihNaRhoAS VI
corruption. They are too numerous to be
bought, and too virtuous to be reached
by any sinister Influence to which they may
be exposed. While the means OF corruption
may be abundant emo gh TO reach and
control select body OF 800 or 500 men,
they amount to nothing when brought 10
bear upon millions. The masses OF the
people are liable to be imposed up
on. it is true, but their purpose is always
right, though their policy may sometimes
be wrong; they intend TO do right, and TO
advocate those measures which will result
in the popular good; and if they fail to do
so. il Is because they are imposed upon, or
have not the proper Information. The
freedom of speech and of the press is the
great guaranty for our liberty and pros
perlty. A comparatively few intelligent
men upon each side of political question.
welding the power of the former, or of
the press, put parties upon an equity, and
protect them to great extent from the
dangers of imposition and fraud. just as
able attorneys put an intelligent and an
ignorant sultor on substantially the same
footing before the jury. so do freedom of
speech and of the press, while not at all
compensatlng Tor the Ignorance OF the
masses, place parties on AN equality, and
protect the people in tie main from i'm
position and wrong. The instinct and the
purpose of the masses being houes' and in
the right direction. politicians are COMPEL
ed to recognize that fact and address
themselves to it, and could not, If they
tried, for any great length OF time. palm
a fraudulent policy upon them. There is
no community 81 ignorant as to be for any
length of time successfully imposed upon
by fraudulent promises and measures.
The iaUrpa
where about the same. There will be
found in every country and in every
neighborhood some men of sufficient in
telligence to take generally correct view
OF what is right and WHAT to their in.
terest.
The late election for President showed
not only that the great purpose for which
the electoral college was originally Great
ed had utterly failed, but that it is artificial
complex, liable to arrangement and acci-
dent, and gives rise to number of 4ues-
ton which may decide the result of an
election, and yet have no connection with
the merits of the controversy. The con-
sttution provides that no person holding
an Office Of trust or profit under the Unit.
ed States shall be appointed an elector;
the object being to preserve the indepen-
dence OF the electors and their total separ-
aration from Government influences in the
discharge of their duties.-The system in
actual use, by which electors are pledged
before their election to vote for particular
candidates, renders all question Of eligibil-
ity unimportant. and vet the fact that an
elector in Oregon held a very unimportant
postoffice on the day of his election gave
rise to great trouble, anxiety, and pro-
longed discussion. Like questions were
raised as to the eligibility Of an elector in
Florida, on account Of his having held a