Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-18
CONSTITUTION TINKERING.

nOteQ DemOcrat1c congressman 1rOm TIE
Twelfth Illinois district, is trying to at
tract attention to himself as reformer,
amender and improver of the national
constitution. No one else, in his estima-
ton, being so adequate for the task
as himself, he has started
out with certain amendments to the
constitution which he has introduced into
this the house.
His proposed amendments have refer
ence to the election of president and
members of the house, and are but re-
port of standing propositions which have
been before the country in one form
or another for years. The self
conceited and uncertain member from Hi
nois, incapable of originating anything
himself, has formulated three or four old
points. His proposed amendments pro-
vide that the President shall be elected for
six years, and shall be ineligible
for reelection for the next term
succeeding his six years. The
Vice president is to be elected for six
years. The electoral college is to be
abolished, and the people of each state
are to vote direct y for the president.
Another proposed amendment is, that
members of the house shall be elected for
three years, and take their seats in Janu-
airy succeeding their election.
The question is, will this skipping jack
representative stand by his own PROPOSE
tons or go back on them, as he did upon
his promises and averments in the Don
nelly-Washburn contested seat case. His
treachery in this case forever debars him
from the enjoyment. of the character
of an honest and reliable
gentlemen. What arguments were brought
to bear upon him, arguments which Mr..
Washburn knows so well how to use,) it is
not the GLOBES present purpose to dis
cuss. But it would have been more salts
factory had the proposed amendments
come from source environed with more
savory antecedents.
Nevertheless the proposed amendments
should be examined on their merits, and
they have merits, devised by acute states
men long before they were ever thought of
by the slippery Mr.. Springer.
The mode of electing Pres
ident through an electoral COL
lege is cumbersome and unsatisfactory.
It has too much machinery and is too far
removed from the people. The people
never vote directly for presidential can
didate, but only for electors, pleged in a
given direction.
1t was thought by the
trainers of the constitution,
that the dignity of the Office would be COM
promised, by direct vote of the people.
Some ideas of regal state were INDUCED in.
in those days, by ''the fathers who had
just come out from under kingly govern
ment, in whose ways and usages they had
been previously educated.
Hence the electoral college was invent
ed, and no clumsily, that twice in our
history it has come near wrecking the gov
eminent. Once in the severe
and dangerous contest between
Jefferson and Burr, the prod
cut of treachery or the part of the old
Federalists, the constitution as it was, ad-
uniting of the trick.
Happily the crisis passed and there was
safe deliverance, followed. by constitution
al amendments remedying that particular
defeat, but leaving still others of as dam
gerous character, which came to the sur
face in 1876, producing the most profound
anxiety, and threatening governmental
7;cn,,+;on ,,,1 ropolnf;o,, x,hiob MORO ONLY
aYerted by the patriotic forbearance of the
Democracy.
A way of escape was devised, but the
necessity of constitutional amendments
was more deeply impressed upon the
country than ever before. Various propo-
sitions for constitutional amendments
have since been proposed, embody-
ing the points now suggested
by the Illinois sciolist, but nothing has, as
yet, been adopted to avert future possible
perils.
The election of Gen. Garfield created no
complications, his majority, by whatever
means achieved, being SO large as to secure
acquiescence.
Another Presidential election hastens on,
and no provision has yet been made, or is
likely to be made, to escape the possible
dangers that may arise in the Presidential
contest of 1884. One thing may be set
down as certainty, and that is, that the
forbearance of 1876, will not be again re-
peated. Wherever justice and right
clearly lead, that way will be trodden, and
the right will be asserted at all hazards.
An amendment of the constitution in re-
gard to the mode of voting for president
and clearly defining the management of a
contested election should be provided at
onne. To that point alone in constitu-
tional amendment, should attention be di-
rected now. The ridiculous proposal Of
the ambitious Mr.. Springer,
need not now to be considered. The in
creasing the tenure of the Presidential
Office, and that of congressman, is not so
important as to fix the way of electing a
President and declaring his election.
If constitutional amendment on this
vital point is not submitted to the States
for ratification at this session of congress
the election of 1884 will come on with
none of the needed safeguards provided